[pingman]

We used mondo trash bags, inflated w/ oxy/acetylene. Taped a long lit cigarette to it at the last moment, and set them adrift across the lake (winds were favorable, of course!)

Big bad-a-boom! Shockingly big.

The other time, we filled an inverted galvanized trash can that had been pre-wired with a spark ignitor from a gas grill.

They still remember that one: “Hooooooly sh!!!!t!!” as it took off for the treetops; wasn’t much good after re-entry...

[rsobin]

I saw a dude take a large party balloon fill it with a mixture of acetylene and o2 . He took a cigarette lighter and despite our warnings lit it. He had no hair on his arms ,face, and the front of his head and he was smoking. Big pop and bright light.

[Arrowhead1952]

The other time, we filled []an inverted galvanized trash can [w/ oxy/acetylene] that had been pre-wired with a spark ignitor from a gas grill.

We used to fill metal 16 oz food cans with oxy/acetylene mixture, set them into a pan filled with water and had a hole in the top, stick a long fuse into the hole. Light that bugger and run and get behind a tree trunk. Those cans flew over 100 feet straight up.

[Rodamala]

I had the benefit of a cylinder of helium on the property... one balloon got inflated with helium gas for lift, another inflated with a mixture of oxygen and acetylene. Tied the 2 balloons together, then tied a long cotton string to the acetlyene/oxygen filled one. Coated the cotton string with grease and then a little diesel fuel.

"Hold my beer and watch this", was mentioned at the time of lighting the fuse/liftoff.

By timing the flash to the arrival of the sound, and estimating the angle of elevation... I've had some go to 1500 feet and 2.5 miles (horizontal distance) away before blowing. The explosion was LOUD at 2.5 miles away... I can only imagine what it was like directly below the explosion.

If I did this today, I'd imagine I'd be waterboarded.