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Posted: Tue Jan 08, 2008 1:00 am
by benstern
They have been used as rope throwers and antenna launchers.
Posted: Tue Jan 08, 2008 1:14 am
by Novacastrian
I have found them useful for removing the windscreens from forklifts.... don't ask
Edit: They could also be used to remove cats from trees, instead of bothering the fire department.
Posted: Tue Jan 08, 2008 1:49 am
by markieclarkie
Hanging festive Mardi gras beads way up in trees?
Posted: Tue Jan 08, 2008 2:54 am
by jackssmirkingrevenge
Novacastrian wrote:I have found them useful for removing the windscreens from forklifts.... don't ask
Now those are damage pics I want to see!
Let's not forget the "proper" use of the first true spudgun,
lobbing hand grenades at attacking bombers 
Posted: Tue Jan 08, 2008 1:09 pm
by jimmy101
Actually, I believe the first "proper" use of a "spudgun" was as a teaching and research aid. In particular, as a demonstration of the fact that there is such a thing as a combustible gas and that combustion can be initiated with an electrical spark. This use predates the Holman projector by about 150 years and is the earliest use of a combustions spudgun (as opposed to the Holman which is a pneumatic).
See version 2 in the SpudWiki
History of Spudguns page.
Posted: Tue Jan 08, 2008 1:48 pm
by jackssmirkingrevenge
Fair comment, however:
The "electric-phlogopneumatic" pistol was thought up by Volta. It was generally filled with a mixture of hydrogen and air, and then corked up. One of the electrodes was touched with one hand; the other hand touched one of the poles of an electrostatic machine. When the spark went off between them and also inside the pistol, a loud explosion resulted which violently shot out the cork. As Volta himself wrote, these experiments "stupefied the ordinary observer, caused considerable satisfaction among amateurs and those in the know, for these are experiments combining electricity and inflammable air"
By definition, a
spudgun implies the use of a potato as a projectile, and the use of such missiles for the Holman Projector during informal war games between British vessels in the Second World War is the earliest such event I've seen recorded.
Posted: Mon May 12, 2008 11:49 am
by SNDM
A short lived hair dryer?
Posted: Mon May 12, 2008 12:39 pm
by Brian the brain
The noise could be used to scare off birds.
I´ve heard of farmers using them.
Posted: Mon May 12, 2008 1:55 pm
by THUNDERLORD
I was thinking a burst disk design could be used as some type of depth charger.
Because as it sinks the water pressure increases pressing on the burst disk.
Not sure how far it would have to sink to trigger one powerful enough to get some fish(to eat or sell), but if it would work it'd be a better alternative than an explosive.
Posted: Mon Jun 23, 2008 6:37 am
by frankrede
THUNDERLORD wrote:I was thinking a burst disk design could be used as some type of depth charger.
Because as it sinks the water pressure increases pressing on the burst disk.
Not sure how far it would have to sink to trigger one powerful enough to get some fish(to eat or sell), but if it would work it'd be a better alternative than an explosive.
I highly doubt seeing anything come out of that.
Posted: Mon Jun 23, 2008 6:46 am
by Ragnarok
I have to agree with frankrede - that depth charge idea is not going to go anywhere.
For it to sink far enough for the burst disk to break, the external water pressure will have to exceed the internal air pressure - and so you'll get an implosion, not an explosion.
There are ways to do it, but they'll need to be more sophisticated than that.
Posted: Mon Jun 23, 2008 8:28 am
by THUNDERLORD
Ragnarok wrote:I have to agree with frankrede - that depth charge idea is not going to go anywhere.
For it to sink far enough for the burst disk to break, the external water pressure will have to exceed the internal air pressure - and so you'll get an implosion, not an explosion.
There are ways to do it, but they'll need to be more sophisticated than that.
Actually if a pin (like a nail) was in front of the burst-disk (attached to the same diameter as the burst-disc),
the force of pressure would be against a smaller area. So it wouldn't only "Implode" and the external pressure would be lower than it's internal pressure when it bursts.
It was really something I was daydreaming.(Hey, I've seen jaws 1 a few times).
Or maybe an under-water noise-maker for some sort of training exercise.
BTW It's like when they say a women in high heels has the same or greater pressure (per square measurement) as an elephant walking. 8)
Posted: Mon Jun 23, 2008 8:42 am
by jackssmirkingrevenge
THUNDERLORD wrote:It's like when they say a women in high heels has the same or greater pressure (per square measurement) as an elephant walking. 8)
I know which one I'd prefer on my chest ;p hehe
Posted: Mon Jun 23, 2008 9:11 am
by THUNDERLORD
jackssmirkingrevenge wrote:THUNDERLORD wrote:It's like when they say a women in high heels has the same or greater pressure (per square measurement) as an elephant walking. 8)
I know which one I'd prefer on my chest ;p hehe
So do I!!!
Just remembered this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uB6A7v0zNqs
Gotta see this!! I remember seeing it on TV show and they were all serious and I kept laughing!!!
I'd prefer the woman over that although neither would be nice
8)
EDIT:
Found the one with sound:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ytWgovxo3eA&NR=1
Posted: Mon Jun 23, 2008 2:21 pm
by daxspudder
my father in law had one that he used when he worked at a golf course to scare away birds. I used mine to clear weeds in my backyard by using a piece of fishing line 6' long tied between two 3oz lead weights placed in front of a rag, took out 3 foot tall weeds with ease, but messed up my fence a little... spudgun aka lawnmower...lol