tombegood Posted November 25, 2012 Posted November 25, 2012 Built this cannon about a month ago. It is bored out to 1.72" which is perfect for a golf ball. I am planning on using it to fireexploding mortars at some point. I was wondering if anybody has tried this? I purchased the empty shells but am wondering if I should use flash powder, or just ordinary black powder.
tombegood Posted November 25, 2012 Author Posted November 25, 2012 (edited) Here are a couple of clips of me firing this beast. In these vids I am using 600 grains ffg black powder.Obviously I wouldnt be using that much powder for pyrotechnics. That's another question...how much powder would be good for shootingone of these things into the sky? Also, type of fuse and how much fuse?? Edited November 25, 2012 by tombegood
alexpyro101 Posted November 25, 2012 Posted November 25, 2012 I think a lot of people are going to tell you not to load salutes into a metal mortar. Metal should only be used as a mortar if it is buried in the ground, otherwise you might have built a grenade that can throw metal shrapnel. Also i feel that the increased pressure from it being used as a canon to make noise (more black powder is to lift the shell than one would use to lift the average shell out of a mortar) could make shells more likely to flowerpot, although a good shell should handle much more pressure than it needs to it's just one more thing to think about.
NightHawkInLight Posted November 25, 2012 Posted November 25, 2012 Although I doubt a small flash salute would fracture that cannon I wouldn't recommend it. Not worth the risk. For star shells, use no more black powder to lift than is typical for use in a mortar, and be sure they fall freely down the bore without being forced.
tombegood Posted November 25, 2012 Author Posted November 25, 2012 (edited) I think a lot of people are going to tell you not to load salutes into a metal mortar. Metal should only be used as a mortar if it is buried in the ground, otherwise you might have built a grenade that can throw metal shrapnel. Also i feel that the increased pressure from it being used as a canon to make noise (more black powder is to lift the shell than one would use to lift the average shell out of a mortar) could make shells more likely to flowerpot, although a good shell should handle much more pressure than it needs to it's just one more thing to think about.I agree, but this has been designed to fire a golf ball over 3/4 of a mile, depending on amount of powder and trajectory. That being said, a salute should not be a problem. It is machined stainless from one piece of stock. the barrel walls are over 1.5 inch thick. Powder pocket is 3"deep by 1.2" wide and made to hold up to 600 grain of black powder.Of course I would cut way back on the charge if firing a shell Edited November 25, 2012 by tombegood
tombegood Posted November 25, 2012 Author Posted November 25, 2012 (edited) Although I doubt a small flash salute would fracture that cannon I wouldn't recommend it. Not worth the risk. For star shells, use no more black powder to lift than is typical for use in a mortar, and be sure they fall freely down the bore without being forced.If you check out the videos, that's being fired with 600 grain black powder with a large wad over the charge. LOL Not worried about fracturing...Just trying to figure out how much to use to launch a salute. The barrel is 1.72" and the mortars I would be loading into it are 1.5" perfect size Edited November 25, 2012 by tombegood
tombegood Posted November 25, 2012 Author Posted November 25, 2012 (edited) Sorry Alex, I was off on the dimensions I gave you. I have edited what I wrote to correct that. Peace! Edited November 25, 2012 by tombegood
tombegood Posted November 26, 2012 Author Posted November 26, 2012 (edited) Can anyone tell me the typical length of fuse (and type of fuse) used on a 1.5 inch shell and the amount of black powder for lift? I would like to have a good starting point. Edited November 26, 2012 by tombegood
Short5 Posted November 26, 2012 Posted November 26, 2012 Keep in mind that the moment you fire an exploding shell out of it you have what the ATF calls a destructive device. You need to go through a lengthy background check, finger printing, and pay a $200 tax to own it.. If you manufactured it and fire exploding devices from it you need the same license that someone building any type of large military weapon. Stick to golf balls or at least play safely on private land as to not get hurt or caught and have someone ban cannons.
