Free 186 More Best Homemade Tools eBook:  
Get tool plans

User Tag List

Page 1 of 2 1 2 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 17

Thread: The Halitosis Howitzer

  1. #1
    Supporting Member mklotz's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2015
    Location
    LA, CA, USA
    Posts
    3,527
    Thanks
    362
    Thanked 6,559 Times in 2,161 Posts

    mklotz's Tools

    The Halitosis Howitzer

    If you want to get people's (especially younger people) attention at your next engine show or backyard barbecue, you just can't beat a small explosion. I've learned that the nanny-state frowns on 1" smoothbore, black powder cannons firing ball bearings through tree trunks so I built a safe cannon (actually a howitzer) that doesn't sacrifice that head-raising CRACK needed to get yourself noticed.

    The top from a soft plastic 35mm film canister is screwed to a block of wood. The piezoelectric sparking element is cannabalized from a commercial butane barbecue lighter and its two wires led through holes in the block to emerge into the cannister top (see detail in second photo. Arrange the wires so, when the piezo button is pressed, you get a nice juicy spark across the wires.







    Fuel is provided from a pocket-sized cannister of aerosol breathspray. Spray a bit into the film cannister, immediately mount the cannister on its top on the howitzer, press the piezo button and the cannister will fly twenty to thirty feet with a very satisfying BANG!
    The plastic film cannister won't do any damage if it hits something and, with the small amount of propellant, this is actually a pretty safe device.

    Aerosol breathspray works well. It contains alcohol and the propellant is butane so it's fairly easy to get a proper mix of propellant and air in the cannister. Non-pressurized breathspray works too but you'll need to experiment a bit to get the right air-fuel mixture. Hairspray works well but leaves a sticky residue. Experiment - but resist the urge to try acetlyene.

    If you have younger kids, ensure that they understand that this is Daddy's toy and lock it securely away when not in use.

    Oh, one more thing. When testing the piezo element, don't touch the wires. DAMHIKT.

    186 More Best Homemade Tools eBook
    Last edited by mklotz; Jul 9, 2017 at 12:02 PM.
    ---
    Regards, Marv

    Failure is just success in progress
    That looks about right - Mediocrates

  2. The Following 24 Users Say Thank You to mklotz For This Useful Post:

    baja (Aug 14, 2018), benkeller3 (Dec 29, 2018), bugsley (Oct 1, 2020), DIYer (Apr 13, 2018), greyhoundollie (Oct 10, 2018), gunsgt1863 (Nov 16, 2017), Jon (Dec 18, 2015), kbalch (Dec 18, 2015), KustomsbyKent (Nov 12, 2017), lazarus (Jan 17, 2016), Loose Ctrl (Nov 13, 2017), Moby Duck (Nov 12, 2017), ncollar (Apr 12, 2018), oldcaptainrusty (Nov 12, 2017), Paul Jones (Dec 27, 2015), ranald (Apr 21, 2018), Raven Sirius (Jan 24, 2016), rlm98253 (Nov 12, 2017), sanderson59 (Sep 26, 2020), Toolmaker51 (Nov 12, 2017), trigger (Sep 25, 2020), Trojan Horse (Nov 15, 2017), verticalmurph (Sep 25, 2020), will52100 (Aug 13, 2018)

  3. #2
    Supporting Member ncollar's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2012
    Posts
    354
    Thanks
    23
    Thanked 181 Times in 126 Posts
    Marv
    Tooo Coool

    2,000+ Tool Plans

  4. #3
    Supporting Member rlm98253's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
    Posts
    68
    Thanks
    3,683
    Thanked 45 Times in 29 Posts
    One question, mklotz. Where, in this digital age, do you find empty 35mm film canisters?

  5. The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to rlm98253 For This Useful Post:

    Trojan Horse (Nov 15, 2017), will52100 (Dec 28, 2018)

  6. #4
    Supporting Member Toolmaker51's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
    Location
    Midwest USA
    Posts
    5,334
    Thanks
    7,044
    Thanked 3,012 Times in 1,901 Posts

    Toolmaker51's Tools
    Quote Originally Posted by rlm98253 View Post
    One question, mklotz. Where, in this digital age, do you find empty 35mm film canisters?
    Cause he didn't toss them in the first place. DAMHIKT.
    I'm privy to a world class selection of like-sized Rx containers. Snap cap versions might triple the chamber volume available in a 35mm canister...hmmm
    Sincerely,
    Toolmaker51
    ...we'll learn more by wandering than searching...

