Black powder as noise deterrent...

[Preacherman]

Some buddies of mine have been having fun with a royal PITA down the street from their home. This guy has an old Honda with wierd exhaust pipes - we suspect he made them himself from junkyard leftovers - and they make a HECK of a noise when he accelerates down the road. It's even worse when he leaves for work at 5 a.m. some mornings - the rattling and roaring are enough to wake the dead!

Anyway, my buddies put their heads together... Last night, at about midnight, it appears that some evil-minded critter put two cigarette-paper packets of black powder into his twin exhausts, between the outer "shell" and the pipe itself (don't ask me the technical terms for these things - I'm not a bike expert). Come 5 a.m. this morning, Doofus fires up his bike, revs the engine madly for a minute or two, as usual, and starts off down the road. About 300 yards from his house, as he passes my friends' house, it appears there was a double flash and roar, and flames and smoke shot out of both exhausts. Lights went on everywhere, people poked their heads out of windows, the cops were called, and there was general shouting and tumult.

I hadn't realised that cigarette paper would take a certain temperature before spontaneously combusting...

 

[BigG]

Although you didn't mention it, the explosion was probably accompanied by an evil smell, also.

 

[Dave P]

Great idea! This world would be so much more pleasant if the sound ordinances were enforced!

 

[P95Carry]

Bwahahaha ..... wicked!!

I do love to hear the music from my big Vee but .... have to admit that I would not be in any way happy to inflict this on a quiet neighborhood at 5am ... no way. I enjoy moderation and not excess.

Wonder what he'll do next!??

 

[444]

Good for them.

I had a buddy tell me a story that happened probably 25 years ago now along this line.
One of his neighbors was shooting off bottle rockets and they were landing on my buddies garage roof. Buddy walked down and told them he didn't have any problem with the fireworks, he enjoyed them as much as the next guy, but he was worried about the possibility of them starting his house or garage on fire; could they shoot them in a different direction. They told him where to go.
So my buddy being the type of guy he is, walked back home and put together a little device. At the time everyone would have thought it was funny, today it would be a violation of the homeland security act and a threat to the country. Anyway, he walked a couple hundred yards through the woods to the rear of the house with the fireworks and set off his own device. When he got back home (maybe a half mile) all the pictures were blown off his own walls from the blast.
For some reason they got tired of the bottle rockets right about that time.

 

[foghornl]

Pyrodex as a smoking deterrent

Many years back, was working in TV station. No one was supposed to smoke in the room with the VTR's (Video Tape Recorders), but I had one Jerky Boy to deal with that would light up in that room just to torque me off.

Sooooo, one day I took an ashtray, put in a few used butts, some ashes, and a BUNCH of P-grade Pyrodex. Placed it in the VTR room. Sure enough, Jerky Boy came in, and lit up. Flicking hot ashes in the tray, well you can guess what happened....



Probably did more damage to the VTR's with all the Pyrodex smoke, but Jerky Boy never lit up in there again....

 

[Navy joe]

At the time everyone would have thought it was funny, today it would be a violation of the homeland security act and a threat to the country. Anyway, he walked a couple hundred yards through the woods to the rear of the house with the fireworks and set off his own device. When he got back home (maybe a half mile) all the pictures were blown off his own walls from the blast.

Sounds like the old trashbag full of C2 H2 + O2 . Still good for a laugh.