Model Boat Mayhem

Mess Deck: General Section => Model Boating => Topic started by: KIMBO on May 03, 2006, 11:25:21 pm

Title: DEPTH CHARGES
Post by: KIMBO on May 03, 2006, 11:25:21 pm
HELLO ALL, GOT A LITTLE PROBLEM HOPEFULLY SOME ONE WILL HELP. I HAVE BEEN TRYING FOR AGES TO MAKE DEPTH CHARGES BANG WHEN THEY HIT THE WATER. I HAVE SEEN THIS DONE AT SHOW,S, BUT WHEN YOU ASK , IT ALL GOES HUSH HUSH. I GOT HOLD OF SOME CALCIAM CARBIDE, WHEN IN CONTACT WITH WATER , IT GIVES OFF ASETALENE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, BUT IT DOESENT BANG, HOW DO I IGNITE IT,  :-\ :-\ :-\ THANKS FOR YOUR HELP
Title: Re: DEPTH CHARGES
Post by: malcolmfrary on May 03, 2006, 11:45:49 pm
It all goes quiet because it is a trade secret known only to those who have the appropriate license and training to handle explosives, and insurance cover if they happen to be doing it in a public place.  As a passer-by, if you have to ask, you ain't entitled to know, in the UK, anyway.
The big trick is not to make the bang, but to prevent it until you want it to happen.
Title: Re: DEPTH CHARGES
Post by: ron h on May 03, 2006, 11:58:26 pm
Your biggest problem will be getting a license for what you want to do, you need one for pyrotechnics
Title: Re: DEPTH CHARGES
Post by: KIMBO on May 04, 2006, 11:14:59 am
but you would of thought a firework was more of a hazzard , never mind, back to the drawing board. thanks for the input,
Title: Re: DEPTH CHARGES
Post by: Daryl on May 04, 2006, 11:28:17 am
Another thought is that the shockwaves could harm any fish and scare any wildllife, which would not go down well with the local anglers etc.

regards
Daryl
Title: Re: DEPTH CHARGES
Post by: Peewee on May 04, 2006, 12:09:56 pm
There was a bloke at my old lake that used Depth charges,  he used a certain metal in his.  Untill that is he dropped 1 on a modellers sub and actually sunk it by cracking its pressure tank.   Needless to say he was not very popular after that.   ;D
Title: Re: DEPTH CHARGES
Post by: justboatonic on May 04, 2006, 05:33:36 pm
There was a bloke at my old lake that used Depth charges,? he used a certain metal in his.? Untill that is he dropped 1 on a modellers sub and actually sunk it by cracking its pressure tank.? ?Needless to say he was not very popular after that.? ?;D

Blimey! Im all for scale realism but that's going too far!  :o
Title: Re: DEPTH CHARGES
Post by: KIMBO on May 04, 2006, 05:48:41 pm
thanks for that daryl, hull has its own man made pond, not a fishy in there, just spent nearly ?50,000 on it because it was leaking, and found out it was a beer bottle in the gate valve .  i can see what you meen tho thanks ,
Title: Re: DEPTH CHARGES
Post by: Shipmate60 on May 04, 2006, 09:53:40 pm
Plus your insurance cover goes through the roof when playing with Pyros.

Bob
Title: Re: DEPTH CHARGES
Post by: Daryl on May 04, 2006, 10:23:03 pm
Another thought most clubs in their rules and regulations ban any pyro's or as shipmate said the insurance cover rises dramaticly. Then there is local by-laws which cover noise etc. So getting a licence involves quite a few government and council deptartments, police and  the fire brigade, all of whom would need convincing you know what you are doing. In this day of the 'Nanny state' it gets expensive and time consuming, and the higth of the paperwork would probibley be greater than the higth of the explosion.

Good luck
Daryl
Title: Re: DEPTH CHARGES
Post by: DavieTait on May 04, 2006, 10:28:58 pm
Not only that but after the 7th of July terrorist bombings in London i'd think that Special Branch would be taking a very very special interest in anyone wanting to blow anything up even if its only a scale model of a depth charge !!

