The Rescue of Rachel (the bowling ball)

[1Southpaw]

When DD and I had the "Ring in Spring" shoot  the last shot was to  fire the once rescued Rachel back to the pond .  It hit the ice with a resounding crack and rolled out to the far center.

 The next morning I went down to see if I could rescue her but the ice was open @ the edge and too tough to get to . She stayed nicely on the ice all week . Last night I decided to get the Jon boat out rescue Rachel .She was still up on the ice  but in the  center of pond where the ice had shrunk back too .

 This morning the wife helped me carry the Jon boat out of the shed so I could tow it to the pond  behind the 4 wheeler .
 Rachel had disappeared ! The ice had melted back to where she had been over night .  So we went on out  and re strawed the goose nesting box in the pond .  lo and behold there was Rachel , floating on the edge 100 yards from where she was on the ice the night before.

That ball is going to be renamed " Rachel the Cat " as it seems to have nine lives  :>)

sorry no pictures    

[Cannoneer]

1Southpaw,

I think that you mentioned on another thread that some of the bowling balls float, and some sink. If you want to keep the three finger holes open for the convenience of loading and retrieving, you could drill another hole into the ball then push in a plug to below the surface of the ball, and fill the remaining hollow with bondo, wood filler epoxy, JB Weld, etc.; wouldn't the resulting air pocket be enough to make all the balls buoyant?   

[KABAR2]

In olden days if you floated you were a witch and you weren't if you sank.......

So I guess Rachel is a witch.......

[1Southpaw]

to boot .   
I believe we discussed the volume VS weight  issuse with bowling balls before . 
Rachel is a under 10 lb ball  9 as I recall . George G had some in put as to the why it floated in terms of weight and displacement .   
Rachel floats nicely with about 40 to 50% above the water line.  Next time I go out boating  and remember I shall take several different balls out for testing  .   Have to find a fish net to use as a test vessel as i'm not all that long on Bowling balls.  George G was kind enough to donate my major supply of balls @ last falls Cut Bank shoot .
The floaters are nice as I like the splash on touchdown !   Next project would be to anchor a Tractor tire inner tube in the pond as a target.   
So far the bowling pins have lead a rather safe life.
DD did nail one @ 200 yards on the Ring in spring event .
I think he said he was aiming for the 100 yard one.
He used his 1" cannon , nice hit on the head of pin slightly to the left side.  , took off the plastic coating and left a nasty black mark with slight indenttion . 

 

[Double D]

DD did nail one @ 200 yards on the Ring in spring event .
I think he said he was aiming for the 100 yard one.
He used his 1" cannon , nice hit on the head of pin slightly to the left side.  , took off the plastic coating and left a nasty black mark with slight indenttion . 

 

That's the one I was aiming at of course!!!

[cjensen]

 
[/quote]

That's the one I was aiming at of course!!!
[/quote]

I suppose anyone can hit them below the belt (stripes) 

[thelionspaw]

Just a thought: I used to carve 4'-5' sturgeon ice spearfishing decoys to use and to sell. They had to be balanced to the point where they would sink but remain buoyant, so you could swim them through the  ice-hole (no comment) in the shanty.  I tested them in the bath tub.  It made retrieving them easier than dunking them in my pond from the canoe.  If I were testing bowling balls, I'd think about doing the same. However, I believe my understanding wife would draw the line at the tire tube and mortar bit.

Just a thought. 

[Ex 49'er]

Why don't you make a bowling pin mortar? I bet they'd have a great wobble as they came down.

There is a picture of a bowling pin mortar here: http://www.nmpproducts.com/rt07.htm

[Double D]

I have video of Rachel on way to the pond



Click on the picture to view the video.  It's a short video, just the shot, no impact.  Something to do with dead battery syndrome!

[KABAR2]

Hmmmm..... when it replays in rapid succession it sort of reminds one of whale song......

[1Southpaw]

Why don't you make a bowling pin mortar?

Thank you !         Great idea .
Was pondering what to make with my last piece of chamber material left from the BB mortar .   Perhaps a Bowling Pin /Lyle ? Lancher ? 
Do you think an Eye screw mounted firmly in the head of pin would work to attach a line ? 
how far in did the Bowling pin seat ? was the head out of tube ?
Got to go on a tube hunting expidition to the oil field now .   

[1Southpaw]

I used to carve 4'-5' sturgeon ice spearfishing decoys to use and to sell

I make steel decoys for Gopher hunting  , they are not with out hazzards so to speak . One year we had a bad infestations of gophers poking holes up through the road .  
These guys worked wonders .

This is the guy we were looking for .

And the hazzards of on road  Decoy Duty  


"Look Out "Gut Shot" ! Here comes a tire