Back at the turn of the century when I worked for Bill's Electric in Joplin ,MO. I worked closely with a felon who spent 5 years in the can for meth trafficking. He has since passed on. Greg Reynolds had 95 real firearms seized by the authorities and held a lifelong animosity towards our biggest firearms dealer who ended up with his collection. At the end of a major tennis club project off Rangeline Rd. (after hours) he took me into his confidence and produced his latest and greatest potato gun. He was not permitted to own firearms but had a deep-seated love for projectile launchers. We had a lot of fun shooting spuds at high velocity at an old house on the property that was slated for destruction. A potato or two was launched towards the intersection at Newman Rd. Aquanet and piezzo spark igniters were standard. I copied his example and my sons and stepsons had weekend of fun. Roy, your tales reinforce the old truism that there is a fine line between cops and criminals.
That’s hysterical, Festus. I know all the areas you’re talking about. I wouldn’t be surprised if we have potato plants all over our property here ….. Roy
It's hot here too. I use 6 fans with A/C. It's so hot that my dream house is an igloo in Alaska. It's so hot I put an ice bag in my shorts. It's so hot I branded my self when I put on my seat belt. It's so hot that when I gathered the eggs from my hens, half of them were already hard boiled. It's so hot that my wife broke wind just to have a little breeze!
Roy tells the Bird story, & alls I hear is Les Nesman on Thanksgiving reporting on the dropping turkeys! “Oh the humanity!” lol! You need to make a video with that playing behind it 😈🤠 Gene
My late father-in-law built a spud gun, using WD-40 as a propellant. It seemed to have a fairly short range in that it didn't quite reach the neighbor's yard, thank goodness. The dove story nearly had me rolling on the floor...my wife is a bit worried.
Absolutely hilarious. Who can't say they tried similar shenanigans, especially if you grew up on a farm? I personally found carburetor cleaner also a suitable propellant. Although I never launched any pigeons or doves, or lemons. The world has just gotten to litigious and stinking serious. Dangerous and fun vs. safe and boring any day!!
Sounds like Roy kept Ore-Ida in business for a while. I was born in Ontario, Oregon which is right on the border with Idaho. My Dad rebuilt engines for Ore-Ida fork lifts back in the early to mid '70s. So it's possible, in a round about way, Roy payed for my cookies back then
PreTeen growing up in Florida my stepfather taught my group of friends and I to build Tennis Ball Cannons out of beer cans and duct tape. Used lighter fluid as ammo. The lower can was left whole and the upper three or four cans had the bottoms cut out. Tape them all together. Poke a single hole in the edge of the bottom can as an igniter, and stuff tennis ball halfway in the end. Squirt lighter fluid in the igniter hole and swing the cannon around to spread the fluid. Aim and spark a bic at the hole. BOOM, ball goes a flying. You CAN aim this thing. The neighborhood bully found out when he beat up one of our group. I'm not admitting to anything, but he was knocked off his bike by a high speed tennis ball a day or two later. (He was three or four years older and a foot taller than our group.)
We used to make tennis ball launchers out of the old steel pop cans. Thevtennis balls fit the bore just right. Then somebody decided to pre soak the tennis balls in lighter fluid and invented "flaming balls of fire!" 😂
If plastic is strong, metal is stronger. Cousin made a golf ball launcher out of steel pipe and used acetylene/O2, powered by a threaded cap, spark plug, and electric cattle fencer. Would drive golf balls through rather heavy sheets of plywood. Hahaha
My son made a spud gun that ran on compressed air. We would shoot apples from it. I choreographed it once and with 100PSI air pressure it shot that apple out at 358 FPS. When you fired it there would be a blast of steam/apple juice vapor that would make a ring that would go about 50 feet. After the apple left the muzzle you couldn't see it until it was about 200 yds.down range.
You guys put 100psi in that thing? I never dared go over about 50psi. That low pressure cleanout cap wasn't rated for 3.14*(2^2)*100psi= 1256 pounds of force.
I'm rolling! Roy tells such great stories and the dove projectile is one of the best. Maybe the best 25 minutes watching a video on the internet.
You’re easy, Poppy! But I do appreciate your kind words! We’ll keep ‘em coming. The really scary thing is they’re all true … Shhh … Roy
According to the rumor mill a frozen lemon will go thru a car door when launched ...................
That lemon torpedo story was HILARIOUS!
Laughed out load, here all by myself.....the first sign of insanity.....
Man! I am SOOO glad to know that we were not the only ones!!! Thanks y'all.
