Big Bang Carbide Cannon?

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Kevin G

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I'm sure there are a few on here that remember these cannons. Used to have an ad in "Boys Life" in the mid-late '60's IIRC.
Double charge of carbide made one h--- of a BANG.
How about the Testors Chemistry Set in the little metal "suitcase"? Gave directions about mixing sulfur, saltpeter & charcoal. Always had to keep resupplying those 3 chemicals as they went fast!
Kind of feel sorry for youth today w/out these educational toys available.
Take Care, Kevin
 
Never had one of the cannons, but did some strange and terrible things with the carbide...

I had one of the chemistry sets in the metal case--must have been an early one, it was given to me when I was about nine, which was in 1946. It wasn't new when I got it, but most everything was there.
 
EPA, DEQ, BATF, DHS, and a bunch of other agencies that hadn't been invented back then says we can no longer play with this stuff. Things that made lots of noise or blew stuff up were an important part of my growing up. I still have all my digits but had more than one friend with the nickname "Nubby". If you ever find a blasting cap, don't hit it with a hammer. Don't ask how I know this. Can you still make sparkler bombs? Not that I want to. I don't do this anymore. I'm too old and fat to run anymore.
 
I had one of those Gilbert chemistry sets in the metal box. Got it for Christmas in 1941. I was 8 years old.
 
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Big Bang cannons, Jetex aircraft kits, and Mamod steam engines: since my mother was in the toy business off and on for over fifty years, these dangerous toys were part of my upbringing. The Jetex are all gone, but there is still a Big Bang cannon ticked away somewhere around here, along with several Mamods and some tin windups with dangerously sharp edges. As they say in Germany to this very day: "Sammlerspielzeug. Nicht für Kinder geeignet."
 
Remember them, heck, I still have one!
The worse part was once the Carbide is exposed to air, you needed to use it quick before it dried out.
Sorry for the cruddy pics, but I'm a few down, and it's dark out...
bigbangcannon.jpg


bigbangcannon2.jpg



ETA:
Good grief, looking at 625smith's link, I didn't realize they were that expensive.
I got this one in 2004!
 
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Carbide

Did anyone ever go fishing with a mason jar full of rocks and a little carbide ? Just add water and let her go
 
Dad had a 12 gauge cannon. I had the chemistry set. Funny how 3 ingredients kept needing replenished.
 
Kevin G said:
How about the Testors Chemistry Set in the little metal "suitcase"? Gave directions about mixing sulfur, saltpeter & charcoal. Always had to keep resupplying those 3 chemicals as they went fast!
Kind of feel sorry for youth today w/out these educational toys available.
Take Care, Kevin
Click to expand...

I had the Gilbert and stil do. always wanted a Big Bang Cannon , like others stated they still make them, might still get one for the GK's.

SANY1221.jpg
SANY1220.jpg
 
Older brother got the Testors Chem Set. One of the items he made was "Green Gas". I believe it to be a mild chlorine gas.
Anyway, along w/little brother and me he took out every kid in the neighborhood. Mom had the station wagon chocker-block full of kids for a fast trip to the Emergency Rm, she may have got a volume discount.
This would have been around '57 or '58, today it would be a nightmare.
Like I posted above, feel sorry for todays kids.
Kevin
 
Carbide Cannon available from Iggy's Storehouse (garage).
Cannons are still available, but for a great deal contact IGGY.
NIB Cannon and carbide boomers. Never assembled, all in the original box from his Father In Law's estate.
Thom Braxton
SWCA #1474
 
A neighbor boy about the same age as me lived next door. His father hated guns but Billy nagged him so much that the father bought him a HUGE carbide cannon; I think it was a Big Bang. Billy liked to strut around and brag how HE had a cannon and I didn't.

(Insert evil laugh.)

I talked old Billy into grossly overcharging that cannon with carbide and waiting longer than the time allowed before setting her off. The resulting explosion rattled windows, made cats jump into the air and made little girls cry. Billy's father ran out of the house so fast that a vapor trail followed in his wake. He was FURIOUS! He grabbed Billy's ear with one hand and the cannon with the other and dragged them both inside the house. The poor cannon disappeared and I was considered a "bad influence" by the other family for a few months. Finally things calmed down and Billy and I became friends again.

I honestly didn't know how big an explosion that cannon would make and certainly didn't want to get Billy into trouble; just wanted to liven things up a little bit. My own step father was mighty unhappy and grounded me for a month.

That episode happened over fifty years ago and I still remember it clearly. Guess that if a young person did that these days the SWAT team and Homeland Security would arrive to cart the little 10 year old terrorist off to prison, assuming they didn't shoot him.

I miss those days of freedom.

Charlie
 
Kevin G said:
Older brother got the Testors Chem Set. One of the items he made was "Green Gas". I believe it to be a mild chlorine gas.
Anyway, along w/little brother and me he took out every kid in the neighborhood.
Click to expand...

I'll bet it did---there's no such thing as a "mild chlorine gas". If it's chlorine the only variable is how much of it you generate or release. You guys were damn lucky!

I did some stuff just as foolish. Once did the trick of pouring glycerin on a pile of potassium permanganate crystals. It makes a pretty impressive little geyser of sputtering purple fire. Unfortunately my younger brother leaned over it just as it erupted. Could have been really bad, but he only got minor burns and it missed his eyes.

Gdnagle reminded me--the set I had was the Gilbert, not the Testor's.
 
Old Seabee said:
Did anyone ever go fishing with a mason jar full of rocks and a little carbide ? Just add water and let her go
Click to expand...

Yep. However, watch for flying glass!!

Sure had a whole mess of fun playing with that stuff when I was about 10.............fortunate I didn't do something stoopid!!
 
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