Blackpowder, bowling balls and sewer pipe! (Fire in the hole!!!)

One Fine September Morning... ^

[Vigilantcitizen]

"We could make this happen!!!"

Call me crazy, I won't deny it, but how does the idea of a FReeper homebuilt mortar contest sound?

We could all agree on a future deadline, and have weekly threads where progress pics, ideas and solutions could be posted.

As far as the actual competition, as I imagine all of us actually meeting up in one state would be prohibitive for some, a remote competition could be set-up. We would just have to work out a standard range distance, target radius, projectile and number of shots allowed.

Although putting the highest number of balls on target would determine the overall winner, we could also vote on "Best design" and "Best Engineered".

Let me know what y'all think. I'm interested, and suggest "The Georgia Loose Cannon Brigade" as the Jawja team moniker.

[Chancellor Palpatine]

I gotta wonder about the thickness of that pipe, and about stress fractures.....

[Vigilantcitizen]

See #101.

[Rebelbase]

When my brother was kid he and one of his pals took a gavanized fence post using M80s and D-cells...They would shoot them at barges in the Mississippi from the levee.

[Vigilantcitizen]

"I gotta wonder about the thickness of that pipe, and about stress fractures....."

See #94.

[Rebelbase]

"No gunner worth his salt would have any vital portion of his anatomy covering the muzzle"

Just this past year a guy was killed when part of his head was blown off when he look down the barrel of a fireworks mortar that had misfired.

[HoustonCurmudgeon]

Let me get this straight. You are willing to have a "remote competition" with a bunch of Texans? Texas where the tall tale is a way of life? How about bets?

ROFL!! ... OK ... We win!!! ;-)

[LowOiL]

Bookmark... Bump

[AnAmericanMother]

Every fireworker's nightmare.

We drilled our firing sequence until we could have done it in our sleep. I was usually the loader 'cause I'm small (at least I was small then) and quick! I would "search" the mortar with nothing but my left hand guiding the hook over the mouth - and when I inserted a shell I knelt beside the mortar and held it between my two palms, releasing it by spreading my hands out once it was guided into position. For the big ones, my number two held the guide line with the electrical leads. In all the photos we have, you can see that my center of gravity is WAY back from the mortar mouth (my facial expressions are a study!)

We always treated explosive ordnance with a heck of a lot of respect. And my husband (now a respectable 52 and father of a family) will grin and hold out his hands outspread: "STILL HAVE ALL TEN!"

[U S Army EOD]

Q: How many Aggies does it take to build a bonfire??

A: Use all you want to, they just can't build one.

[Squantos]

Friend of mine ,retired ABQ PD troop ,in Cedar Crest NM has a whole bunch of Cannon. They are are awesome. Soon as I have the space to play with one I "WILL" have a 12 pounder to plink with. My current toy is a trebuche. Albeit a small one I am looking at building one from telephone poles or steel. All I know is the one I build will need a D9 Cat to cock it........:o)

How far can one toss a whitfaced hereford ....with a tail wind of course ???

Stay Safe !

[epow]

How about 16 ounces of H110. That'd make a real pile driver.

No, that would make a real bomb.

H110 is a medium-fast burning smokeless ball propellant, as you probably know, and a pound of it would turn that pipe into high velocity shrapnel. I'm sure you know all that and were only kidding, but still, we don't want to give any kid a very bad idea.

OK, so I'm an old fogey scardy cat, but I'm still kicking and some of my more reckless former pals aint.

[HoustonCurmudgeon]

Being a Longhorn I've made many a joke about the aggies and their bonfire. Since the collapse that killed several of them a few years ago, I believe it is a subject best left alone.

[HoustonCurmudgeon]

My current toy is a trebuche.

There was a tv show within the last year that showed a modern trebuche built in Scotland that was aimed at a stone wall built for the purpose. It was great though the aiming was a real problem.

[Squantos]

Got any seemless steel pipe in that diameter Eaker ? Also consider a plate vs a cap for the resaons in the article. The less heat stress from welding on the pipe itself is paramount. The plate vs a cap seems a better idea to me for that reason...........unless of course you can cryo that sucker after ya weld it ?:o)

And don't forget plenty of duct tape.......we can always use plenty of duct tape !

LMAO.........I love these threads !........Stay Safe or at least try !

[IncPen]

.... ping for the things we dream about...

[Squantos]

A simple spark or glow plug plumbed into the base of the pipe works well also if ya don't go the estes rocket thang way.

Stay Safe .....let eaker light that sucker off !

[RightWhale]

I can probably get the pipe for free and have the welding equipment to build it!!!

Warning. This can become a disaster instantly. Not for casual weekenders. If one wants a safer hobby, offer to fly Rutan's SpaceShipOne on its first 100 km sub-orbital.

[baseballfanjm]

I can't believe it, it took until post #62 for someone to notice the moose!

[Squantos]

Although putting the highest number of balls on target would determine the overall winner, we could also vote on "Best design" and "Best Engineered".

........I'm in ! As to ignition sources what do ya think about a simple spark plug. I use one of those in my potato cannon ....works great for gases and also have seen a simple rig for cannon that uses a 209 shotgun primer. Drill and tap a hole in the base and screw it in, cock, load and move to non business end of 100' of lanyard , pull and let er fly !

Stay Safe ! To be continued after this fiasco !