tombegood Posted November 26, 2012 Author Posted November 26, 2012 Keep in mind that the moment you fire an exploding shell out of it you have what the ATF calls a destructive device. You need to go through a lengthy background check, finger printing, and pay a $200 tax to own it.. If you manufactured it and fire exploding devices from it you need the same license that someone building any type of large military weapon. Stick to golf balls or at least play safely on private land as to not get hurt or caught and have someone ban cannons.Geeezzzzzzz okay-okay...lol I'll use cardboard tubes. Just thought it would be pretty cool to shoot something that explodes in the air from my toy. Of course I may still have to at least try it (cautiously of course).
tombegood Posted November 26, 2012 Author Posted November 26, 2012 Maybe a bunch of stars in the powder pocket of the barrel for affect (no projectile) I have packed a bunch of cut up crackling fuse in with a salute charge before and it had a pretty cool affect.
tombegood Posted November 26, 2012 Author Posted November 26, 2012 (edited) Hmmmm....this changes everything. How to make a salute from my cannon more interesting without an actual shell/projectile being fired from it (changing smoke color or way the explosion behaves). Any ideas??? Edited November 26, 2012 by tombegood
alexpyro101 Posted November 26, 2012 Posted November 26, 2012 I agree, but this has been designed to fire a golf ball over 3/4 of a mile, depending on amount of powder and trajectory. That being said, a salute should not be a problem. It is machined stainless from one piece of stock. the barrel walls are over 1.5 inch thick. Powder pocket is 3"deep by 1.2" wide and made to hold up to 600 grain of black powder.Of course I would cut way back on the charge if firing a shellthat's good to hear. i highly doubt that the flash would destroy your cannon but it was just one thing to think about. i think if you just decided to try it you wouldn't have any problems with launching shells
Short5 Posted November 26, 2012 Posted November 26, 2012 Geeezzzzzzz okay-okay...lol I'll use cardboard tubes. Just thought it would be pretty cool to shoot something that explodes in the air from my toy. Of course I may still have to at least try it (cautiously of course). There you go lol. You should make up some dummy shells and start with like 30 grains of powder. Examine them after firring to see if they hold up. Work your loads up from there. I have a .45cal rifled BP cannon that I use as a star gun.
Short5 Posted November 26, 2012 Posted November 26, 2012 Hmmmm....this changes everything. How to make a salute from my cannon more interesting without an actual shell/projectile being fired from it (changing smoke color or way the explosion behaves). Any ideas???Where this would fall as far as legality I don't know but you could make some big glitter comets to fire out of it. Check out this Skylighter video, bad ass.
Short5 Posted November 26, 2012 Posted November 26, 2012 If you are into photography you can always play with night shots of your cannon using a slow shutter speed. This is my little cannon.http://shortwave5.smugmug.com/photos/i-rLcmmtP/0/XL/i-rLcmmtP-XL.jpg
tombegood Posted November 26, 2012 Author Posted November 26, 2012 If you are into photography you can always play with night shots of your cannon using a slow shutter speed. This is my little cannon.http://shortwave5.smugmug.com/photos/i-rLcmmtP/0/XL/i-rLcmmtP-XL.jpgThat is awesome! Is that only black powder?
tombegood Posted November 26, 2012 Author Posted November 26, 2012 Where this would fall as far as legality I don't know but you could make some big glitter comets to fire out of it. Check out this Skylighter video, bad ass. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rg9KpaIEASIDefinitely gonna try that.
tombegood Posted November 26, 2012 Author Posted November 26, 2012 Definitely gonna try that.Can you give me a good link for instructions on how to make those?
Short5 Posted November 26, 2012 Posted November 26, 2012 Is that only black powder? Mostly but I was shooting a star so you see a few flakes of metal burning white. This is a little .22cal cannon with only black powder. The slow shutter makes it look dramatic but there is .5grains of powder at most.http://shortwave5.smugmug.com/photos/i-RqkDCch/0/XL/i-RqkDCch-XL.jpg
tombegood Posted November 26, 2012 Author Posted November 26, 2012 Definitely gonna try that.Can you send me a link for instructions on how to make that?
Short5 Posted November 26, 2012 Posted November 26, 2012 http://www.skylighter.com/fireworks/how-to-make/reloadable-glitter-comets.asp#news[
tombegood Posted November 26, 2012 Author Posted November 26, 2012 Can you send me a link for instructions on how to make that?The Glitter Comet that is
Recommended Posts