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Zero Blaster Reviewed

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the scare-the-cat dept.

Daniel Rutter writes "I've just reviewed the Zero Blaster, the smoke ring gun that ThinkGeek (among others) sell. It works. It's fun. It's a vortex ring physics demonstration with two triggers and a see-through mechanism. What more could you want for $20?" Thinkgeek and Slashdot are both owned by VA Software.

12 of 208 comments (clear)

  1. It's awesome, seriously by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    I own it and it's awesome. And if you READ THE DIRECTIONS it shoots the rings much farther than a few centimeteres (I have gotten several meters) and you can also get rings to shoot through other rings. And you can get scented fog solution that disperses in a couple of minutes. In summary, it is awesome and will scare the crap out of your dog.

  2. Make your own by Smidge204 · · Score: 4, Informative

    I saw 'Mr. Wizard' build one of these. Granted, not really as portable, but it worked.

    1 Medium size cardboard box (12" cube or better-long boxes with square bases are best)

    1 Smoke source. (Incense, fog solution, etc)

    1 sturdy plastic bag or thin sheet (to make a diaphram)

    Duct tape (Of course!)

    Cut 4" hole in base of box. Preferably in a "clean" edge (no flaps or seams). If you can't do that, make a bigger hole and cut the 4" circle in another peice of carbboard to make the orifice. Neatness counts!

    Completely remove the opposite end of the box, and cover it with the plastic sheet. Pull it tight and secure with duct tape. Make a good seal!

    Place smoke source in box (potential fire hazard? Be careful...) near the middle and wait for the box to fill up.

    Aim and slap the plastic sheet to "shoot" a ring of smoke.

    The kid on Mr Wizard was able to blow out a candle from about 15 feet away with this thing.
    =Smidge=

    1. Re:Make your own by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

      Even easier - take a 1 or 2 pound coffee can with a plastic lid. Cut off the bottom and put on a second plast lid with a 2" circular hole cut in it. Blow cigarette smoke into the can or figure out another smoke source. Whap the intact plastic lid hard with your fingers as if hitting a drum. You will get a smoke ring that rapidly travels across the room. And yes, you can put out a candle at 10 or 20 feet with it.

    2. Re:Make your own by tunabomber · · Score: 2, Informative

      About 6 months ago, I went to a Frank Black concert in Albuquerque, and the opening act was "Scientific Phenomenolist" David Lovering. Most of the stuff he did were demos I remember my high school physics teacher doing, but the one thing that caught my eye was that he had constructed a giant smoke ring cannon out of a kick drum.
      The thing was hooked up to a big fog machine and could shoot rings a good 50 ft into the balcony, and by then they were 2-3 ft in diameter.
      I was really surprised that I'd never seen anything as cool as that at the raves I had been to.

      --

      pi = 3.141592653589793helpimtrappedinauniversefactory71 ...
  3. Airzooka looks more fun by Daz3d · · Score: 5, Informative

    The Airzooka here looks a lot more fun, being able to fire invisible balls of air at people at around 20ft (& ruffle hair, etc) and it can do smoke rings too, IIRC. Check out the 'Airzooka action video' near the bottom :)

  4. Cheaper one by ModernGeek · · Score: 5, Informative

    I'd just like to mention somewhere close to the top that you can get one cheaper here, and it is direct from the manufacturer.

    --
    Sig: I stole this sig.
  5. They had them in the mid 1950s by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

    My Dad bought one of these when I was a kid. It used special smoke generating matches. A trigger operated hammer struck an internal rubber diaphram.
    see http://www.toytent.com/TrueReplica/4172.html

    I recently bought one on eBay but the diaphram is completely gone, but it shouldn't be too hard to fix. I've been looking for a good smoke source for it. I should check this one out.

  6. Battlebots! by More+Karma+Than+God · · Score: 2, Informative

    Make a one meter version of this, dump a fuel-air mixture into it, light it and knock over the other bots from across the ring.

    --
    Go here to create your own Slashdot dis
  7. More fun with vortices- by echucker · · Score: 3, Informative

    Get an Airzooka. It shoots a harmless ball of air about 20-25 feet. Pretty cool for scaring cats off of TVs, blowing the co-worker's toupee off, or launching a fart at an unsuspecting party guest. Same price too - $20, including delivery by UPS ground. Color me a satisfied customer.

  8. Re:DIY Vortex Gun by spydir31 · · Score: 2, Informative

    btw, there's a link in the article, Make one it says.

  9. You are probably thinking of the wrong glycol by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

    "Old" antifreeze was ethylene glycol, which was sweet poison.

    Most new antifreeze is propylene glycol, which doubles as a food and makeup additive (although just like every additive it has its share of detractors which swear it will kill us all) and is also used to generate smoke.

  10. Re:Glycol? by Jade+E.+2 · · Score: 3, Informative
    From their FAQ:

    Q: What is in the fluid?
    A: A water based non-toxic liquid that is similar to the fluid used in special effects fog machines. The Fluid consists of Distilled Water, Glycerin (a USP kosher food additive) and Propylene Glycol (a USP kosher food additive ).