Wha tis this gadget forum

oldbattleaxe · Jun 19, 2017

Obviously a CO2 cartridge.

BosnMate · Jun 19, 2017

Looks like a toy rocket motor. I remember that there were toy cars etc. propelled by those CO2 cylinders.

oldbattleaxe · Jun 19, 2017

That makes sense. Any more thoughts out there?

Back-of-the-boat · Jun 19, 2017

Strange item, but real interesting can't make sense of the part that is attached to the cylinder by the wire clips , what was it's purpose if it was a rocket motor?Not saying it wasn't a motor for some type of toy like BOSNMATE said I just don't see that parts purpose.

Nitric · Jun 19, 2017

Back-of-the-boat said:
Strange item, but real interesting can't make sense of the part that is attached to the cylinder by the wire clips , what was it's purpose if it was a rocket motor?Not saying it wasn't a motor for some type of toy like BOSNMATE said I just don't see that parts purpose.

I haven't ever used any of those cylinders. Do they get cold when they discharge? And maybe that tray was used to catch any drips of water for whatever reason?

I was trying to figure out that trays purpose and that was what came to mind.

4x4x4 · Jun 20, 2017

....used to make"jet engines"....works this way. Fill the cool to touch cylinder with alcohol , put a teaspoon of alcohol in the heater trough ..... leave it in the vice or a suitable vessel or vehicle....make sure it's secured !...and light the fuel in the trough.
Theory ; the flame in the trough BOILS the fuel in the"engine"...just ad a flame to the exhaust and SCREAMING WHOOSHING JET ENGINE COMES TO LIFE (and I still have all my fingers) ! Note.....if a tiny hole or void is near the base of the nozzle , it would usually "light off" without added flame.
....Mark.

oldbattleaxe · Jun 20, 2017

4x4x4 said:
....used to make"jet engines"....works this way. Fill the cool to touch cylinder with alcohol , put a teaspoon of alcohol in the heater trough ..... leave it in the vice or a suitable vessel or vehicle....make sure it's secured !...and light the fuel in the trough.
Theory ; the flame in the trough BOILS the fuel in the"engine"...just ad a flame to the exhaust and SCREAMING WHOOSHING JET ENGINE COMES TO LIFE (and I still have all my fingers) ! Note.....if a tiny hole or void is near the base of the nozzle , it would usually "light off" without added flame.
....Mark.

Very interesting Mark. Sounds good. Any more ideas forum?

creskol · Jun 20, 2017

Rube Goldberg had to have had something to do with it! :laughing7:

lairmo · Jun 20, 2017

It does look like other home made zip guns...but how would this one fire?

oldbattleaxe · Jun 20, 2017

Co2 cartridges were invented in 1954 by Crossman Corp. Then they were called Powerlet Cartridges commonly referred to as Co2 Charger. Just some history of the cartridge. Now back to this object. It looks factory made. So I think there are others out there. Amy more thoughts?

Mudflap · Jun 20, 2017

I'd go with the rocket engine. I used to make the CO2 racers. They were usually a wooden car with a hole in the rear end for the CO2 cartridge. The cars had double eye bolts and would run along a fishing line. The CO2 cartridge has a lead plug in the end and to launch the car you had a small tool that was a small tube with a spring loaded sharp pin in it. You pulled back on the pin handle and let er go and it would puncture the lead seal on the CO2 and off the race car would go. Was fairly expensive as the cartridges were not cheap and not refillable.

oldbattleaxe · Jun 21, 2017

What purpose would the tub or bowl serve

4x4x4 · Jun 21, 2017

oldbattleaxe said:
What purpose would the tub or bowl serve

In my scenario.....it held a bit of fuel to heat the vessel it hung from....
....Mark.

DCMatt · Jun 21, 2017

I don't think it's a rocket or jet engine.

The significant gap in the tube seam would make it ineffective for that purpose.

Bigcypresshunter · Jun 21, 2017

oldbattleaxe said:
Obviously a CO2 cartridge.

Carbon Dioxide is classified as a non-flammable, non-toxic liquefied gas. But I used to have a miniature torch to repair jewelry and it had 2 cartridges about that size if I recall. Can you remove the cartridge? It would seem to me the first step would be to identify the cartridge. I think they were color coded.

I wonder if it could be something flammable? I searched online but cant find an example of my miniature torch. It was really cool I think it was Oxy/ Acetylene and it used 2 tiny cartridges of gas that were about the same size as Co2 if I recall. The threads may have been different on each type of cartridge. One of the threads may have been reversed as far as I can remember.