Leave the pyro stuff to the experts better that than having your hand blown off when things go wrong.

Also think of how you would feel if an accident happened and you injured a child or an adult.

Just a couple of things to think about first really.

Davie Tait (did want to built a fully working HMS Renown SSBN with firing forckets in the 80's but not now !!)
Title: Re: DEPTH CHARGES
Post by: Daryl on May 04, 2006, 10:38:23 pm
in the local paper the centre of Gloucester was evacuated becouse a business man left his breif case out side HSBC bank, the bomb desposial people blew it open, the police are interviewing the guy. Ovver reaction, maybe but after  July 7th the security services are taking no chances.

Umm can I make small depth charges and blow them up in our local lake, well that might not go down to well in city hall. Here a clamp down has been inforce on firework displays with its usual mountain of paperwork.

nice idea but I don't think it has a chance in the health and saftey terrorist alert society we live in.

Daryl
Title: Re: DEPTH CHARGES
Post by: Colin H on May 04, 2006, 11:07:03 pm
It worse than you think.

The first step would be to apply for and explosive's licence from you county police firearms department. They would have to be satisfied that you had a good reason for purchasing and keeping explosive's and that you had a safe storage place and then that you had some where to use the explosive safely.

If you want to purchase say black powder for use in cannon's (re-enactment) or for use in legally held firearms then no problem.

If you want to purchase plastic explosve to blow up tree stumps or for quarrying then no problem.

If you want to purchase black powder or what ever to make fireworks it then involves the local council, health & safety executive etc. etc. etc.

To make any explosive without a licence is an offence punishable by a max term of I believe (could be wrong) ten years.

To handle any explosve without good knowledge is also known as suicide. I saw many shattered rifles. shotguns and pistols during my time in the fire arms trade.

Colin H.
Title: Re: DEPTH CHARGES
Post by: KIMBO on May 05, 2006, 10:56:32 am
hello all , you have shown me the right road to take, i will forget that idea then, ( anyone know how to split an atom ) just kidding. thanks for all the feedback tho, and i still have both hand,s bye for now
Title: Re: DEPTH CHARGES
Post by: Colin Bishop on May 06, 2006, 12:23:30 am
Pains Wessex have just issued a recall on some of the white hand flares (used on yachts etc. for warning off vessels which get too close at night). Apparently one exploded when activated and part of the flare embedded itself ito the abdomen of the user who ended up in a critical condition when last reported. These things can be very dangerous. However, I do remember many years ago lighting twopenny bangers and dropping them off Kingston Bridge into the Thames where they exploded very satisfactorily underwater. Things were different in those days. I had a friend who was into chemistry sets, he got hold of some magnesium powder which we ignited in his garden shed/workshop. It burnt through its metal container then 2 inches of workbench and he was lucky not to lose the shed. Then there were the jetex motors, you only got one flight as your lovingly crafted balsa and doped tissue plane self destructed in a flaming fireball. But there were other ingenious things you could do with Jetex fuel... Sometimes I don't know how I survived my childhood.
Title: Re: DEPTH CHARGES
Post by: Shipmate60 on May 06, 2006, 11:37:24 am
I too remember the "fun" of Jetex motors, lots of burnt fingers, but oh such fun.

Bob
Title: Re: DEPTH CHARGES
Post by: Tug on May 06, 2006, 07:56:58 pm
Colin got the forms and stuff about right, but then you need another home office licence to move the black powder/bangie stuff from place to place, and what happens on that day in july when the temprature reaches 80+ and your stuff is locked inthe car........  would you really want to be the person who opens the car door?


