Explosive-Powered Nutcracker Obliterates Every Festive Snack

‘Tis the season for treats like candy canes, figgy puddings, and bowls overflowing with nuts ready to be cracked open. As far as Shane Wighton is concerned, that last option deserved a completely over-engineered snacking tool, which led to the creation of an utterly terrifying custom nutcracker powered by an explosive piston.

In just a few years, Wighton has deservedly made a name for himself amongst makers showcasing their skills on YouTube with creations that include a ball-tracking basketball hoop that made it impossible to miss, a robotic auto-aiming pool stick, a self-targeting bow, and one of our favorites, a baseball bat powered by an explosive piston that guarantees home runs. Taking what he learned from that last project—a deep respect for the power of explosives—Wighton realized that most nutcrackers were actually decorative pieces and not that useful for cracking open nuts with tough shells, and in dire need of an upgrade.

Like his baseball bat, Wighton used the same explosive blank shells that are used in construction to drive nails into concrete to power his nutcracker. Up to four can be used simultaneously to drive a two-inch steel piston upwards at speeds of up to 200 miles per hour and with 80,000 pounds of force. As with most of Wighton’s initiatives, the engineering behind his nutcracker, together with the in depth security options he designed to stop an unintended firing and to cease the stoic soldier from merely exploding within the course of, are probably the most attention-grabbing elements of his newest video. That and the various many instances he needed to redesign sure elements to get the quantity of crushing energy he was after.

Not solely is the upgraded nutcracker able to crushing nuts—or, extra particularly, turning nuts and their shells right into a tremendous powder—it’s additionally able to destroying the metallic nuts you’d thread onto a screw, and absolutely anything that’s sufficiently small to suit into the nutcracker’s mouth. That contains fingers, which is why for those who’re hoping to actually have a cheerful vacation this yr, you’ll completely not attempt to construct one thing like this your self. Save your self a while, cash, and listening to, and simply purchase your nuts already shelled.