The opposite of a safety video
August 6, 2010 9:59 AM Subscribe
Cute! Bet you can't walk around that guy's house without stepping on broken glass, though.
posted by charred husk at 10:03 AM on August 6, 2010
posted by charred husk at 10:03 AM on August 6, 2010
That's pretty awesome.
Haha.
...
DUDE STOP DESTROYING YOUR HOUSE
posted by penduluum at 10:07 AM on August 6, 2010 [4 favorites]
Haha.
...
DUDE STOP DESTROYING YOUR HOUSE
posted by penduluum at 10:07 AM on August 6, 2010 [4 favorites]
PHENOMENAL COSMIC POWER. Itty bitty living space.
posted by pyrex at 10:07 AM on August 6, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by pyrex at 10:07 AM on August 6, 2010 [1 favorite]
Catharsis for the day.
(I got the impression it's a laboratory.)
posted by Galen at 10:07 AM on August 6, 2010
(I got the impression it's a laboratory.)
posted by Galen at 10:07 AM on August 6, 2010
I enjoy destruction. Even tiny destruction.
posted by mcstayinskool at 10:08 AM on August 6, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by mcstayinskool at 10:08 AM on August 6, 2010 [1 favorite]
Okay, I was prepared to HATE™ this video because of its use of the all-too-overused O Fortuna, but then the cannon shots were synched up perfectly with the music, and I fell in love with it all.
posted by hippybear at 10:12 AM on August 6, 2010 [7 favorites]
posted by hippybear at 10:12 AM on August 6, 2010 [7 favorites]
Now all I need is a hat shaped like a frigate, and my super villain costume is complete!
posted by GenjiandProust at 10:14 AM on August 6, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by GenjiandProust at 10:14 AM on August 6, 2010 [1 favorite]
We built cannons in shop class at school. The instructor had this uncanny ability to recite the same speeches verbatim every semester - I was a TA for him, so I got to hear them quite a lot.
"These cannons, as designed, cannot fire. However, if you drill a 1/16" hole in the barrel before tapering it, it can be used as a small firing hole. I didn't tell you this, but use no more than 2 grains of FF grade black powder, and the barrel is conveniently sized to accept a small piece of chalk as a projectile. The upside to using chalk is that, if it gets caught on a burr, the chalk will explode instead of the cannon barrel.
"If you get caught, I will disavow all knowledge of your actions."
posted by backseatpilot at 10:16 AM on August 6, 2010 [13 favorites]
"These cannons, as designed, cannot fire. However, if you drill a 1/16" hole in the barrel before tapering it, it can be used as a small firing hole. I didn't tell you this, but use no more than 2 grains of FF grade black powder, and the barrel is conveniently sized to accept a small piece of chalk as a projectile. The upside to using chalk is that, if it gets caught on a burr, the chalk will explode instead of the cannon barrel.
"If you get caught, I will disavow all knowledge of your actions."
posted by backseatpilot at 10:16 AM on August 6, 2010 [13 favorites]
The tiny cannon seems to specialize in releasing toxins.
posted by xod at 10:16 AM on August 6, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by xod at 10:16 AM on August 6, 2010 [1 favorite]
Hold me closer, tiny cannon!
posted by norm at 10:17 AM on August 6, 2010 [3 favorites]
posted by norm at 10:17 AM on August 6, 2010 [3 favorites]
Nobody uses the 1812 overture any more?
Also, how dangerous would this be if you hit someone with it?
I think I'd want to line up a bunch of them on the side of a model ship.
posted by empath at 10:18 AM on August 6, 2010
Also, how dangerous would this be if you hit someone with it?
I think I'd want to line up a bunch of them on the side of a model ship.
posted by empath at 10:18 AM on August 6, 2010
This is awesome.