Title: Re: DEPTH CHARGES
Post by: Colin H on May 06, 2006, 09:58:14 pm
Hi Tug,

I travel the country shooting black powder rifle and have no need of a home office cert. Though it does pay to notify the county police forces through which you will be traveling. Modern black powder is very stable and certainly no heat produced in a hot car would ignite it. Unless of course some yob set the car on fire then it might not be a bad idea to have a pound or two in the boot.

your Colin H.
Title: Re: DEPTH CHARGES
Post by: John W E on May 06, 2006, 10:55:31 pm
hEY Colin H - dont give us ideas for a new type of burglar alarm - you might lose your car but you know that the person who tried to set fire/steal it didnt get very far, well....in once piece - bits of the person may be scattered around a bit? :)? Might clean a few of the yobs off the streets - car insurance go up a ? or two - every 2 yards big black crater in ground and bits of yob spread about & then after quite a few craters they may start to behave themselves!!! ;D ;D

Aye
John E
BLUEBIRD
Title: Re: DEPTH CHARGES
Post by: Daryl on May 06, 2006, 11:02:55 pm
Herre here, my wife had her car broken into twice in the Gloucester Royal Hospital staff car park. They have security for the public car park and cameras covering the Doctors and security + cameras covering consoltants car parks.

When is this government or any government going to get tough on yobs.On a local pond there as been instances or yobs throwing stones at the model boats.

Daryl

Title: Re: DEPTH CHARGES
Post by: Colin Bishop on May 06, 2006, 11:23:45 pm
The yobs do it because they can and there is little likelihood of action being taken against them. When it is it tends to be too lenient. There needs to be more application of no tolerance policies with stricter penalties. Prison may not be the appropriate solution but these people need to be hit where it hurts. Unfortunately the birch is no longer an option but heavy fines and/or loss of leisure time should be applied. Yobbery makes things miserable for the rest of us and puts people in fear of their safety out of all proportion to the scale of the offence. The police need to be more pro active and the courts need to back them up. The politicians who successfully put this in place will get a lot of votes!
Title: Re: DEPTH CHARGES
Post by: dpbarry on May 07, 2006, 03:25:09 pm
Hmm!!

Maybe John Reid can do something about it now.? Then again, with all these changes, nothing ever get done cus they blame it on the last person saying they were still trying to clean up his/her mess.

Something needs to be done about these bass-drinkers (A polite way of describing a person with dubious parentage) as the country is in a terrible state.

Declan
Title: Re: DEPTH CHARGES
Post by: galleyboy on May 07, 2006, 09:43:03 pm
Does that Submariner Pete know what you're up to? :o After all, we all know that submarines are just a bit of Wickes Marley drainpipe anyway..lol
Title: Re: DEPTH CHARGES
Post by: KIMBO on May 08, 2006, 08:45:39 am
I DONT THINK IT WILL EFFECT HIM , HE,S A SURFACE RUNNER  :D :D :D HOPE HE,S NOT READING THIS ::)
Title: Re: DEPTH CHARGES
Post by: petesubman on May 09, 2006, 05:08:54 pm
I dont know marley pipe, all i can say is fence post, knitting needle, and of course shower curtain, were is kaptain bill when i need him
Title: Re: DEPTH CHARGES
Post by: KIMBO on May 09, 2006, 05:22:31 pm
knitting needles for drive shafts, isay knitting needles for drive shafts whats it coming to our ashley, they dont know the half of it, isay they dont know the half of it
Title: Re: DEPTH CHARGES
Post by: galleyboy on May 09, 2006, 08:50:08 pm
Never mind submarines and depth charges, we're having a Pea Pod day. Sunday 14th May. All that firewood drifting on the pond eh!
Title: Re: DEPTH CHARGES
Post by: KIMBO on May 10, 2006, 10:45:00 am
Never mind submarines and depth charges, we're having a Pea Pod day. Sunday 14th May. All that firewood drifting on the pond eh!
bring back the drainpipes
Title: Re: DEPTH CHARGES
Post by: petesubman on May 10, 2006, 05:11:29 pm
We talking jeans or subs Kim, wots that, matchwood day on sunday
Title: Re: DEPTH CHARGES
Post by: KIMBO on May 10, 2006, 05:49:26 pm
PETE THERE,S A DRINK IN IT FOR YOU IF YOUR SUBS WILL FIRE TORPEDOE,S FOR WEEKEND, ITS THAT OR THE PROPS ON MY NEW ONE , SHOULD MAKE A GOOD BLENDER ;D ;D ;D
Title: Re: DEPTH CHARGES
Post by: galleyboy on May 11, 2006, 09:29:13 pm
The pond will be a sea full of sails on Sunday. There's certainly enough wind for it. lol  :o
Title: Re: DEPTH CHARGES
Post by: KIMBO on May 11, 2006, 10:04:37 pm
the only thing pea,s give you is WIND,  ;D ;D ;D
Title: Re: DEPTH CHARGES
Post by: wizard on August 24, 2012, 12:34:16 pm
Hey  Kimbo, There is a lot of negativity here re youre wanting to make depth charges. I think there is a bit too much whatif in the posts. What if someone sues someone about something that may happen. Hey were are grown ups and don't want to do anyone damage. We do want to play with our model boats and get a little bit of fun into what we are doing. I have been trying to work out the same problem . Depth charges for a display.a seven second delay sounds good.Chemical trigger? how does that work?
Don't let the grown ups disuade you from having FUN.
Wizard
Title: Re: DEPTH CHARGES
Post by: TailUK on August 24, 2012, 02:30:20 pm
hello all , you have shown me the right road to take, i will forget that idea then, ( anyone know how to split an atom ) just kidding. thanks for all the feedback tho, and i still have both hand,s bye for now

