Vortex Cannon

Michigan Tech Permanent Floating Riot Club's vortex cannon, with smoke bomb to show the flow of air coming from the drum. The smoke rings are very distinct.

Please excuse the poor quality; I made the video with my cell phone.

I've gotten a couple comments asking about how this is done. There's really nothing special or complicated about it. It's a barrel with a hole cut in the bottom and a bit of tarp over the other end. The tarp is pulled forward (into the barrel) with a bungee cord, and there's a guy on the other side that pulls the middle of the tarp back and lets it go. That pushes the air forward, out the hole.

Since the hole is smaller than the end of the barrel, the air swirls around, forming a toroidal (doughnut-shaped) vortex. It's the same principle (as mentioned in the comments) as a smoke ring from a cigarette. On a calm day, or indoors, this can travel a fair distance, and has enough oomph behind it to knock over towers of empty pop cans, knock your hat off, muss your hair, blow out a candle, etc.

The smoke is just a typical smoke bomb from a fireworks store. My friend is simply pointing the end of it into the barrel, and we're letting it fill up with smoke before letting go of the bungee. The smoke shows the structure of the vortex very well.

You can purchase a commercial version of this known as the "Airzooka" from Thinkgeek, and probably other places, but it isn't as big. If you can't figure out from my description above how to make one, though, that's probably the best route for you.

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• mtu
• pfrc
• vortex
• cannon
• smoke
• bomb
• ring
• airzooka

[EDWARDTAY55]

I seen a chick do that with her panties off with a cigar

[CanoPinto]

wow, too dangerous, please dont invade my country using such mass destroction stuff.

[Stickysickness1]

@blahdob. Fags are cigarretes.

[relaxedwhite1]

@adamjaskie i want it to kill people

[blahdob]

you can do that with a homosexual and the plastic on his packet

[edjorthebeast]

ssssssssiiiiiiiiiiicccccccckkk­kkkkk!!!!!!!!

[DEOXYS987]

on top of the cannon?

[murcury51423]

you can do that with a fag and the plastic on the packet

[Stilllil]

Arrrrgh. that is some baaad filming.. Take the shot from another angle!!

[dannybee122]

Damn, you stole my line