Author Topic: M-BPFC 4th of July Special (Read 1521 times)

irishman · « **on:** June 14, 2011, 06:06:18 PM »

We have offered a Special Purchase each year for these 'Firecracker Launchers'. These little guys have started many people into the black powder addiction. It was almost 7 years ago that 'Rays89' designed and talked me into building these micros. The thread "Backyard Cannon Fun" he started has had well in excess of 30,000 views about the fun that happens in the 'Backyard' with these.

As always, we are offering free shipping to GBO members. This year we are also offering an additional 15% off ($68.00 each). Also, several board members asked for a special for purchasing multiples, and in response, we are offering 25% off when you buy 4 ($59.95 each). Barrel machined from solid brass, carriage is solid oak with solid brass wheels. Carriage available in Natural Oak, Olive Drab, Flat Black, Walnut Stain, and of course, Red for the Fourth of July!

Everyone knows someone who would enjoy this hobby. This is a great way to get them started and help to add new blood to GBO.

Please email jsb@brooks-usa.com for an invoice as our website doesn't know about this GBO Special. Please visit us to check out our other offerings at: www.brooks-usa.com

Michael

keith44 · « **Reply #1 on:** June 14, 2011, 06:43:01 PM »

These look great!! and one of these days I'll have one or three

. I do have a question. The website calls these firecracker cannons, you refer to them as firecracker launchers. Are they loaded with black powder and launch a firecracker, or is the firecracker the "power source" to launch a ball? How do you get the firecracker fuse lit? (pulled through vent?)

RocklockI · « **Reply #2 on:** June 14, 2011, 07:37:06 PM »

Michael , I have enjoyed the tubes I have received from you ! Three years ago I bought and received your .30 mortar W/base just B4 the fourth of July . What a hoot !

It and the others , notably a small parrot gun which was the basis for my french 'type' carriage and tube have served very well .

They have been tolerated very well by my neighbors ,and a new renter is moving in next door soon.

So I'll have to ...introduce

..... myself to him !

The neighborhood lights up on the fourth of July!

This of course will permit Tracy and Mike place to bang away on this 'Bombardment Meadows' that Tracy has come up with .... me too !

These cannons/ mortars are more fun for the money than anything else I can think of .

One pound of powder at 7000 Grains will go ALONG way at 8 Grains per shot . The factory ammo (firecrackers at one cent each if that ?) works very well with the newer style red crackers w/green cannon fuse .

Gary

brokenpole · « **Reply #3 on:** June 15, 2011, 01:28:31 AM »

Quote from: keith44 on June 14, 2011, 06:43:01 PM

These look great!! and one of these days I'll have one or three . I do have a question. The website calls these firecracker cannons, you refer to them as firecracker launchers. Are they loaded with black powder and launch a firecracker, or is the firecracker the "power source" to launch a ball? How do you get the firecracker fuse lit? (pulled through vent?)

These little critters are firecracker launchers. 10 grains of FFG is what I use. I insert the powder and then the firecracker with the fuse to the powder. You will have to play with the amount of powder to get it just right. But when you do these things are a blast. When I am done I put them in the dishwasher and then oil them.

I will be ordering two more this year.

keith44 · « **Reply #4 on:** June 15, 2011, 04:20:27 AM »

Thanks BP, but getting the fuse lit...I have never been able to get black powder to light a "green" fuse.

gunsonwheels · « **Reply #5 on:** June 15, 2011, 04:34:59 AM »

Quote

Thanks BP, but getting the fuse lit...I have never been able to get black powder to light a "green" fuse.

Take a hobby knife or razor blade and carefully slit the end of the fuse along its axis for about an eigth of an inch.

Spread the fuse halves

Mix 4F BP with a little spit or a drop or two of water to make a BP paste.

Daub a little BP paste into the crack of the slit.

Allow to dry... if in high humidity area, heat oven to 200 degrees, place crackers on cookie sheet,
TURN OVEN OFF, place cookie sheet in oven and allow to fully cool/dry.

Follow procedure above of loading with fuse end bent back toward lifting charge.

Double D · « **Reply #6 on:** June 15, 2011, 05:06:56 AM »

Insert a bit cannon fuse in the vent. Load three grains of FFFg. Insert firecracker fuse first in the cannon. Light the cannon fuse.

