The Film Can Cannon - Pictures and Movie Clip

logicnerd411

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Well, I was extremely bored - so while surfing the Internet I found this: The Film Can Cannon

Basically, you use a piezoelectric ignitor (those BBQ lighters use them - they make a spark when you click it) to ignite flammable stuff sprayed into a film canister and sealed inside. If you get the fuel-to-air ratio correct, you can make this thing fly up to 30 feet!

So, went out on a mission to find parts:

CVS - Asked if they sold film canisters (yeah, right) - they said no and gave me one.
$1 store - Bought BBQ lighter and took it apart for the piezoelectric ignitor.
Home - found some wood and air freshener.

Construction: I followed the instructions in the site above and came up with this...

filmcannon1.jpg

The completed Film Can Cannon - mounted on wood.

filmcannon2.jpg

The wires that will spark the gas.

And for your enjoyment, I created a movie clip using my digital camera - The Film Can Cannon - created by logicnerd411 (about 5MB, in Quicktime format)

Dan
 

vladuz

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Nice movie. Good job. How old are you btw? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif
 

logicnerd411

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Thanks for the video capture, Tomas. I like it. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

vlad, I'm (first two decimals of Pi) years old.

Dan
 

Rothrandir

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very nice!

wonder what i could do with a garbage can and a car alternater? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/naughty.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thinking.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif
 

Saaby

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Hey! He chose a Mac friendly file format /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif
 

NightStorm

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Saaby,

He didn't want to leave you MacHeads out in the cold (like most software makers). /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

Dan,

Thank for the pyrotechnics. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif

Dan (also)
 

Saaby

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Well I can play Windows Media files but for some reason Apple's Quicktime runs better than Windows Media player /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 

logicnerd411

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[ QUOTE ]
Saaby said:
Hey! He chose a Mac friendly file format /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Hey! I didn't choose that format, my camera did! If I wasn't lazy, I would have changed it to Windows Media, AVI, or MPG. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon3.gif Guess you lucked out this time, Saaby. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/yellowlaugh.gif

Dan
 

LEDmodMan

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A mini potato gun!!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinser2.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/yellowlaugh.gif

Maybe you could add a small hole in the base with a port to fill the canister up with after it was already attached.
 

logicnerd411

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Update:

I got some new fuel - Binaca breath freshener... it works extremely well! To show my point, I shot a small clip of it but since my hosting is currently down, I'm using an alternate server that has limited space. Here's a snapshot:

BinacaBoom.jpg


/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Dan
 

Rothrandir

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have you tried gasoline or whiskey? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 

logicnerd411

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[ QUOTE ]
ridnarhtor said:
have you tried gasoline or whiskey? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

How about both? That's what Binaca is - alcohol and propellant... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Dan
 

yuandrew

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This might be old but I like it. Anyway, I have the stuff to build it, just need a base to mount it on. Have you try other fuels yet? I'm thinking of starting off with a butane refill canister I have for a portable soldering gun.
For a really nice loud bang however, use a small ammount of calcium carbide in the lid and add a drop of water (Be careful to not get the spark electrodes wet!) Quickly put the canister on. Let it fizz for a second then hit the ignitor. The canister will fly off with a loud cannon-like noise.

PS: the gas generated by calcium carbide and water reacting is acetylene. My neighbor has a model cannon called a Bang Site cannon that uses this to make the bang when you hit the flint. It dosen't shoot anything though and even if you slipped a marble in the cannon, it won't fly very far.
 

logicnerd411

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[ QUOTE ]
yuandrew said:
This might be old but I like it. Anyway, I have the stuff to build it, just need a base to mount it on. Have you try other fuels yet? I'm thinking of starting off with a butane refill canister I have for a portable soldering gun.
For a really nice loud bang however, use a small ammount of calcium carbide in the lid and add a drop of water (Be careful to not get the spark electrodes wet!) Quickly put the canister on. Let it fizz for a second then hit the ignitor. The canister will fly off with a loud cannon-like noise.

PS: the gas generated by calcium carbide and water reacting is acetylene. My neighbor has a model cannon called a Bang Site cannon that uses this to make the bang when you hit the flint. It dosen't shoot anything though and even if you slipped a marble in the cannon, it won't fly very far.

[/ QUOTE ]
I haven't used any other fuels lately - but Binaca is mostly isobutane with a hint of peppermint. Makes a nice air freshener when ignited /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I've seen calcium carbide and the Bang Site cannons - my friend has some calcium carbide in which I might use for my next test. The thing is that there is not space to leave a small reservoir of water and some calcium carbide.

Thanks for reviving this thread /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Dan
 

RevDavid

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[ QUOTE ]
Rothrandir said:
have you tried... whiskey? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

No sense getting drunk when you are already playing with fire. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/yellowlaugh.gif

I used to use a film can (Fuji) with a metal valved Dust-off dispenser. I put a hole in the can, pushed it onto the nozzle, then put the cap on, and aimed... pulled the trigger, and let just the lid fly. We could get about a hundred feet out of it with a fresh can.

David <><
 

logicnerd411

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[ QUOTE ]
RevDavid said:
I used to use a film can (Fuji) with a metal valved Dust-off dispenser. I put a hole in the can, pushed it onto the nozzle, then put the cap on, and aimed... pulled the trigger, and let just the lid fly. We could get about a hundred feet out of it with a fresh can.

David <><

[/ QUOTE ]

Wow, I can't believe it. I did this exact same thing too last year, and it was also awesome. If you flip the can upside down, it makes a cloud of cold liquid air come out with it too. Very fun /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

UPDATE: I just got the above mentioned calcium carbide, or Bang Site. This stuff is awesome just by itself - it bubbles very well and produces a nice amount of heat. The acetylene gas is a bit smelly though. Now to implement it in my cannon /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Dan
 
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