But I had to turn the sound off. Sorry, but this came close to being thing #2,543,123 that was RUINED BY GODDAMNED O FORTUNA. Gah. Isn't there a law against that song yet?
posted by koeselitz at 10:21 AM on August 6, 2010
But I had to turn the sound off. Sorry, but this came close to being thing #2,543,123 that was RUINED BY GODDAMNED O FORTUNA. Gah. Isn't there a law against that song yet?
posted by koeselitz at 10:21 AM on August 6, 2010
Sure it could but so could your average BB gun if aimed correctly..
posted by ReeMonster at 10:22 AM on August 6, 2010
posted by ReeMonster at 10:22 AM on August 6, 2010
This is Not a Cannon, but A gun.
posted by artof.mulata at 10:23 AM on August 6, 2010
posted by artof.mulata at 10:23 AM on August 6, 2010
DUDE STOP DESTROYING YOUR HOUSE
This is exactly why I couldn't own one of these, as awesome as it is. I would quickly own nothing but glass shards books with holes in them.
posted by Doublewhiskeycokenoice at 10:25 AM on August 6, 2010 [2 favorites]
This is exactly why I couldn't own one of these, as awesome as it is. I would quickly own nothing but glass shards books with holes in them.
posted by Doublewhiskeycokenoice at 10:25 AM on August 6, 2010 [2 favorites]
This. Is. RAD.
Man, I just envisioned a whole row of these mofos, an eyepatch, and perhaps a dash of mental illness. What NOW, delivery man?
posted by Stunt at 10:25 AM on August 6, 2010 [2 favorites]
Man, I just envisioned a whole row of these mofos, an eyepatch, and perhaps a dash of mental illness. What NOW, delivery man?
posted by Stunt at 10:25 AM on August 6, 2010 [2 favorites]
Note to self: Tiny cannons can quickly get out of hand.
posted by redsparkler at 10:26 AM on August 6, 2010 [2 favorites]
posted by redsparkler at 10:26 AM on August 6, 2010 [2 favorites]
You'll shoot your eye out, Kidd!
posted by stenseng at 10:28 AM on August 6, 2010 [4 favorites]
posted by stenseng at 10:28 AM on August 6, 2010 [4 favorites]
Heineken? Fuck that shit. FIRE!
posted by joe lisboa at 10:30 AM on August 6, 2010 [3 favorites]
posted by joe lisboa at 10:30 AM on August 6, 2010 [3 favorites]
I submitted this to Cute Overload. It's not unprecedented...
posted by Gator at 10:33 AM on August 6, 2010
posted by Gator at 10:33 AM on August 6, 2010
This looks like it could kill somebody.
Hot damn! Nerd out with numbers! (MWAAhaahaa)
The US Army generally assumes that a projectile must deliver 60 foot-pounds of energy to produce a disabling wound. (That doesn't mean kill, please note.)
That's 81.6 joules.
Kinetic energy == (m * v^2)/2
So V = ((2*E)/m)^0.5
E is 81.6
Assuming a 0.25 gram (0.00025 kg) BB, then we get a velocity of 808 m/s. That turns out to be 2.4 times the speed of sound (340 m/s). I don't think this cannon can do that.
What amazes me about that thing is how consistent it is. Shot placement is nearly identical on the three shots against the computer monitor. They must be using a lab scale to measure their powder charges.
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 10:38 AM on August 6, 2010 [1 favorite]
Hot damn! Nerd out with numbers! (MWAAhaahaa)
The US Army generally assumes that a projectile must deliver 60 foot-pounds of energy to produce a disabling wound. (That doesn't mean kill, please note.)
That's 81.6 joules.
Kinetic energy == (m * v^2)/2
So V = ((2*E)/m)^0.5
E is 81.6
Assuming a 0.25 gram (0.00025 kg) BB, then we get a velocity of 808 m/s. That turns out to be 2.4 times the speed of sound (340 m/s). I don't think this cannon can do that.
What amazes me about that thing is how consistent it is. Shot placement is nearly identical on the three shots against the computer monitor. They must be using a lab scale to measure their powder charges.
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 10:38 AM on August 6, 2010 [1 favorite]
I want one. On a thumb ring.
posted by Splunge at 10:38 AM on August 6, 2010 [3 favorites]
posted by Splunge at 10:38 AM on August 6, 2010 [3 favorites]
Screw your arithmetical calculations, Chocolate Pickle. Let's send him some steaks and a watermelon to shoot it at. Boom! Splat!
posted by Nelson at 10:41 AM on August 6, 2010
posted by Nelson at 10:41 AM on August 6, 2010
I think this could kill somebody much more effectively then a BB gun could. I'd guess it's comparable to a .22. The projectile is round, so it wouldn't penetrate as well as a bullet, but I don't think you'd need (for instance) to get hit in the eye with this thing to be in trouble.
