My Uncle in the 1970s taught me how to make a cannon that went boom with just tin cans, electrical tape and Rossignol fluid, taped together and holes in the first few cans. Made a very loud boom. How was this made?

  • Ocelot@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    We used to make those too. We called them tennis ball canons. You pretty much described the whole thing. Make a big tube from a bunch of cans taped together and put a hole in the bottom one. Squirt lighter fluid into the hole, put your tennis ball in the other side, and light the lighter fluid through the hole.

    • Camzing@lemmy.worldOP
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      1 year ago

      But holes had to be put in one chamber, not sure which one, I brought it in for show and tell grade 5 lol

      • Ocelot@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        All of the cans had both ends cutout of them except one…the bottom can. The end of the tube was sealed by that end of the can. On the side of the can just an inch or so from the end you put a hole large enough to squirt in the lighter fluid. I remember some kids shaking the tube to try and get the lighter fluid throughout the tube and not just in the end, but I never noticed that helped.

      • Ocelot@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        All of the cans had both ends cutout of them except one…the bottom can. The end of the tube was sealed by that end of the can. On the side of the can just an inch or so from the end you put a hole large enough to squirt in the lighter fluid. I remember some kids shaking the tube to try and get the lighter fluid throughout the tube and not just in the end, but I never noticed that helped.