[SEL] A real buzz

[Dave Croft]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: <FRM8198 at aol.com>
To: <sel at lists.stationary-engine.com>
Sent: Monday, November 14, 2005 10:37 PM
Subject: Re: [SEL] A real buzz


> 
> In a message dated 11/14/2005 2:14:23 P.M. Pacific Standard Time,  
> bill at antique-engines.com writes:
> For us  it was a tennis ball cannon - 4 or 5 beer cans, duct tape, lighter
> fluid  and a tennis ball.
> DAM that thing stung if you were hit - and it would fire  that ball for
> over a city block if done right.
> We can't forget the "Potato Gun".  It was  constructed from PVC fittings and 
> pipe.  The ignition source was a striker  from a Coleman Lantern. The 
> propellant was a little starter fluid sprayed  into combustion chamber.  The 
> projectile was, of course, a potato  stuffed into the barrel.
> Francis  Maciel

The little trick we used as kids was  to half fill a glass tablet bottle with water & put in 
a lot of Calcium Carbide* stuck under the lid. (*Carbide cycle lamp powder)
We carefully carried these to the canal & shook them for about a minute so the acetelene
could build up pressure.
Then we thew them in the water just before (If we were lucky) the bottle exploded  with the
pressure stunning the fish.
Small things amuse small minds.  Is this why people collect Magtags?
Dave Croft
Warrington
England
http://community.webshots.com/user/crftdv