Back at the turn of the century when I worked for Bill's Electric in Joplin ,MO. I worked closely with a felon who spent 5 years in the can for meth trafficking. He has since passed on. Greg Reynolds had 95 real firearms seized by the authorities and held a lifelong animosity towards our biggest firearms dealer who ended up with his collection. At the end of a major tennis club project off Rangeline Rd. (after hours) he took me into his confidence and produced his latest and greatest potato gun. He was not permitted to own firearms but had a deep-seated love for projectile launchers. We had a lot of fun shooting spuds at high velocity at an old house on the property that was slated for destruction. A potato or two was launched towards the intersection at Newman Rd. Aquanet and piezzo spark igniters were standard. I copied his example and my sons and stepsons had weekend of fun. Roy, your tales reinforce the old truism that there is a fine line between cops and criminals.
That’s hysterical, Festus. I know all the areas you’re talking about. I wouldn’t be surprised if we have potato plants all over our property here ….. Roy
I’m sitting here listening to this, thinking about why we can’t have fun on graveyard shifts anymore. Thanks for all of the policies Roy!
It's hot here too. I use 6 fans with A/C. It's so hot that my dream house is an igloo in Alaska. It's so hot I put an ice bag in my shorts. It's so hot I branded my self when I put on my seat belt. It's so hot that when I gathered the eggs from my hens, half of them were already hard boiled. It's so hot that my wife broke wind just to have a little breeze!
Roy tells the Bird story, & alls I hear is Les Nesman on Thanksgiving reporting on the dropping turkeys! “Oh the humanity!” lol!
You need to make a video with that playing behind it 😈🤠
Gene
I suppose a potato cannon would be a new way of preparing squab.
My late father-in-law built a spud gun, using WD-40 as a propellant. It seemed to have a fairly short range in that it didn't quite reach the neighbor's yard, thank goodness. The dove story nearly had me rolling on the floor...my wife is a bit worried.
Absolutely hilarious. Who can't say they tried similar shenanigans, especially if you grew up on a farm? I personally found carburetor cleaner also a suitable propellant.
Although I never launched any pigeons or doves, or lemons.
The world has just gotten to litigious and stinking serious. Dangerous and fun vs. safe and boring any day!!
Sounds like Roy kept Ore-Ida in business for a while.
I was born in Ontario, Oregon which is right on the border with Idaho.
My Dad rebuilt engines for Ore-Ida fork lifts back in the early to mid '70s.
So it's possible, in a round about way, Roy payed for my cookies back then
PreTeen growing up in Florida my stepfather taught my group of friends and I to build Tennis Ball Cannons out of beer cans and duct tape. Used lighter fluid as ammo. The lower can was left whole and the upper three or four cans had the bottoms cut out. Tape them all together. Poke a single hole in the edge of the bottom can as an igniter, and stuff tennis ball halfway in the end. Squirt lighter fluid in the igniter hole and swing the cannon around to spread the fluid. Aim and spark a bic at the hole. BOOM, ball goes a flying. You CAN aim this thing.
The neighborhood bully found out when he beat up one of our group. I'm not admitting to anything, but he was knocked off his bike by a high speed tennis ball a day or two later. (He was three or four years older and a foot taller than our group.)
Aquanet hair spray is the PREFERED propelant for magnum loads in your 'tater gun.
Easily gives another 50 feet per second.
We need to down-size the double barrel 'Tater gun into a Howdah.
Great Show
We used to make tennis ball launchers out of the old steel pop cans. Thevtennis balls fit the bore just right. Then somebody decided to pre soak the tennis balls in lighter fluid and invented "flaming balls of fire!" 😂
Oh lord, what a great idea! Roy
If plastic is strong, metal is stronger. Cousin made a golf ball launcher out of steel pipe and used acetylene/O2, powered by a threaded cap, spark plug, and electric cattle fencer. Would drive golf balls through rather heavy sheets of plywood. Hahaha
Remember when the Lifeguards had to Police the.......Police????
My son made a spud gun that ran on compressed air. We would shoot apples from it. I choreographed it once and with 100PSI air pressure it shot that apple out at 358 FPS. When you fired it there would be a blast of steam/apple juice vapor that would make a ring that would go about 50 feet. After the apple left the muzzle you couldn't see it until it was about 200 yds.down range.
You guys put 100psi in that thing? I never dared go over about 50psi. That low pressure cleanout cap wasn't rated for 3.14*(2^2)*100psi= 1256 pounds of force.
So Tom just wants A fan?
Don't shoot too high buddy.
'Tater gun 9.0, oxygen injected.
Living in Massachusetts I’m sure they are not on the gun compliance list😎😎. Just a side note, you guys know way too much on this subject……..
How about 'Tater guns as less lethal devices.
'Taterfaust!
I have had a potato gun for years, and it's great. It has a piezo igniter and using starting fluid it launches spuds hundreds of yards.