  7. The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to Toolmaker51 For This Useful Post:

    baja (Sep 26, 2020), rlm98253 (Nov 12, 2017)

  8. #5
    Supporting Member mklotz's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2015
    Location
    LA, CA, USA
    Posts
    3,527
    Thanks
    362
    Thanked 6,559 Times in 2,161 Posts

    mklotz's Tools
    Quote Originally Posted by rlm98253 View Post
    One question, mklotz. Where, in this digital age, do you find empty 35mm film canisters?
    I have a good deal of trouble discarding any nicely configured small container. In addition, I've worked out several quick ways to defeat those infuriating child-proof caps on containers.

    There's nothing sacred about film cannisters. Any small pop-top container will work. About the only consideration is the fact that it shouldn't be hard enough or massive enough to inflict damage or knock valuable antique vases off the mantle.

    If you're really safety conscious you can attach a string between the howitzer base and projectile and make it into a "pop + howitzer" = "powitzer".
    ---
    Regards, Marv

    Failure is just success in progress
    That looks about right - Mediocrates

  9. The Following 4 Users Say Thank You to mklotz For This Useful Post:

    baja (Sep 26, 2020), rlm98253 (Nov 13, 2017), Toolmaker51 (Nov 18, 2017), Trojan Horse (Nov 15, 2017)

  10. #6
    Supporting Member Paul Alciatore's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2014
    Location
    Beaumont, TX
    Posts
    304
    Thanks
    9
    Thanked 157 Times in 83 Posts

    Paul Alciatore's Tools
    Boy, that was a real easy Google:

    https://www.bing.com/search?q=35mm+f...ZI&form=MOZLBR

    Apparently Marv is not the only one who likes to use them. Personally I prefer recycling the plastic pill bottles. Some pharmacies can supply them with the same style of snap cap as the plastic film containers have but you have to request "not child safe". They are transparent enough so you can see the contents. I have actually reorganized my screw and bolt collection with them. Various sized pill bottles hold all my screws from 4-40 up to 12-24. I have them in cardboard bins, one bin for each screw size. Metric too.



    Quote Originally Posted by rlm98253 View Post
    One question, mklotz. Where, in this digital age, do you find empty 35mm film canisters?
    Paul A.

  11. The Following User Says Thank You to Paul Alciatore For This Useful Post:

    Trojan Horse (Nov 15, 2017)

  12. #7

    Join Date
    Jan 2018
    Posts
    3
    Thanks
    2
    Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
    Hugely Entertaining.
    I once saw a quote somewhere that said: "Growing OLD is INEVITABLE; growing UP is OPTIONAL"
    Just about covers it, methinks?
    PS: this is meant as a compliment......

  13. #8
    Supporting Member ncollar's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2012
    Posts
    354
    Thanks
    23
    Thanked 181 Times in 126 Posts
    MegaGash
    It is taken as a complement, I like having options.
    Nelson

  14. #9
    Supporting Member garage nut's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2017
    Location
    Port Elizabet, SA
    Posts
    246
    Thanks
    92
    Thanked 441 Times in 109 Posts

    garage nut's Tools
    Makes me think back about 30 years, we made potato guns like this. Used 40 or 50mm PVC tube and glued on a screw on end cap. Then the same configuration with the wires in the cap. Find a potato that fits loosely in the tube and throw it in from the front, 3 x self tappers about 3" from the cap ensures the potatoes does not upset your firing wires. We used pressurized deodorant as a propellant. Well you can figure it out from here. Not a toy for kids. The potatoes can be shot some 50m depending on the length of the tube and the fit potato to tube you have. Like I say no toy for a kid., but mechanical engineering students can have a lot of fun.

    Thanks for taking me back memory lane.

    Had to edit the post and change 20 to 30....man time is flying.
    Last edited by garage nut; Apr 12, 2018 at 11:25 PM.

  15. #10
    Supporting Member ranald's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2018
    Location
    Black Mountain Queensland
    Posts
    1,326
    Thanks
    992
    Thanked 367 Times in 256 Posts

    ranald's Tools
    Memory lane allright! in the sixties we celebrated Guyforks attempt at blowing up parliament & some how added the WILD West. We attached gal house pipe to some 1 1/2 by 3" wood or similar size (very sophicasted use of bending nails over the pipe) and by now you probably know where this is going. the penny bunger was a good fit as well as marbles. two large nails stopped the bunger sliding out the back end but allowed the wick to stick out. We used a hardwood dowel to ram & remove the exploded bunger.I don't know how no one was hurt or houses (except wooden pailings) damaged.
    We then progressed to small sky rockets (cost a penny and later a cent) and had a slit across the pipe for the wick (a little tweaking for us kids to finesse) and a solid block at the back instead of the nails. these were much more dangerous as accuracy was lost resulting in some minor injuries to us and pets.

    I wont go into the homemade William Tell cross bows we made. If our parents knew what we got up to!

    Today the kids play war games on xbox etc.

    Cheers

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •