Rusty Bowtie

General Category => General Discussion - Intros => Topic started by: EDNY on August 11, 2013, 03:24:29 PM

Title: Loading signal cannon with carbide??
Post by: EDNY on August 11, 2013, 03:24:29 PM: Just bought a 16" signal cannon from an estate. The owner passed away a long time ago and none of his children know how to make the cannon go boom, but they know it works!

I have a jug marked "carbid for cannon". I have experience with carbide from shooting police revolver competition..we used small carbide lamps with some "spit" to create a flame to blacken our sights (makes acetylene gas).

Been on-line but just can't figure how this signal cannon is supposed to fire. It is a muzzle loader with small fuse hole near the breach. The children mentioned something about loading paper in the muzzle...it also has a ramrod.

I tried a little water in the barrel, some carbide, waited about 30 seconds and tried igniting the fuse hole with my Bernzomatic...with -0- results. Obviously I can ignite the muzzle end..but it just burns. Even tried packing some paper up front.

Any of you old timers know how to make this work?

Thanks
Ed
Title: Re: Loading signal cannon with carbide??
Post by: ghost28 on August 11, 2013, 08:40:04 PM: Couldn't tell ya, but they had an episode of pawn stars where they would buy one if the owner could show them how to fire it off. They had there firearms expert load it up. It is cool though.
Title: Re: Loading signal cannon with carbide??
Post by: Jan Bogert10 on August 11, 2013, 08:55:00 PM: pic,?
Title: Re: Loading signal cannon with carbide??
Post by: EDNY on August 11, 2013, 08:57:31 PM: Quote from: Jan Bogert10 on August 11, 2013, 08:55:00 PM
pic,?

Should be able to see (2) attached photos..
Title: Re: Loading signal cannon with carbide??
Post by: themoose on August 12, 2013, 09:38:53 AM: Ed

That's a real cool looking canon .... Oh by the way I have seen a lot of pictures of pirates with eye patches and wooden legs....Whats that all about?

Moose
Title: Re: Loading signal cannon with carbide??
Post by: EDNY on August 12, 2013, 10:41:08 AM: Quote from: themoose on August 12, 2013, 09:38:53 AM
Ed

That's a real cool looking canon .... Oh by the way I have seen a lot of pictures of pirates with eye patches and wooden legs....Whats that all about?

Moose

Probably why I'm not using black powder and instead working with carbide! Too little or even no boom is better than too much boom ::)
Title: Re: Loading signal cannon with carbide??
Post by: chopper526 on August 14, 2013, 01:22:28 PM: Just pour in some pyrodex, jam in some tissue paper, light the fuse and run like hell. That's all this rocket scientist did and he's giving a tutorial saying you can do it too!.......shiver me timbers!!! :o

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBbNKj1FvgA
Title: Re: Loading signal cannon with carbide??
Post by: 32chevy vett on August 16, 2013, 11:40:24 PM: I have had carbide cannons. That is no carbide cannon. I have also had black powder cannons That is a black powder cannon.
Title: Re: Loading signal cannon with carbide??
Post by: EDNY on August 17, 2013, 07:15:26 AM: Quote from: 32chevy vett on August 16, 2013, 11:40:24 PM
I have had carbide cannons. That is no carbide cannon. I have also had black powder cannons That is a black powder cannon.

Thanks

That's what I thought but the owners kids said their father used the carbide in the jug. When cleaning the bore I noticed it had carbide residue inside. Probably need to find a cannon forum.