r44astro Posted July 25, 2015 Posted July 25, 2015 This fourth of July I went to a friends place to borrow an Airconditioning tool. He has a couple of cannons he made from DOM pipe. He was getting ready for a party and was going to shoot his cannons. I asked him you using Pyodex or BP? He said he was not sure sure which one. He then handed me an old one pound metal BP can and said we can pour a little out an be able to tell which one. So I unscewed the METAL cap and poured a little out from this half full can into my hand. I about you know what, FLASH POWDER! I slowly set it down and ran out of his house. I then told him what he had and then he says "I remember now someone gave that to me in a plastic container I put in the metal can" OK my panic attack is over and I explained that not knowing what formula of flash that is was and the fact that it was in can that had sulfur at one time it could just self detonate if KCL3, and just the fact it is flash what ever the formula it was a bomb waiting to go BANG, would have killed both of us.. I told him I have a pound of Pyrodex you can have. He wants to argue saying his cannons are made from DOM pipe not cast and he could use the flash! I finally convinced him to come get the Pyrodex and put the can in a bucket of water. So I guess the moral is never trust anyone!
braddsn Posted July 25, 2015 Posted July 25, 2015 LOL ddewes! Astro, no reason to 'run' out of the house! Flash is not going to jump on you and bite! Would be best to calmly tell him what it is, and help him dispose of it. (In my opinion). 1
r44astro Posted July 25, 2015 Author Posted July 25, 2015 I am sure you are correct but after reading on the forum about flash I am gun shy. I only know about flash from reading.
schroedinger Posted July 26, 2015 Posted July 26, 2015 Well i can understand astro quite good, except for the running part. At the momment you realized what you got the can is allready opened, better take it and walk it outside, running just posses to many risks. But the shock can be quite big if yiu expect bp or a substitute. About flash in cannons, different people have different opinions on that, a good thundermug should be able to handle moderate load, but there really is no need to use it.
Sparx88 Posted July 26, 2015 Posted July 26, 2015 You can use flash in short very stout thunder mugs. I was schooled that you should aim to have 1.5 of the caliber in all directions. So a 1" bore should have 1.5" wall thickness on the sides and back or bottom. The length for a 1" bore for one of these need not to exceed 4". That is of course what I have found as well. But don't use flash in cannons mugs etc designed for black powder pyrodex. That should be a given. Even with a mug/flash pot designed to be used with flash does not generally need more than 10 grams hot 70/30
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