Experiment Part 1

by **assateague** » Sat Jul 07, 2012 3:52 pm

In the interest of killing as many groundhogs as possible, with the least amount of money spent, this is the result of some basic research. This is only a third of a toilet paper tube, about 1 1/4 inches long. The others are full size, and should burn for about a minute, plenty of time to exterminate entire extended families of those pesky rodents. I'm stopping down at the pond later to cut some bamboo- I think that is the perfect solution. Free, durable, and able to "direct" the smoke without fear of a burn through. I'm mixing up another batch, which I've added about 25% sulfur to, which should (should) slow the burn, and make more smoke. Either that or I'll accidentally make black powder over an open flame on the turkey fryer. That's why I do this stuff when the wife's out of town.

by **assateague** » Sat Jul 07, 2012 3:53 pm

For the record, a full size toilet paper tube smoke bomb costs about 45 cents to make, as near as I can figure. Maybe 46 cents after I add the sulfur.

by **3legged_lab** » Sat Jul 07, 2012 3:59 pm

Thats cool assa, I bought some deals one time called 'gopher-gassers', I dont know if they really worked very well though.

by **assateague** » Sat Jul 07, 2012 4:02 pm

The antifreeze and pot perm we've been using has worked great, only one digout in about 60 holes. But that stuff averages about $2 a pop, vs 45 cents a pop for this. We're gonna try it and see how it works. Then when people start calling, and I'm charging $12 a hole, I should be able to net $10 per hole.

by **3legged_lab** » Sat Jul 07, 2012 4:05 pm

Is anybody else picturing Assa being a modern day bill murray from caddy shack right now?

I just did, and I'm laughin it up.

by **capt1972** » Sat Jul 07, 2012 4:07 pm

3legged_lab wrote:Is anybody else picturing Assa being a modern day bill murray from caddy shack right now?

I just did, and I'm laughin it up.

by **Flightstopper** » Sat Jul 07, 2012 4:08 pm

3legged_lab wrote:Is anybody else picturing Assa being a modern day bill murray from caddy shack right now?

I just did, and I'm laughin it up.

:Lol: Bill Murray in NASCAR race day apparel of course

by **assateague** » Sat Jul 07, 2012 5:45 pm

Killing groundhogs. This is still the first batch. I fully expect the second batch I make tonight to be more lethal yet. Yes, that is a sparkler for a fuse- my cannon fuse won't be here til next week. I fully expect that ordering 300 feet of waterproof cannon fuse cemented my position on many watch lists, particularly when combined with my 25 pounds of potassium nitrate.

by **3legged_lab** » Sat Jul 07, 2012 6:01 pm

Just stay outta DC for a while

by **Redbeard** » Sat Jul 07, 2012 7:07 pm

3legged_lab wrote:Is anybody else picturing Assa being a modern day bill murray from caddy shack right now?

I just did, and I'm laughin it up.

I did

by **Redbeard** » Sat Jul 07, 2012 7:07 pm

assateague wrote:Killing groundhogs. This is still the first batch. I fully expect the second batch I make tonight to be more lethal yet. Yes, that is a sparkler for a fuse- my cannon fuse won't be here til next week. I fully expect that ordering 300 feet of waterproof cannon fuse cemented my position on many watch lists, particularly when combined with my 25 pounds of potassium nitrate.

you should go to town in a gray hoodie and sunglasses

by **3legged_lab** » Sat Jul 07, 2012 7:08 pm

assateague wrote:Killing groundhogs. This is still the first batch. I fully expect the second batch I make tonight to be more lethal yet. Yes, that is a sparkler for a fuse- my cannon fuse won't be here til next week. I fully expect that ordering 300 feet of waterproof cannon fuse cemented my position on many watch lists, particularly when combined with my 25 pounds of potassium nitrate.

I name them the tampon of death.

by **capt1972** » Sat Jul 07, 2012 7:09 pm

3legged_lab wrote:
assateague wrote:Killing groundhogs. This is still the first batch. I fully expect the second batch I make tonight to be more lethal yet. Yes, that is a sparkler for a fuse- my cannon fuse won't be here til next week. I fully expect that ordering 300 feet of waterproof cannon fuse cemented my position on many watch lists, particularly when combined with my 25 pounds of potassium nitrate.

I name them the tampon of death.

by **MOhuntingGuy** » Sat Jul 07, 2012 8:35 pm

Assa, your smoke device looks exactly like my sparkler device from the other day. Haha.

by **centex** » Sat Jul 07, 2012 11:45 pm

So how do you know you are killing them or how many you've killed? Do they come out of the hole once you smoke it or just assume they're all dead?

We used to do something similar at the ditch by my house. Alligator got lost and would go into dead end tunnels so we would fill coke cans will oil and gas and tape them together to make a raft, attach bottle rockets to propel them to the back, and light it on fire. We were dumb ass 12 year olds because the gator was about 8 ft long

by **assateague** » Sun Jul 08, 2012 8:04 am

You throw them in, then fill the hole. When the other holes start smoking, you shovel them in. If the nearby holes don't smoke, they're not connected, so they get a bomb of their own. Then you go back in two days and check to see if they dug out. Out of about 80 holes (i actually dont have a clue, but its been a LOT) we've had exactly one dig out. I did almost burn down the effing woods last night, though. Touch and go there for about three minutes.

by **assateague** » Sun Jul 08, 2012 2:30 pm

Went cut some bamboo this morning. Decided the compartments were the perfect "containers" for the smoke goop. Nature-made "pipes".

by **assateague** » Sun Jul 08, 2012 2:31 pm

Batch 2. Equal parts sulfur, sugar, and potassium.

by **assateague** » Sun Jul 08, 2012 2:32 pm

Sometimes a truck is in order.

by **assateague** » Sun Jul 08, 2012 2:34 pm

Test run done. Wait for it to cool, then we'll see of it burns slower and smokes more. Out of fuse, so this one's gonna have to be jump started with a lighter. Hopefully I didn't accidentally make black powder. Or C4.

by **Flightstopper** » Sun Jul 08, 2012 2:48 pm

Hope you can give us a full report without having to type with your pinkies. This looks like one hell of a fun way to spend a weekend with a couple cases of beer

by **3legged_lab** » Sun Jul 08, 2012 3:09 pm

assateague wrote:Went cut some bamboo this morning. Decided the compartments were the perfect "containers" for the smoke goop. Nature-made "pipes".

