How to Make Vortex Cannons

Here are two Instructables in one! Shoot rings of smoke across a room with the Tub Thumping Cannon and the Barking Tube Cannon. Watch me build them and the test results. From MAKE MAGAZINE Volume 15

Step 1 Tub Thumping Cannon

This one is so easy to make and gives great results. You will need a fog machine to generate the rings for both of these projects.

What You Need...

1. 32 Gallon Plastic Trash Can
2. Heavy Duty Trash Bag
3. Golf Ball
4. 2 Bunjee Cords
5. Tape
6. Box cutter.

Comments

[nedim155]

im only reading coments of kipkay :)

[ldhoover1]

put a small speaker in bottom of coke can - add flour to coke can - speaker vibration will cause flour to disburse and then cannon will fire it out - if you pot a candle in front of cannon, the cannon will not only blow the candle out - but will ignite the flour in a ring of fire

[nnandigala]

Can you please provide specifications of speaker and amplifier you used for Barking Tube Cannon

[knex luver123]

im gona sue you kip, you did say that we needed an exacto nife in the video, and the you go and wip one out like you were born with it.

[panstar1]

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[Kipkay]

It HAD to have been more than that. No one gets blocked just for asking a question. Possible mistake?

[knektek]

one of the first times i seen you reply.

[sharlston]

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[sharlston]

why did you remove my comment?

[sharlston]

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[qballcat]

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[wither]

 A smoke firework also works just fine also it adds a hint of colour. 

[Davidl3]

How do you get the smoke?

[totally_screwed]

I believe one factor which is very important is the circularity and finish of the orifice. I'm not sure that you emphasised this sufficiently. If the orifice isn't sufficiently circular, the quality of the vortices and their range will suffer. You mentioned smoke, but other substances can be used. For instance rotten-egg gas (hydrogen sulphide from action of an acid on iron sulphide) makes an excellent but exceedingly smelly vortex (that is invisible). Possibly, one could use a combustible gas and aim the vortex at a source of ignition. PLEASE BE CAREFUL WITH THIS ONE! Please do not try this one in your home or near flammable materials! If you burn your home down, don't blame me! I read some of the comments, but in case I missed one that mentioned this, I apologise..

[browfurd]

I like the hydrogen sulphide idea! Maybe even a methyl mercaptan/hydrogen sulphide combo and it could be a "flatus" cannon! (In addition to the naturally occurring one...)

[pengnatck]

this "candle Cannon" looks like it was built really well. makes me laugh everytime they blow them out.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ayaiArVkpA4

[realcelestialphoenix]

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[jj32x]

better still hydrogen:-D

[realcelestialphoenix]

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[n8man]

nitroglycerin vapor?

[realcelestialphoenix]

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[zimmemic25]

u could also spray some liquid detonator of some contact-detonating powder onto a concrete wall, fill cannon with the powder and kill the wall...

[realcelestialphoenix]

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[jj32x]

(sarcasm)NO!!! DONT AIM AT SCHOOL!!!:-D

[zimmemic25]

whynot?

[Derin]

because youll sit out at break

[fwjs28]

lama

[Derin]

?

[mechcem]

i just started to make an instructable on a similar thing i made two day before you published this. i have got to be faster this has happened 5 times now

[fwjs28]

hire a crack team of lamas or monkeys(not both tho, they fight eachother)....

[qon duixote]

If anyone is really interested in vortex canons the History channel (U.S.) did a show on German Secret Weapons including some 50 foot long vortex cannons using coal dust that were intended to knock down Allied Aircraft. Sorry, I don't have any links on me but it might be a cool combination History/Science project. If someone wants credit in two classes for one project.

[punkatsub]

did the coal dust work or just p*** off the pilots?

[qon duixote]

They clearly didn't succeed in creating an operational anti-aircraft weapon. However, coal dust or in that case many other fine dusts are extremely volatile in the right conditions. They are all a form of an air and fuel mixture. If you need any proof just Google "mill explodes."

[punkatsub]

ahh kool

[PikminRed]

AWESOME I liked the big one! Its also possible to get a swirling shaped one by cutting a shape like a Ninja star (curved like wings) with flaps going into the barrel of the cannon (I used an old hand held air cannon and filed it with smoke. It was funny to see the look on peoples faces as they see a cloud of smoke flying past them.

[BlueNinja]

....Most...useless...thing....ever

[Kipkay]

It's just a fun project for the h**** of it. It does explain the concept of what a vortex is. I guess you don't like to have fun and are all serious about everything in life. Hence the total uselessness.

[imshanedulong]

If you want USELESS, go to http://www.instructables.com/id/Make_A_Frozen_Crystal_Ball/ and you'll see useless. This is MY instructable so I'm not making fun of anyone. Trust me. This isn't the most useless thing on instructables.

[BlueNinja]

Well a balloon cost a heck of a lot less then all the stuff you need to buy for this. I still stick with the general idea that this is one of the most useless thing ever.

[fwjs28]

not if you are doing it for a science fair project, then its worth extra credit, or first place or some such thing...