Author Topic: Ball retrieval... (Read 1817 times)

Double D · « **on:** March 07, 2010, 03:37:41 PM »

I'm not overly concerned about retrieving the steel golf balls we got from Fox for mortar shooting, but the 1 inch balls I fire from my cannon might be a bit different. The balls will bury themselves in the berm behind the target and will have to be dug out. I don't think that will go over big with the club.

I wonder if I were to attach a rare earth magnet to the end of a rod and probe the impact holes, if I would able to recover them. Any body have any ideas of what might work and a good source for rare earth magnets strong enough to pull one of the balls out of the dirt?

GGaskill · « **Reply #1 on:** March 07, 2010, 03:53:47 PM »

Any body have any ideas of what might work and a good source for rare earth magnets strong enough to pull one of the balls out of the dirt?

I have a source for the magnets; they aren't cheap. I don't know how much force they would apply to a spherical object since only a little of the ball is really close (in contact) to the magnet. I will ask the source to do some testing and report.

However, I think you will need to run a tube in first to clear dirt from behind the shot or you won't be able to get the magnet close enough to exert enough force. In fact, maybe the technique should be the tube to find the shot and remove dirt, then the tube to refind and guide the magnet on a stick. Probably should use hard copper pipe so it dosen't alter the magnetic field too much. Maybe put a short steel tube on the magnet stick so there is an extension of the magnetic field, about one ball radius.

lance · « **Reply #2 on:** March 07, 2010, 04:13:10 PM »

You could try cutting down on the powder charge

dirtdobber1919a4 · « **Reply #3 on:** March 07, 2010, 05:10:41 PM »

http://www.kjmagnetics.com a very good friend of mine uses these at work. one pair he has in 1" dia by 1" tall and together have about 190 pounds of pull on them. they are not cheap, but if you can get them to the ball i have no doubt that they can pull them out of the backstop.

jeeper1 · « **Reply #4 on:** March 07, 2010, 06:00:35 PM »

Here is a source for powerful magnets.
http://unitednuclear.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=70_71

Double D · « **Reply #5 on:** March 07, 2010, 06:13:24 PM »

What about making a concave piece out steel the same diameter as the magnet. Attach teh concave and magnet to a rod that would slide inside a copper pipe that that would be used to probe for the ball.

I think the first thing that needs done is to fire some of these steel balls and see how deep they penetrate.

GGaskill · « **Reply #6 on:** March 07, 2010, 06:17:32 PM »

What about making a concave piece out steel the same diameter as the magnet.

And having the cavity be the same radius as the shot. Sounds good.

... and see how deep they penetrate.

That will depend on how wet the ground is.

Soot · « **Reply #7 on:** March 08, 2010, 02:06:28 AM »

Old dead comp hard drives have excellent rare earth magnets in them.

little seacoast · « **Reply #8 on:** March 08, 2010, 02:11:42 AM »

DD I'm curious about why the 1" balls are so dear to your heart. I get them for about .60 ea vs 1.00+ for the golf ball size. Not that I get many of either one back mind you, loamy river bottom and clay banks eat both with equal relish.

Double D · « **Reply #9 on:** March 08, 2010, 02:17:05 AM »

Where are you getting 1 inch round balls for $.60 and are these the forged balls with flat spots or round rounds.

little seacoast · « **Reply #10 on:** March 08, 2010, 02:25:26 AM »

Super Magnet Man - as low as .55 if you buy in quantity. They are perfectly round and shiny not forged and have no flat spots at all. They come 10 to a bag
@7.50 for one bag and progressively cheaper with quantity. I bought 150 to get the best price. They miked 0.995 ~0.999.

Double D · « **Reply #11 on:** March 08, 2010, 02:53:24 AM »

Thanks, I'm going to have to give them a try. They also have 1 inch aluminum.

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #12 on:** March 08, 2010, 11:35:18 AM »

"BUY" is a 4 letter word.

Let me send you some. (Stuck to a piece of steel of course.)

Expect a care package.