I haven't seen any firecrackers with green fuse small enough to fit in bore of these guns. If you do have some green fuse crackers, try cutting the fuse in half and then split and crush about a 1/8th of an inch of fuse to expose the inner powder train or powder impregnated fuse and see if that works

irishman · « **Reply #7 on:** June 15, 2011, 05:37:23 AM »

Hey Guys, Instructions do come with these barrels, but the operation is very simple. Insert fuse, (1.8, 2mm) into the fuse hole, add 8 to 10 grains of ffg or fffg black powder, tamp with tamping rod, (included). Now insert a 'Black Cat' firecracker, fuse first. Tamp again, light, holler 'FIRE IN THE HOLE'! BANG! The firecracker is now in flight. It will detonate at 40 to 50 feet out, probably about 3 feet over your neighbors' cat.

If you use 12 or more grains, the firecracker will simply detonate inside the barrel...no harm, and no mess to clean out, you simply lose the "secondary".

I am going to take the liberty of bringing back the Backyard Cannon Fun thread, right behind this reply. It was started by Rays89, a good friend of mine and of GBO. He is the one that designed this and talked me thru the building of it. It is the largest viewed in the history of GBO 'Black Powder Mortar and Cannon. It is loaded with comments, videos, pics and even some true stories. (like the squirel on the power line) If I am bad, I am sure that DD will delete it.

Michael

P.S. If you don't agree that this is the most fun for the buck, I'll buy it back...less freight

Double D · « **Reply #8 on:** June 15, 2011, 06:45:48 AM »

Delete?!!! I was looking for a way to merge...merge this post into the backyard fun topic.

These little cracker cannons are fun...one sits up stairs on my wife's desk.

rays89 · « **Reply #9 on:** June 15, 2011, 06:49:02 AM »

gotta love this time of year :p

keith44 · « **Reply #10 on:** June 15, 2011, 07:27:18 AM »

Quote from: rays89 on June 15, 2011, 06:49:02 AM

gotta love this time of year :p

Yes I do!!

keith44 · « **Reply #11 on:** June 15, 2011, 07:36:21 AM »

Quote from: Double D on June 15, 2011, 05:06:56 AM

Insert a bit cannon fuse in the vent. Load three grains of FFFg. Insert firecracker fuse first in the cannon. Light the cannon fuse.

I haven't seen any firecrackers with green fuse small enough to fit in bore of these guns. If you do have some green fuse crackers, try cutting the fuse in half and then split and crush about a 1/8th of an inch of fuse to expose the inner powder train or powder impregnated fuse and see if that works

Quote from: irishman on June 15, 2011, 05:37:23 AM

Hey Guys, Instructions do come with these barrels, but the operation is very simple. Insert fuse, (1.8, 2mm) into the fuse hole, add 8 to 10 grains of ffg or fffg black powder, tamp with tamping rod, (included). Now insert a 'Black Cat' firecracker, fuse first. Tamp again, light, holler 'FIRE IN THE HOLE'! BANG! The firecracker is now in flight. It will detonate at 40 to 50 feet out, probably about 3 feet over your neighbors' cat.

Black Cat brand "little Dynamite" Body diameter is 0.225 inches

RocklockI · « **Reply #12 on:** June 15, 2011, 08:17:13 AM »

keith44 those are what I've been using BUT I load them fuse up but bent down along the body of the cracker . You can trim the fuse for timing .

It does help to split the tip of the fuse .

keith44 · « **Reply #13 on:** June 15, 2011, 08:31:01 AM »

Ok that settles it, now how to sneak it passed the enforcer er um I mean the wife.

irishman · « **Reply #14 on:** June 15, 2011, 09:48:08 AM »

The batches of these firecrackers tends to vary slightly. The batch of the 'Little Dynamite" crackers is mostly around .240 in this batch. In spite of the slight variance, these barrels are pretty accurate.

I have not had trouble with the green fuse igniting. Of all these crackers, I prefer the standard Black Cat. Actually, the package on the top is my favorite. Cost was ONE PENNY in Mississippi. yup, 1280 crackers for one cent. Some of the other packages came from Indian Reservations and cost about 1300 times as much! LOL

Michael

keith44 · « **Reply #15 on:** June 18, 2011, 11:46:16 AM »

I will be ordering several

The chief financial officer (aka the wife) has agreed to allow the purchase of one for each male member of the immediate family!

Rayfan87 · « **Reply #16 on:** June 18, 2011, 11:52:32 AM »

Man I can't wait to move out of NY. Firecrackers and sparklers are banned with regular fireworks.

keith44 · « **Reply #17 on:** June 18, 2011, 12:01:47 PM »

Quote from: Rayfan87 on June 18, 2011, 11:52:32 AM

Man I can't wait to move out of NY. Firecrackers and sparklers are banned with regular fireworks.