Thats MD? It looks like a damn Thai jungle.

by **capt1972** » Sun Jul 08, 2012 3:53 pm

3legged_lab wrote:
assateague wrote:Went cut some bamboo this morning. Decided the compartments were the perfect "containers" for the smoke goop. Nature-made "pipes".

Thats MD? It looks like a damn Thai jungle.

thought it was illegal to cut vegetation?

by **assateague** » Sun Jul 08, 2012 4:07 pm

Private land. They can kiss my ass.

2nd batch was a bust. Too much sulfur. Made nasty, thick smoke, but didn't burn fast enough. Getting ready for the third iteration momentarily. Think I got it this time.

And 3 Leg, it feels like the damn Thai jungle, lately.

by **Redbeard** » Sun Jul 08, 2012 4:22 pm

assateague wrote:Private land. They can kiss my ass.

2nd batch was a bust. Too much sulfur. Made nasty, thick smoke, but didn't burn fast enough. Getting ready for the third iteration momentarily. Think I got it this time.

And 3 Leg, it feels like the damn Thai jungle, lately.

I gotta admit Jim, my lazy ass woulda just went down and bought whatever mole bombs/ smoke bombs they sell at this point. But I admire your perseverance

by **3legged_lab** » Sun Jul 08, 2012 5:05 pm

Redbeard wrote:
assateague wrote:Private land. They can kiss my ass.

2nd batch was a bust. Too much sulfur. Made nasty, thick smoke, but didn't burn fast enough. Getting ready for the third iteration momentarily. Think I got it this time.

And 3 Leg, it feels like the damn Thai jungle, lately.

I gotta admit Jim, my lazy ass woulda just went down and bought whatever mole bombs/ smoke bombs they sell at this point. But I admire your perseverance

See, he wants us all to believe he's cheap, but at a certain point with these ground hog killers its the principle.

by **Flightstopper** » Sun Jul 08, 2012 5:07 pm

3legged_lab wrote:
assateague wrote:Went cut some bamboo this morning. Decided the compartments were the perfect "containers" for the smoke goop. Nature-made "pipes".

Thats MD? It looks like a damn Thai jungle.

Bet that's where you go to find $10 long time in MD. The smoke bombs are just a clever ploy

by **assateague** » Sun Jul 08, 2012 7:27 pm

Redbeard wrote:
assateague wrote:Private land. They can kiss my ass.

2nd batch was a bust. Too much sulfur. Made nasty, thick smoke, but didn't burn fast enough. Getting ready for the third iteration momentarily. Think I got it this time.

And 3 Leg, it feels like the damn Thai jungle, lately.

I gotta admit Jim, my lazy ass woulda just went down and bought whatever mole bombs/ smoke bombs they sell at this point. But I admire your perseverance

The real deals are 2 for $6. No way I'm paying that. And I gotta admit, it is fun tinkering around trying to get the formula just right. My yard smells like a Chinese firecracker factory, from the test burns of all the sulfur content. My wife came home, wrinkled her nose when she got out of the truck, and said "it smells like some woman just got a huge perm done out here- what's that smell?" I told her "nothing", and went back about my business. Thunderstorm just derailed my progress, though. No way I'm doing that inside, either the house or the shop.

by **Tomkat** » Mon Jul 09, 2012 12:47 pm

I hate to ask this question, but did you, in fact, kill the moles? And whats up with that bamboo?

by **assateague** » Mon Jul 09, 2012 12:55 pm

Tomkat wrote:I hate to ask this question, but did you, in fact, kill the moles? And whats up with that bamboo?

We've killed a LOT. (groundhogs, not moles). Only had one dig out out of many, many holes smoked. And we've shot somewhere around 25 of them. These farms just aren't conducive to "sniping" them, usually in/close to town, with houses or chicken houses as backdrops, and there's no such thing as a hill around here. The bamboo is for the "containers". With the toilet paper tubes and aluminum foil, it burns too fast and hot, and incinerates the heavy duty foil, exposing more surface area, and making it burn even faster. The bamboo appears to be the perfect solution- can get any diameter you want (I've found 1 1/4 OD to be just about perfect), it's free, and it controls the burn rate by not allowing it to go through the sides. If you're asking "why is the bamboo here", a lot of people planted it years back as a wind break, disregarding the "it's gets out of hand" cautions, so now it's pretty prevalent around here. Comes in very handy, though. A project for the fall when it cools off is the Gilligan't Island hut. My youngest LOVES Gilligan's Island, and when she saw the bamboo a year or so ago, she said she wants a playhouse like Gilligan's hut, so I'm going to do my best. If it works out, I may just build a small chicken coop to match it. They're completely free range now, but somethings been tearing them up lately. We're down to 3, and the neighbor lost 105 chicks in the last month, and he has 3 guard dogs and keeps them fenced (roughly). Coyotes have been seen more and more, but not really prevalent enough to do that much damage that quick, and his dogs usually do an excellent job of keeping out unwanted pests.