Actually, As far as I know "splitting the atom" is not illegal anyhere in the UK.  They might frown on owning any big lumps of suitable metals.  I knew a railway modeller who made enquiries about getting hold of some to make weights for railway engines as it's supposed to be a lot heavier than lead, his big problem was that he was totally tonto!
Title: Re: DEPTH CHARGES
Post by: dodgy geezer on August 24, 2012, 03:11:40 pm
I have no issue at all with breaching regulations, particularly modern ones, but it is a good idea to operate safely!

In the case of 'display' depth charges, one approach which is often taken is not to have small explosive depth-charges at all, but to fire dummies, and wire the pond with small underwater charges. These would be like little mortars, resting on the bottom, firing a jet of water upwards without any danger of cracking the pond base. Ignition is both safer and more reliable, which is what you need for a demo.... 
Title: Re: DEPTH CHARGES
Post by: richald on August 24, 2012, 05:45:00 pm


What about dropping something like a sodastream cartridge overboard and
triggering release of the gas underwater - I guess it would produce an effect
very similar to the water spout you always see when a depth charge explodes  %%


Richard
Title: Re: DEPTH CHARGES
Post by: Artistmike on August 24, 2012, 06:19:03 pm

What about dropping something like a sodastream cartridge overboard and
triggering release of the gas underwater - I guess it would produce an effect
very similar to the water spout you always see when a depth charge explodes  %%
Richard

That may just have more of the effect of a scale Trident missile misfiring  !  :o
Title: Re: DEPTH CHARGES
Post by: unicorn on August 24, 2012, 06:34:11 pm
 ok2 ok2 ok2 ok2 ok2 ok2 ok2

              Kimbo ------  it can be done and done safely ---- this is one of our club members boats, whose Corvette [ about 1.2 m ] has preformed, after many experiments,with an
  extremely high regularity at our displays over the last 6 years.

                                The art is to experiment with safety always  coming 1st ,  2nd and 3rd.and keeping a record of what you`ve done.