As above, this is a firearm. Neat engineering and all, but not a toy.
posted by cmyr at 10:42 AM on August 6, 2010
As above, this is a firearm. Neat engineering and all, but not a toy.
posted by cmyr at 10:42 AM on August 6, 2010
O Fortuna remixes:
O fortuna vs I Love U (MSTRKRFT intro edit)
Wizzy Noise psy trance remix
Apotheosis Remix
posted by empath at 10:46 AM on August 6, 2010 [1 favorite]
O fortuna vs I Love U (MSTRKRFT intro edit)
Wizzy Noise psy trance remix
Apotheosis Remix
posted by empath at 10:46 AM on August 6, 2010 [1 favorite]
koeselitz: But I had to turn the sound off. Sorry, but this came close to being thing #2,543,123 that was RUINED BY GODDAMNED O FORTUNA. Gah. Isn't there a law against that song yet?
That was my thought at first too but then it quickly became wonderfully superridiculous. This is probably the best use of O Fortuna in at least a decade.
posted by Kattullus at 10:47 AM on August 6, 2010 [2 favorites]
That was my thought at first too but then it quickly became wonderfully superridiculous. This is probably the best use of O Fortuna in at least a decade.
posted by Kattullus at 10:47 AM on August 6, 2010 [2 favorites]
See also: world's smallest pistols. Not as destructive, but more intricate.
posted by beagle at 10:48 AM on August 6, 2010
posted by beagle at 10:48 AM on August 6, 2010
Oh my fucking god I am writhing in an agonized state of wild flaily avarice. GIVE TO ME THE TINY CANNON.
posted by elizardbits at 10:51 AM on August 6, 2010 [16 favorites]
posted by elizardbits at 10:51 AM on August 6, 2010 [16 favorites]
Metafilter: Still working. Still working. Dead.
posted by monocultured at 10:54 AM on August 6, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by monocultured at 10:54 AM on August 6, 2010 [1 favorite]
I was a little underwhelmed.
posted by blue_beetle at 11:07 AM on August 6, 2010
posted by blue_beetle at 11:07 AM on August 6, 2010
I can haz collar cannon?
posted by Babblesort at 11:25 AM on August 6, 2010
posted by Babblesort at 11:25 AM on August 6, 2010
Finally a way to protect my toy boat from wee pirates!
posted by .kobayashi. at 11:29 AM on August 6, 2010 [4 favorites]
posted by .kobayashi. at 11:29 AM on August 6, 2010 [4 favorites]
On the basis of nothing but the seat of my pants, I'm skeptical that anything with such a short barrel could be consistently aimed with that degree of accuracy. I started to wonder after the 3 tightly-grouped shots on the monitor, and full skepticism kicked in about the time he started shooting things hanging in the doorway on the other side of the room.
And the insistent "no tricks were used" disclaimer did absolutely nothing to quell my suspicions....
posted by Greg_Ace at 11:29 AM on August 6, 2010 [1 favorite]
And the insistent "no tricks were used" disclaimer did absolutely nothing to quell my suspicions....
posted by Greg_Ace at 11:29 AM on August 6, 2010 [1 favorite]
If you have arcane knowledge of projectile accuracy involving the seat of your pants, I don't think we want to know about it.
posted by hippybear at 11:35 AM on August 6, 2010 [4 favorites]
posted by hippybear at 11:35 AM on August 6, 2010 [4 favorites]
Greg_Ace : And the insistent "no tricks were used" disclaimer did absolutely nothing to quell my suspicions....
Would shooting a hundred times and only posting the ones that successfully hit be considered a trick? Because that's how I would do it. It did actually make the shot, you just didn't need to see the 99 times it didn't.
Nobody uses the 1812 overture any more?
This is the sort of thing that For Those About To Rock was made for.
posted by quin at 11:50 AM on August 6, 2010 [1 favorite]
Would shooting a hundred times and only posting the ones that successfully hit be considered a trick? Because that's how I would do it. It did actually make the shot, you just didn't need to see the 99 times it didn't.
