Western, anyone?

[Blare]

Even if it was a handheld pump up design, that had to hurt. I built mine for distance & to be powered by a compressed air cylinder (think No Country For Old Men). I had to increase the length of the barrel to stop the potato from exploding as it exited.

This one was powered by his shop compressor. He may not have needed that vasectomy after all.

 

[wsmontana]

Beautiful grizzly! Has to be an early 4X too. Deserves to be left OC!

Thanks Jack!

 

[Thundercolt]

 

[Rmccamey]

Hold my beer and watch this...

I am sitting here reminded of the time some years back …. my nephew had made one of these potato cannons for a school project and was showing it off at the family Easter get together. His Dad and uncle decided they would try to play baseball with It… as I filmed them with them with my phone camera in slow motion (that feature was a novelty at that time). The resulting video was of my one brother-in-law launching this rocket at my other brother-in-law holding a baseball bat as the projectile manages to strike him in the one place he wished it didn’t…. Followed by the reaction of absolute elation and joy on the face of the older brother when he realized he hit his younger brother in the family jewels…. All caught in slow motion.

 

[StoryPNW]

I am sitting here reminded of the time some years back …. my nephew had made one of these potato cannons for a school project and was showing it off at the family Easter get together. His Dad and uncle decided they would try to play baseball with It… as I filmed them with them with my phone camera in slow motion (that feature was a novelty at that time). The resulting video was of my one brother-in-law launching this rocket at my other brother-in-law holding a baseball bat as the projectile manages to strike him in the one place he wished it didn’t…. Followed by the reaction of absolute elation and joy on the face of the older brother when he realized he hit his younger brother in the family jewels…. All caught in slow motion.

My friends and I used to build them combustion style, used starting fluid and an igniter, man could the launch a chunk of potato! Those were the good old days. Makes me kinda want to build one again.

 

[M Hatman]

Pikers all (actually I LOVE potato cannons)......Imagine if you will having access to these and all we could load them with...which we did (under scientifically produced "experiments" ONLY). We found out a LOT about such things as basic elements & metals and how they burn different colors, as well as proper metal projectiles made in different metals and the effects on trajectory/distance as well as penetration of wood barns and limestone pits. I will say a earth filled 20oz soda bottle in a 4pdr sounds awesome traveling through a full standing cornfield....

Bronze Model 1841 6 PDR.

And

Model 1841 Mountain Howitzer

and an especially interesting "experiment" with a 1841 Coehorn Mortar, (wrong grain charge used and Mortar Shot went wild )

We have had access to many others as well.......GREAT youthful and adult memories!