                                 Sorry but please don`t ask as I`m not at a liberty to divulge club  practices.
(http://s10.postimage.org/qfyoay3md/nautilii_busters.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/qfyoay3md/)
Title: Re: DEPTH CHARGES
Post by: Mad_Mike on August 24, 2012, 09:43:24 pm
this thread is 6 years old {:-{
Title: Re: DEPTH CHARGES
Post by: dodgy geezer on August 24, 2012, 09:48:25 pm
Not now it isn't....   %%
Title: Re: DEPTH CHARGES
Post by: david48 on August 24, 2012, 10:22:51 pm
Has any out there been to Peaseholme Park at Scarbrough thy do a pretty good display with things that go bang /flash areoplanes with bombs all good stuff
Title: Re: DEPTH CHARGES
Post by: richald on August 24, 2012, 10:32:24 pm
Quote
this thread is 6 years old

Blame Wizard he (re)Started it!


Richard
Title: Re: DEPTH CHARGES
Post by: RAAArtyGunner on August 24, 2012, 10:35:08 pm
this thread is 6 years old {:-{

R & D took up the time  %) %) %) %)

Full steam ahead. O0 O0 O0 :-)) :-))
Title: Re: DEPTH CHARGES
Post by: thunderchild on August 28, 2012, 12:25:37 pm
Good Day All

Have a look at the videos, they use dry ice.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXw2G1byyPY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMW-Q9XfezI

Richard
Title: Re: DEPTH CHARGES
Post by: Norseman on August 28, 2012, 03:43:46 pm
stilll some teething problems - but he'll get there O0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a2inB0HTxjw&feature=related
Title: Re: DEPTH CHARGES
Post by: dreadnought72 on August 28, 2012, 05:28:37 pm
I've seen that film. "The Cruel Swimming Pool", isn't it?  %%
Title: Re: DEPTH CHARGES
Post by: unbuiltnautilus on August 28, 2012, 05:35:39 pm
See, lesson to be learned there. Dont muck about with this stuff. We have sunk two boats by accident over the many years using 'working' depth charges, both boats were write offs, one blown clean in half, the other broke its back before ejecting its contents up into the air. Very spectacular and it goes with the territory. If you are not prepared for the chance of loosing your model, dont do it {:-{
Title: Re: DEPTH CHARGES
Post by: Norseman on August 28, 2012, 06:41:50 pm
one blown clean in half, the other broke its back before ejecting its contents up into the air. Very spectacular
:o

Show me the links and I'll get the popcorn :}

Dave
Title: Re: DEPTH CHARGES
Post by: Snowwolflair on August 28, 2012, 09:53:11 pm
30 years ago I held my clubs Black Powder licence. 

We were very careful and bought prepared electrical fired charges that were waterproof from Standard Fireworks. 

These were towed fron the stern of a model and were always under water before connection to the electrical terminals on the model.

We used two transmitters to interlock to fire the charge and we used to get 10 foot water spouts. :-))

We also had grain of wheat bulb wired to the firing circuit at the top of the mast to give us feedback of firing state.

It all came to an end with the IRA activity caused the products we used being no longer available.
Title: Re: DEPTH CHARGES
Post by: Norseman on August 28, 2012, 10:09:42 pm
Do you think any old films exist of such events in a local archive or maybe a member has something on a photograph?

10 foot spouts - Whoo!!!

Dave
Title: Re: DEPTH CHARGES
Post by: dodgy geezer on August 29, 2012, 08:44:29 am
30 years ago I held my clubs Black Powder licence. 

We were very careful and bought prepared electrical fired charges that were waterproof from Standard Fireworks. 


45 years ago I used to grind my own gunpowder from sulphur, potassium nitrate, charcoal and a little aluminium powder. We used to carefully break the ends off light bulbs, fill the globe with the powder, seal it, attach the wires to a 12v car battery and let them off in the canal.

We didn't care much about safety, not at all about a licence, and the adults around us didn't seem to care either. I remember happily letting one set of charges off in front of a small crowd of admiring spectators which included the village policeman. How things have changed.....   <:( <:(
Title: Re: DEPTH CHARGES
Post by: unbuiltnautilus on August 29, 2012, 03:51:51 pm
:o

Show me the links and I'll get the popcorn :}

Dave
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLHeeJEvG-8

Cannot show you our worst disasters, sorry, national security and all that. Try this, it went as planned on this day :-))