Bug-a-Salt (2013) • Hacker News Board

Re: Bug-a-Salt (2013)

#21

Post by FroshKiller » Wed, Mar 04, 2020, 2:25 PM UTC

foreigner wrote: post #10

Hate to be a spoilsport but I wonder what their safety record is like. The shots where the camera was pointed up the barrel made me cringe. "Treat like a loaded weapon at all times" indeed! Of all things to get in your eye high-velocity salt seems like it would be pretty bad.

I've had one for a while. Cocking it automatically engages a safety that you have to disengage in order to fire. I've invited guests to try it, and even fumbling with it, no one has fired it accidentally.

Re: Bug-a-Salt (2013)

#22

Post by FroshKiller » Wed, Mar 04, 2020, 2:26 PM UTC

dusted wrote: post #20

towndrunk wrote: post #16

I have one of these and it works fantastically. Highly recommended.

Does it really kill them though? I'm a fan of my electric swatter (because I can catch them in-flight with it) but I have to keep it buzzing for a bit to make sure they're really dead, and then it smells slightly burnt.

It kills. Roaches might take two or three shots depending on their size and your aim, but it kills.

Re: Bug-a-Salt (2013)

#23

Post by jonahbenton » Wed, Mar 04, 2020, 2:27 PM UTC

Does this work on larger insects?

Re: Bug-a-Salt (2013)

#24

Post by jaltekruse » Wed, Mar 04, 2020, 2:29 PM UTC

CodeCube wrote: post #12

avetisk wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think that may be a really good project. I’m pretty sure if you could make it work properly, a lot of organic farmers would invest into such a solution.

Isn't spraying salt over your organic farm counter-productive?

Might be able to replace the salt with something like fertilizer beads.

Re: Bug-a-Salt (2013)

#25

Post by S_A_P » Wed, Mar 04, 2020, 2:34 PM UTC

throwaway1239Mx wrote: post #9

S_A_P wrote: post #2

Ive one of these- they were selling them at the Sams Club and I have a lot of fun with it. Definitely recommend using Morton kosher salt with it. Seems to strike the right balance between mass and aerodynamics...

Why in the holy hell is this getting downvoted[0]? Advice on what kind of ammunition to use during the endless war on bugs that we humans have perpetrated for our own comfort[1] is without a doubt invaluable information. [0] This is not snark. [1] Snark aside, I for real do not want roaches etc. in my house, and appreciate non-poisonous methods of dealing... while at the same time struggling with the fact that the in…

was surprising to me that this got downvoted, but looks like that trend has reversed. I can only add that I would much rather use this to kill flies and mosquitos in my house than a chemical spray. It sort of works on wasps, but mainly just knocks them down and disorients them. This can be enough sometimes to get a shoe or something else to crush them. The fact that its a 'gun' can add some sport to it, but at the end of the day I use this thing when there is a pest in my house/porch that I dont want. I dont see anything wrong with that.

Re: Bug-a-Salt (2013)

#26

Post by [deleted] » Wed, Mar 04, 2020, 2:35 PM UTC

S_A_P wrote: post #2

Ive one of these- they were selling them at the Sams Club and I have a lot of fun with it. Definitely recommend using Morton kosher salt with it. Seems to strike the right balance between mass and aerodynamics...

[deleted]

Re: Bug-a-Salt (2013)

#27

Post by yetihehe » Wed, Mar 04, 2020, 2:37 PM UTC

huffmsa wrote: post #11

a_imho wrote: post #3

I have a similar item in my backlog, a drone mounted salt gun to terminate slugs in the garden. Engaging them in first person or just sitting back and let the skynet do its thing. Will probably never have the time to work on it, but if something like this is available to buy I would be interested.

Flying or on treads?

Maybe somthing like skycam[0]? That could have some gripper to just move snails into some container.

[0]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skycam

Re: Bug-a-Salt (2013)

#28

Post by JensRex » Wed, Mar 04, 2020, 2:45 PM UTC

Not available in Europe. We can never have the fun toys. :(

Re: Bug-a-Salt (2013)

#29

Post by phalangion » Wed, Mar 04, 2020, 2:47 PM UTC

draw_down wrote: post #14

Would be interesting to try with diatomaceous earth.

Seems to me that DE is probably too powdery for this.

Re: Bug-a-Salt (2013)

#30

Post by ZoomZoomZoom » Wed, Mar 04, 2020, 2:48 PM UTC

With age I came to conclusion that anything making killing of any kind even remotely fun is utterly wrong. It might be necessary with dangerous insects, but it should not be fun or recreational.