I might have broken a window, with my experiments in rocketry and pyrotechnics, but at least I didn’t burn my garage down, like the twins up the street, did to theirs.
Last month’s news included a bit about a flat-Earther who built his own rocket, from stuff he assembled himself from plumbing and hardware stores, so he could launch himself far enuf up to be able to spot the edge of the planet. Didn’t hear how it turned out, but I presume he’s on the Darwin Awards watch list.
That was me as a kid. In Vietnam I became a Combat Demolition Specialist. C-4 and TNT and PETN and ammonium nitrate were much more fun than mere gunpowder or black powder. In college I graduated to more advanced formulas, like nitrogen tri-iodide. It worked wonders as a cockroack killer. Lately I’ve been sticking to filling a carpet tube with acetylene gas mixture and igniting it to rock the neighborhood on New Year and July 4.
garcoa about 6 years ago
Long ago when I was a kid, you could easily buy all the ingredients to make gunpowder. And we did. Still have all my appendages intact.
Bilan about 6 years ago
A little lesson in rocketry Charlie, don’t put the launch plunger one foot from the rocket.
dwane.scoty1 about 6 years ago
Charlie needs to collaborate with Jason & Marcus (todays Fox Trot)!
John Wiley Premium Member about 6 years ago
Gunpowder is too fast for that size rocket, Charlie. Use “Rocket Candy” to cast your motor grain instead. You’re more likely to survive the launch.
Stevefk about 6 years ago
Charlie’s gonna have a blast on the 4th!
NeedaChuckle Premium Member about 6 years ago
We used to use match heads, worked well.
guy42 about 6 years ago
KNO3 is all but impossible to get in Canada. Ammonium Nitrate and diesel fuel are much cheaper and commonly available.
tripwire45 about 6 years ago
When my boys were young, we were part of a group that did model rocketry. Great fun and probably a lot safer than what this kid is doing.
johndifool about 6 years ago
So…Afternoon Delight?
Linguist about 6 years ago
I might have broken a window, with my experiments in rocketry and pyrotechnics, but at least I didn’t burn my garage down, like the twins up the street, did to theirs.
Huckleberry Hiroshima about 6 years ago
Double breasted lab coat. I thought they were extinct.
Say What? Premium Member about 6 years ago
I’m just here to enjoy the comic.
danketaz Premium Member about 6 years ago
“Next to the dynamite, dear.”
Richard S Russell Premium Member about 6 years ago
Last month’s news included a bit about a flat-Earther who built his own rocket, from stuff he assembled himself from plumbing and hardware stores, so he could launch himself far enuf up to be able to spot the edge of the planet. Didn’t hear how it turned out, but I presume he’s on the Darwin Awards watch list.
Ermine Notyours about 6 years ago
If you live near an Indian Reservation, you could buy fireworks year-round.
jegfolay about 6 years ago
I like Charlie’s World as it reminds me how I used to see what I was doing as a child. A good balance to Danae’s over-cynical world.
Ka`ōnōhi`ula`okahōkūmiomio`ehiku Premium Member about 6 years ago
That was me as a kid. In Vietnam I became a Combat Demolition Specialist. C-4 and TNT and PETN and ammonium nitrate were much more fun than mere gunpowder or black powder. In college I graduated to more advanced formulas, like nitrogen tri-iodide. It worked wonders as a cockroack killer. Lately I’ve been sticking to filling a carpet tube with acetylene gas mixture and igniting it to rock the neighborhood on New Year and July 4.
GiantShetlandPony about 6 years ago
Mom keeps gunpowder! ? ? ?
vanaals about 6 years ago
I know the feeling. As a kid, I used to launch bottle rockets using steel wool and 12 foot wire leads to a 12-volt battery.