calmloki
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
I built a bowling ball mortar a few years ago. Welded from heavy wall steel pipe, it uses 4 ounces of blackpowder to launch a 16-lb bowling ball -(mostly) straight up and WAY out of sight.. the ball stays airborne for ~20-21 seconds (maybe one of you physicists out there can figure the elevation)
A lot of fun, especially when the wind at altitude is different than the wind at ground level... Usually a 2-3 degree incline is enough to get them to land 100 yards away.
The best part is that you get to learn a lot about the people around you in 21 seconds... some of them just watch launch-landing with a big grin on their face , others panic, and run around like they have one foot nailed to the floor. I actually saw a very successful type-A hard -charger- control- freak- type bawling like a 4-year old... I told him to shut up and sit on the mortar- it was the least likely place for it to land... You find out in a hurry who you would want beside you in a cape buffalo charge or natural disaster......
Cheap, too- less than $3.00/shot; usually the bowling balls are free or around a buck at a garage sale; the old black ones work best (find them with the right names on them and launch your boss into space!) A lot of people give them to you just to see them go up, up and away.. At that price it is cheaper than a lot of the new CF rifle cartridges. And definitely more fun with the right group of like-minded friends.
Like the way you think! been saving this link for a few years....
Bowling Ball Mortar Page: Docsmachine.com