The Glenview House BBS 312-724-0807 Presents
How to make and fire your very own Polish Cannon
Created and typed by:
Bullwinkle Moose
Part 1: The Polish Cannon Concept
The polish cannon was
invented for all of you who would love to have a gun-
type
weopon or just something fun
that shoots things. With about $1.50 worth of
lighter fluid and materials around the home, you
can make your very own
cannon.
Part 2: Building the Cannon
Materials:
1: 2 or 3 empty Cambells Chunky Soup cans with BOTH ends cut out (or a can
of
the same exact size)
2: An empty coke can (or similar aluminum can)
4: Tennis Balls
5: a Can Opener (like the ones used to
open Hawaiian Punch or Hi-C cans)
Ok. Take your empty soup cans and make sure both ends
are cut out of all of
them. 3 cans is best but 2 will do. To make sure you have the right
size
cans, put a tennis ball in one and make sure it fits snugly but not too
tight.
Place the cans end to end and tape them together making sure the
ends of the cans are exactly
aligned. After taping, slide the tennis ball
through to make sure there are no spots where it
gets caught.
Now take the empty coke can in your hand. Do not cut the top out of
this.
Instead, take the can opener and make 3 holes. There should now be the
drinking
hole and the 3 additional holes you made. Fit the front end of the
can into one end of the
soup can tube. The top of the can should fit inside.
Now tape this on. Make a hole in the side
of the coke can. Make the hole
about half the size of a penny (not too small though).
You have now made your cannon.
Part 3: Firing the cannon
Set the
cannon up with the open soup-can end pointed out in to a field or at
the target. Then put a
tennis ball in the end and push it all the way down.
It should stop at the coke can top. Now
take your lighter fluid and sqirt
about 1/8 inch of liquid in to the coke can through the hole
you made.
Place your thumb over the hole and shake the fluid. This will make a
flammable
gas. After a good shaking, quickly move your thumb away and light
the hole with a lighter or
match. Whoosh! The ball should launch.
Part 4: Problems and warnings
About
30% of my cannon shots fail. Here are some reasons:
1: not enough shaking
2: too little
OR too MUCH lighter fluid
3: hole in side of can is too big
4: tennis ball is too
tight
5: gas never lit because of a small hole
Warnings:
1: do not hold the
cannon when firing (duh….) it has a lot of kick
2: be careful when lighting. On most failed
attempts, instead of the rush
of heat and flames shooting the ball, it shoots out the firing
hole.
3: Make sure the cannon is supported well in the back when firing.
Disclaimer: It’s not my fault you dweeb!
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