Dude that SUCKS!!!

Hope you're headed south. I was informed the other day that my cannon on the fireplace needed to face the other direction. It is supposed to point north was all the person would say.

irishman · « **Reply #18 on:** June 18, 2011, 05:26:07 PM »

Quote from: Rayfan87 on June 18, 2011, 11:52:32 AM

Man I can't wait to move out of NY. Firecrackers and sparklers are banned with regular fireworks.

Rayfan87,

Thank you for bringing this up. Actually, you don't have to use a firecracker with this little guy. The other 'personality' that comes with the M-BPFC is just loading with the 1 grain/caliber=30 grains and this will get everyones attention. Thank you again.

Michael

keith44 · « **Reply #19 on:** June 25, 2011, 05:33:54 PM »

WHOO HOOO!!! Just recieved e-mail notification that mine have shipped and should be in my hands Tuesday!!

Just a lil excited.

Thanks Michael, looking forward to gifting the extras to family members. The instructions are great!! Thanks for the advance view of them as well.

keith44 · « **Reply #20 on:** June 27, 2011, 08:56:49 AM »

THEY'RE HERE!!!

Bob J · « **Reply #21 on:** June 27, 2011, 10:25:59 AM »

These look awesome! Nice work Michael!

Mike H. · « **Reply #22 on:** June 27, 2011, 11:08:15 AM »

Quote from: irishman on June 14, 2011, 06:06:18 PM

As always, we are offering free shipping to GBO members. This year we are also offering an additional 15% ....

Do you offer discounts on your other cannons to GBO members?

projector · « **Reply #23 on:** June 27, 2011, 11:12:30 AM »

What a cool little barrel. I'll be calling you.

Glad to be back, by the way, been out for a while.

irishman · « **Reply #24 on:** June 27, 2011, 11:38:23 AM »

Mike H.

Yes, GBO members are sometimes offered special pricing. Two factors trigger this. We offer discounted prices when we 'introduce' a new barrel. We also offer price reduction when we are planning a scheduled 'run' of a specific barrel. It's more efficient for us to run multiples and we are happy to pass on some of the savings.

If I knew what you were interested in, it may influence the plan of a run. We are constantly working to reduce the elapsed time of our 'special orders'.

Michael

irishman · « **Reply #25 on:** June 27, 2011, 11:46:44 AM »

Thanks Joe, for your comment. And, yes, I did notice your absence. I know you keep busy......

Michael

Quote from: projector on June 27, 2011, 11:12:30 AM

What a cool little barrel. I'll be calling you.

Glad to be back, by the way, been out for a while.

Mike H. · « **Reply #26 on:** June 27, 2011, 03:37:52 PM »

Quote from: irishman on June 27, 2011, 11:38:23 AM

Mike H.

Yes, GBO members are sometimes offered special pricing. Two factors trigger this. We offer discounted prices when we 'introduce' a new barrel. We also offer price reduction when we are planning a scheduled 'run' of a specific barrel. It's more efficient for us to run multiples and we are happy to pass on some of the savings.

If I knew what you were interested in, it may influence the plan of a run. We are constantly working to reduce the elapsed time of our 'special orders'.

Michael

Well, I reckon I am kind of sweet on your 69 caliber 24 Pounder barrel. Says "Special order #0541". When you do a run of them.... I'm in.

keith44 · « **Reply #27 on:** June 27, 2011, 08:55:56 PM »

on the small side of things I think a .22 cal designed to fire a pellet could be fun,

irishman · « **Reply #28 on:** June 28, 2011, 02:59:23 PM »

Keith44,

I think you are right........so here you go!

These will be our 4.5 mm / .177P. We have been making this micro in .177, .22, .25 calibers on a nice skid. Keith44, you have just created a new part number for us. Keep an eye out for a tracking number...Thanks! See above and go to www.brooks-usa.com and click 'micro coehorn'.

The pellet barrel has a slightly larger bore than the .177 bb barrel, thus the P

Michael

irishman · « **Reply #29 on:** June 28, 2011, 04:15:12 PM »

If I knew what you were interested in, it may influence the plan of a run. We are constantly working to reduce the elapsed time of our 'special orders'.

Michael
[/quote]

Well, I reckon I am kind of sweet on your 69 caliber 24 Pounder barrel. Says "Special order #0541". When you do a run of them.... I'm in.
[/quote]

Mike H.

Thank you! I will be contacting in a few weeks with an ETA.

Michael