Nobody uses the 1812 overture any more?
This is the sort of thing that For Those About To Rock was made for.
posted by quin at 11:50 AM on August 6, 2010 [1 favorite]
So um, small cannons that work? Try RC Boats...
Yeah they work.
posted by Nanukthedog at 11:56 AM on August 6, 2010 [1 favorite]
Yeah they work.
posted by Nanukthedog at 11:56 AM on August 6, 2010 [1 favorite]
But is it Canon?
posted by oneswellfoop at 11:57 AM on August 6, 2010
posted by oneswellfoop at 11:57 AM on August 6, 2010
Reminded me of Millimetres Matter.
posted by christopherious at 12:01 PM on August 6, 2010 [2 favorites]
posted by christopherious at 12:01 PM on August 6, 2010 [2 favorites]
A perfect cannon for Mr. Tusks, Vice Mayor of Tiny Towne.
posted by meandthebean at 12:40 PM on August 6, 2010
posted by meandthebean at 12:40 PM on August 6, 2010
Foolish Humans! Soon you will build a cannon so tiny you will destroy yourselves!
posted by Trochanter at 12:42 PM on August 6, 2010 [3 favorites]
posted by Trochanter at 12:42 PM on August 6, 2010 [3 favorites]
The canon has degree marks on the side. Obviously half the fun is determining trajectory and lining up shots (and showing off on YouTube when you nail it dead on). It's like the classic video game Scortched Earth, version of the "artillery game".
posted by stbalbach at 12:54 PM on August 6, 2010
posted by stbalbach at 12:54 PM on August 6, 2010
I'm skeptical that anything with such a short barrel could be consistently aimed with that degree of accuracy.
I'd have thought that too, but apparently we are wrong.
Note the monitor? All three shots hit the exact same point. Even immediately prior to the third shot there are no "misses" visible on the screen. Even if there were some misses (probably a lot of those distance shots), this thing is pretty consistently accurate.
(Dear Accuracy vs. Precision pedants: yes, I know "consistently accurate" is technically redundant. Fuck off.)
posted by Ryvar at 1:18 PM on August 6, 2010 [2 favorites]
I'd have thought that too, but apparently we are wrong.
Note the monitor? All three shots hit the exact same point. Even immediately prior to the third shot there are no "misses" visible on the screen. Even if there were some misses (probably a lot of those distance shots), this thing is pretty consistently accurate.
(Dear Accuracy vs. Precision pedants: yes, I know "consistently accurate" is technically redundant. Fuck off.)
posted by Ryvar at 1:18 PM on August 6, 2010 [2 favorites]
Nice machining, not a toy, 'through and through' a full beer can is not so different than a through and through of your bicep.
posted by hortense at 1:24 PM on August 6, 2010
posted by hortense at 1:24 PM on August 6, 2010
It's like the classic video game Scortched Earth, version of the "artillery game".
Bah. Tank Wars 3.2 beat Scorched Earth any day. It had just the right amount of complexity and options, while SE kind of imploded under the weight of them.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 1:45 PM on August 6, 2010 [1 favorite]
Bah. Tank Wars 3.2 beat Scorched Earth any day. It had just the right amount of complexity and options, while SE kind of imploded under the weight of them.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 1:45 PM on August 6, 2010 [1 favorite]
Wow, my six year old will love this.
On second thought, probably not a good idea.
posted by gfrobe at 3:31 PM on August 6, 2010
On second thought, probably not a good idea.
posted by gfrobe at 3:31 PM on August 6, 2010
Need to watch this video later -- on a 22K dialup from home. (Yes, some of us still use copper for the internet).
I used to collect toy(?) cannons. Some of the early black powder toys(?) were pretty impressive.
Kids used to have much more fun.
posted by jgaiser at 6:19 PM on August 6, 2010
I used to collect toy(?) cannons. Some of the early black powder toys(?) were pretty impressive.
