Mini weekend project

[Hale21]

Slow day in the workshop - started to make stops for my X1 mini mill but didn't have the right sized bolts so I thought I would build a mini cannon.

Still need to do quite a bit of finishing, especially re-polishing around the silver soldered pivots (how do you get the heat marks off).

I had a go at making a tool to press the brass pivot caps, how I can drill on a milling machine and still not get it straight is beyond me!

One day I'll get it right.

Hal

[raynerd]

  does it fire??

[awemawson]

We used the heads of red matches for cannon powder when I was a boy

[Hale21]

If I can get some fuse wire I'll try it today!

I once made a rocket out of alloy bar at school, filled it with match heads and foolishly used a needle file to ram them home! No eyebrows but second attempt it disappeared over the next doors neighbours fence.

Sorry about the rubbish photos - must get a new camera.

Hal

[Hale21]

Just had first firing - not impressive

Either not enough propellant or rubbish design - either possible. As soon as I can get the paper wadding out (should have a made a wormer) I'll try again - match heads this time.

Hal

[tom osselton]

When we were kid's we use to stuff 22 shells with match heads crimp the end and smash with hammer. ... Looking back sheesh!    Or take 303 shells apart for the cordite.

[SwarfnStuff]

Hi All, Like Tom I used to stuff 22 shells with match heads and crimp them. One day my friend and I  put two on the tram track and waited. BLAM BANG, The tram brakes slammed on and the poor dirver got out to see what he had hit or what had blown up. Two boys sitting on the fence trying not to laugh. Oh and what about two half inch bolts part threaded into one nut with the gap between stuffed with match heads. Tossed at the brick wall. Amazingly I still have all my fingers, eyes, etc.

[tom osselton]

We never used the bolt method we had those plastic bomb shaped ones you know the ones with the spring loaded nose that the caps go under.

[shipto]

I used to use an old wardrobe key with 2 or 3 match heads and a bit of lead fishing shot. frighten my mom half to death once 

[Fergus OMore]

A carbide gun? Made with the remains from  miners' acetylene lamps and put into a bottle and pissed in and corked.

There was one bright spark who couldn't find a proper bottle and used a screwcap one- True!

[Hale21]

Wow forgot about cap firing rockets - I can still smell the caps!

[SwarfnStuff]

Oh, Carbide Gun? That reminds me that we used to get an old Ovaltine (Chocolate type hot drink powder) tin, pop a small hole in the side near the bottom. pour in a little water followed by some carbide then jamb a tennis ball into the mouth of the can. Balance the lot against the edge of a house brick to get elevation the a lit match to the hole and whoomp. Tennis ball some 50 metre down the back yard. The reason for the Ovaltine tin was because it was just the right size for the tennnis ball to fit. Kinda handy living in a town where mines still operated so carbide was fairly easy to come by.
      Hey what was the topic again? Oh yeah, Weekend projects.

[tom osselton]

Wow forgot about cap firing rockets - I can still smell the caps!

Yep those are the ones!!

[angus]

Hi All, Like Tom I used to stuff 22 shells with match heads and crimp them. One day my friend and I  put two on the tram track and waited. BLAM BANG, The tram brakes slammed on and the poor dirver got out to see what he had hit or what had blown up. Two boys sitting on the fence trying not to laugh. Oh and what about two half inch bolts part threaded into one nut with the gap between stuffed with match heads. Tossed at the brick wall. Amazingly I still have all my fingers, eyes, etc.

one of those cut a groove in my chin......and then after bouncing off me went through an asbestos garage roof, punching a neat hole........

think that may of been the last ones of those i made.......

[tom osselton]

You were lucky for sure pioneering the pipe b. It is amazing just how much energy matches have.