Mythbusters stunt goes awry

[428FE]

First, no one got hurt.
Our pals Jamie and Adam misfired a cannonball that went through 2 houses before landing in a minivan.
LOL....
Check it out

http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2011/12/06/tv-experiment-goes-awry-sends-cannonball-rocketing-through-homes/

[BluLightning]

Now that's a big OOPS!

[SuperBuickGuy]

so I wonder if it's true. That when a boy throws a cannonball through a window, does he say "RUN"?

I say "Plausible"

[Cyclone03]

They just aired a show of viewer fav's where Jammie was still looking for the cannon ball he made by hand for the Tree Trunk Cannon show.
They fired that one on the runway at the old Alimeta Navel Air Station years ago and it's still MIA.
This cannon ball must have been heavy as heck to keep moving like that.

[pdub]

"Folks, don't try any of this stuff at home. We are what you call, 'Professionals.'"

[stangbanger]

"I do my own stunts"

Lol

[pdub]

I do so very much like Mythbusters. Last week sometime I caught an episode where they did the inflate-a-tire-with-flammable-spray thing (WD-40, etc). I've pondered over that for years since those videos first hit the net. I even asked my rocket scientist buddy if that was possible. He said heck yeah. I was still baffled. So what's IN there?

Well the MB's solved it. Yes, it works, but as soon as the gases cool inside the tire, the tire goes flat again.

Thank you Myth Busters. I can finally sleep at night now.

[studemax]

Actually, peewee it's not a myth, and they did it wrong (they do that all the time, and then have to do it over when fans give them a lot of crap).

I know lots of truckers who do it. They just used WAY too much fuel. A wee squirt is enough.

[DanStokes]

As far as I know they've been doing this show for nearly a decade and this is their first BIG screw-up - that is, where the unwilling public was involved in any way. I KNOW the guys feel terrible and I'd bet good money that it'll never happen again. And you can bet that the victims will be made MORE than whole.

Carry on, Adam and Jamie and crew, and best of luck.

Dan

[pdub]

Actually, peewee it's not a myth, and they did it wrong (they do that all the time, and then have to do it over when fans give them a lot of crap).

I know lots of truckers who do it. They just used WAY too much fuel. A wee squirt is enough.

Dang. Now I'm right back where I was....a mind is a terrible thing.

[pdub]

I'll say the one they missed on Stude. Probably you're more familiar than I am with the specifics.....they were challenging the windows-open A/C off versus windows-closed A/C on gas mileage thing.

They got onto a roundy-round race track to gather data, but the officials would only let them do 55 mph because they were in a big SUV, if I remember correctly.

So they concluded that there was no significant difference. But I declare that was not fast enough. At 70 mph or more, there would have been a HUGE difference in gas mileage, given the exponential wind resistance at higher speeds.

Yes, I watch it, and I greatly enjoy it. But they blew that one. And how much fun would it be to play with explosives and solid rockets and all that other stuff and get PAID big to do it? The perfect job.

[DanStokes]

I don't think you were a BSer yet, Peewee, but I posted at length on that one. I spent a couple or three Summers of my life actually doing this work for the EPA on the TRC test track (now Honda) in central Ohio. Bottom line - measuring residual fuel to determine fuel usage is almost useless - the starting point and remaining fuel in the tank point are virtually irreproduceable. You MUST use a fuel meter in the vehicle and measure actual fuel used on a reproduceable driving cycle (meaning using a 5th. wheel or similar newer technology).

In a later show they fitted a fuel meter to Jamie's truck and did a much better job of testing the myth - and came up with the right answer. While it varies with the vehicle, in general you'll get better fuel economy with the windows open and AC off below 35-45 MPH, and improved FE with windows up and AC on at higher speeds.

Dan

[pdub]

Wow, I nearly have some sense after all!

The one thing they did that was at least to me was convincing, was the tailgate down/tailgate up pickup truck mileage thing. On the highway.

They presented the theory of the concentric vortex that makes it more efficient to go down the highway with the tailgate up. That was cool. I was convinced.

But who never told them that if you put any kind of cover on the bed you get WAY more better mileage at highway speeds?

[VTJUNK]

I do so very much like Mythbusters. Last week sometime I caught an episode where they did the inflate-a-tire-with-flammable-spray thing (WD-40, etc). I've pondered over that for years since those videos first hit the net. I even asked my rocket scientist buddy if that was possible. He said heck yeah. I was still baffled. So what's IN there?

Well the MB's solved it. Yes, it works, but as soon as the gases cool inside the tire, the tire goes flat again.

Thank you Myth Busters. I can finally sleep at night now.

Yes, this actually works, but it's just to seat a bead on the rim. I've done it with starting fluid to put a tire back on the rim of a backhoe, and other things like a lawn mower, etc. You have to put air in the tire afterwards or it will come off the rim again or go flat.

[chevy3100truck]

As far as I know they've been doing this show for nearly a decade and this is their first BIG screw-up - that is, where the unwilling public was involved in any way. I KNOW the guys feel terrible and I'd bet good money that it'll never happen again. And you can bet that the victims will be made MORE than whole.

Carry on, Adam and Jamie and crew, and best of luck.

Dan

I always enjoy the show, but it's not the first big screw up...... That was an explosion that blew out a bunch of windows in a nearby residential area a few years back (they talked about it on one of the "best of" shows). Apparently they are not allowed to film in that town any more