Kids used to have much more fun.
posted by jgaiser at 6:19 PM on August 6, 2010
Ryvar and quin, the two of you pretty much define the points of my dilemma. If they're cherry-picking only the best dead-on shots for the video, why do we only see three hits on the monitor? Yet if it isn't faked or edited, how the hell did he get that damn thing aimed so "consistently accurately"? Especially when we can see the recoil movement, so it's not like he's got the thing locked down in perfect position.
I claim no expertise, and I'm quite willing to be convinced it's legit...which would make me even more damn impressed.
and hippybear, I'd favorite your response more than once if I could, just for the out-loud laugh I got from it
posted by Greg_Ace at 6:28 PM on August 6, 2010
I claim no expertise, and I'm quite willing to be convinced it's legit...which would make me even more damn impressed.
and hippybear, I'd favorite your response more than once if I could, just for the out-loud laugh I got from it
posted by Greg_Ace at 6:28 PM on August 6, 2010
Convinced me to buy a CD of the Carmina Burana. yes, i still buy cds. get off my lawn.
As others have said, impressive ballistic calcs.
posted by Slithy_Tove at 7:14 PM on August 6, 2010
As others have said, impressive ballistic calcs.
posted by Slithy_Tove at 7:14 PM on August 6, 2010
I'd make a guess that the base can probably be locked down pretty tight, and it's small enough that any recoil based forced would lift the entire cannon without necessarily shifting the relationship between the barrel and its base which would mean that re-aiming it at a fairly close target would be as simple as having a mark on the table that he could consistently place it on.
Or, and I'm fully willing to concede this as a possibility, maybe the guy just shoots the thing enough that he has gotten really good at judging it. Maybe each one of these is a first shot hit. It's not impossible, just a little less likely than the alternative.
posted by quin at 7:24 PM on August 6, 2010
Or, and I'm fully willing to concede this as a possibility, maybe the guy just shoots the thing enough that he has gotten really good at judging it. Maybe each one of these is a first shot hit. It's not impossible, just a little less likely than the alternative.
posted by quin at 7:24 PM on August 6, 2010
I'm thinking that with the monitor shot, what's to miss? It's only four feet or so. The elevation of the piece is set, you can pretty easily eyeball to within an inch of the same distance, there's not much to line up in terms of direction...
Looking again, he's lining the gun up on a sheet of what looks like lucite, right at the front edge of the sheet, so his range is fixed. (The gun moves but the sheet doesn't) And he's got a rudimentary sight.
posted by Trochanter at 7:25 PM on August 6, 2010
Looking again, he's lining the gun up on a sheet of what looks like lucite, right at the front edge of the sheet, so his range is fixed. (The gun moves but the sheet doesn't) And he's got a rudimentary sight.
posted by Trochanter at 7:25 PM on August 6, 2010
Not quite a double, quin, but close.
posted by Trochanter at 7:28 PM on August 6, 2010
posted by Trochanter at 7:28 PM on August 6, 2010
Dear Accuracy vs. Precision pedants: yes, I know "consistently accurate" is technically redundant.
Wouldn't "consistently precise" be the redundancy?
Fuck off.
Oh, right. Sorry!
posted by abc123xyzinfinity at 7:58 PM on August 6, 2010 [2 favorites]
Wouldn't "consistently precise" be the redundancy?
Fuck off.
Oh, right. Sorry!
posted by abc123xyzinfinity at 7:58 PM on August 6, 2010 [2 favorites]
I want one of these! My friends would probably be unsupporative. I'm not even allowed to have a taser because allegedly I would "abuse it while drinking". Imagine the fun you could have with a tiny cannon!
posted by troublewithwolves at 9:18 PM on August 6, 2010
posted by troublewithwolves at 9:18 PM on August 6, 2010
Bah. Tank Wars 3.2 beat Scorched Earth any day. It had just the right amount of complexity and options, while SE kind of imploded under the weight of them.
The version of Scorched Earth I played way back in about 1992 or 1993 was pretty simple and loads of fun. I think this is it here.
posted by exogenous at 1:06 PM on August 7, 2010
The version of Scorched Earth I played way back in about 1992 or 1993 was pretty simple and loads of fun. I think this is it here.
posted by exogenous at 1:06 PM on August 7, 2010
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posted by MuffinMan at 10:03 AM on August 6, 2010 [11 favorites]