A friend had one. Add a little water, wait a few seconds then hit the striker and BOOM. Thought that stuff was called "Bangsite".I always wanted that carbide cannon they always had for sale in the back of comic books. They actually still make them.
We also did something similar. Put a hand full of carbide in a mason jar, with a couple of holes in the lid and a hand full of gravel for weight. Throw it in to a lake, it would sink and a little while later it would explode and shoot a gush of water up looked like in the war movies when they used depth charges.I drilled a hole in the bottom so it would slowly fill with water and dive to the bottom. Then the water in the sub would react with the CaC2 to make acetylene gas, that pushed the water out, and the sub would surface again. Great fun.
That was the trade name for the carbide pellets you had to buy to use in the cannon. Don't know if you could just use the granular carbide. Carbide came in a couple of gravel sizes. The bigger stuff was for the old Acetylene generators used in the antique Oxy-Acetylene torch rigs. The smaller gravel was for lamps. We bought it in bulk by the pound from the hardware store. They had it in a big galvanized can that resembled the old galvanized 3-5 gallon Igloo water cooler with a tight seal. Probably a 50lb. can. Can't remember what we paid but it was a whole lot less than the small cans they had on the shelves.A friend had one. Add a little water, wait a few seconds then hit the striker and BOOM. Thought that stuff was called "Bangsite".
Had a submarine toy that you put a pellet into it and then dropped it into the pool. It would sink nose heavy, sail forward and downward to the bottom of the pool. Minutes later it would rise off the bottom and come back to the surface. If you didn't retrieve it quick enough it would sink again.I have one unopened metal can of Calcium Carbide left. It was old stock when I got it 50 years ago.
I had a plastic submarine that ran on batteries. It ran around on the water in a bath tub. Add one piece of Carbide inside the sub. I drilled a hole in the bottom so it would slowly fill with water and dive to the bottom. Then the water in the sub would react with the CaC2 to make acetylene gas, that pushed the water out, and the sub would surface again. Great fun.
You know we also launched tin can into the air with the acetylene gas.
I've wondered the same thing about myself. 140 MPH on Highway 60 in So. Cal. with surfboards on the roof. I don't know who would qualify as "King of the dumb" but I know I'd be up there in contention for the honor.Wonder how I ever lived to the age I am now.
We could probably share the prize.I've wondered the same thing about myself. 140 MPH on Highway 60 in So. Cal. with surfboards on the roof. I don't know who would qualify as "King of the dumb" but I know I'd be up there in contention for the honor.
Unfortunately that's often the case. God protecting the stupid from themselves. In that vein, God has kept a close eye on me when I was young and VERY dumb. Though I never took a skateboard or hand railing to the groin. Though one afternoon I do recall being dared to ride straight down the side of the concrete wash in the San Gabriel Riverbed. The stupid handlebars were not tight. As I shot down the side and found myself hurtling toward the center where the water was flowing, unable to stop I decided to abandon the bike. Leaping up from the pedals and shoving the handlebars forward I expected - I said "Expected" the bike to be pushed completely out from under me. The darn handlebars half swept forward, leaving me to land on the unprotected knobby back tire. As I came down with all my weight (140 lbs.) I was shoved forward into the hand brake. God must have been napping that day and time. At least I didn't go into the river.i calmly waited to see if he is so stupid to blow himself up . . . unfortunately he wasn't
He probably didn't have a blasting cap in it, and he knew it wouldn't blow up. Dynamite without a blasting cap or knotted detonation cord around it will actually burn in a fire. Not blow up.a dynamite - he lit it and waited me to react (with a big smile on his face) . . . well i calmly waited to see if he is so stupid to blow himself up . . . unfortunately he wasn't