RocklockI · « **Reply #13 on:** March 08, 2010, 04:00:19 PM »

Doug do I understand correctly that you are trying to pull a ball from a burm ? Why arent the fox balls at least equaly hard to retrive .

couldnt you use a trowel or tiny hand held gardening shovel ?

Gary

Double D · « **Reply #14 on:** March 08, 2010, 06:10:58 PM »

Yep, the idea is to recover the Fox steel balls with minimum impact on berm from digging.

1Southpaw · « **Reply #15 on:** March 08, 2010, 06:57:13 PM »

A drill powered horizontal boring machine with retract 150lb perm mag in a copper pipe ! :>)
Add a powerfull vac to the boring machine for dirt removal .....
Easy , now to find the time .......

Phenumatic rotary drill powered by huge commercial rotary air compressor .... Easily pulled behind my 1 ton truck !
ideas just keep getting better .... $:-\$

RocklockI · « **Reply #16 on:** March 08, 2010, 08:01:19 PM »

Dudes , you guys must really ,really want your balls back bad .

DD I havnt recovered a single ball ever . no never . wish I could but they just go off into the ether of things ....

Ernnie do you think we could make a 'bullet trap' for these things ? I'll bet we could .

1Southpaw · « **Reply #17 on:** March 08, 2010, 08:17:12 PM »

Quote

'bullet trap'

The only problem is you have to be able to hit the target for a bullet trap to work

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #18 on:** March 09, 2010, 04:24:42 AM »

I've recovered many .357 bullets by sliding a stiff wire through the hole until I hear/feel it meet metal - then dig.

Pulling it out may be problematic with wet soil. Clay would be tough, sandy less so.

Double D · « **Reply #19 on:** March 09, 2010, 04:42:47 AM »

Those shot out across the prairie are lost to the world. Those shot on the range with a berm back stop should be recoverable.

Artilleryman · « **Reply #20 on:** March 09, 2010, 05:16:49 AM »

Put a post in the ground, stack tires over it filling each with dirt/sand as you go. When the tires are shot up take the stack apart and retrieve the balls. Any that penetrate the tires probably will not be very deep in the back stop. Make sure you keep the tires filled with dirt/sand. I have done this with small arms (rifle and pistol) and nothing went all the way through. I haven't tried this with artillery so if you do this let us know how it works.

If you have to dig into the berm to retrieve your projectiles carefully put the dirt back and that should keep club members off your back.

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #21 on:** March 09, 2010, 06:42:31 AM »

Maybe you could train a P.D. ?

dynomike1x1 · « **Reply #22 on:** March 09, 2010, 11:23:50 AM »

Tie a bunge cord to it and pull it out. (Caution my cause dizzenes or fainting.)

dirtdobber1919a4 · « **Reply #23 on:** March 09, 2010, 12:27:47 PM »

i would assume with an artillery bullet trap minute of angle is not a major concern.....tires filled with dirt must me massive dump truck tires.

Double D · « **Reply #24 on:** March 09, 2010, 01:20:53 PM »

Actually, I think due to the low velocity, I would be reluctant to fire steel cannon balls at tires...reminds a bit of an old Bobby Vee song....

Artilleryman · « **Reply #25 on:** March 09, 2010, 02:09:27 PM »

Quote from: dirtdobber1919a4 on March 09, 2010, 12:27:47 PM

i would assume with an artillery bullet trap minute of angle is not a major concern.....tires filled with dirt must me massive dump truck tires.

We used pickup truck or large car tires. Bigger tires are too difficult to deal with. It is more a matter of being accurate enough to hit them.

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #26 on:** March 09, 2010, 03:43:55 PM »

Accuracy?

Minute of angle

Minute of beer can, prarie dog and now

Minute of truck tire!

RocklockI · « **Reply #27 on:** March 09, 2010, 05:47:21 PM »

Come on what's next ? Minute of Broadside Barn .

GGaskill · « **Reply #28 on:** March 09, 2010, 07:05:21 PM »

Come on what's next ? Minute of Broadside Barn?

No, minute of inside barn.

dirtdobber1919a4 · « **Reply #29 on:** March 11, 2010, 05:34:06 PM »

minute inside the barn? i think its time to pull the AK-47 out of the locker......