'Just had a flash while brainstorming about making my Milk Can Escape Act 110% safe, just wondering if anybody tried the following idea before:

The idea is based on trying to lower the level of the milk AFTER the can is sealed, just enough to have a "safe breathing zone" while the helping spectators are locking the lid in place.
I though of using the "air bag" principle (I guess it has a real scientific name, tell me...) :

Imagine placing a 2-3 gallons heavy duty "balloon" filled with air at the bottom of the can ("mylar wine bag" type of plastic or something strong like that, have to make some research on that). It fits between the your legs while "going down". Once the lid of the can is in place, still with your hands handcuffed, you unclip the quick release on the bag to release the air it contains. The air goes up and the water level goes down, filling the free space left by the empty bag. This way you can (I think) get 2-3 gallons (5 to 8 inches depending of the can shape) of air space below the lid to breathe in case of trouble. So the full minute it takes to the committee to secure everything, you can slowly uncuffed yourself, have a cup of coffee and wait for your cue... Sure the challenge is not the same but I'm more of an actor thant a real escape artist and I think that the showmanship value is exactly the same for the public.

To make it more clever, I though of having this "safety bag" sneaked in place in the can by my assistants while bringing the curtains in place, after the can is in is spot and examined by the spectator. Or simply have it weighted or attached at the bottom of the can, under the milk already in the can at the beginning of the act. I prefer the first version since I love to have the bottom of the tank too examined by the spectator at first.

'Sure is a lot of trouble but it is important for me (and my wife!!!) to keep this act 110% safe under all circumstances and I think I have a good lead in this direction.

Anybody tried this already or anybody have any ideas / recommendations about the type of bag to use, the size, mathematic formulas to calculate air versus water etc...

Thanks.

This could actually work, just keep in mind that as the can is filled with water, the bag of air will want very badly to fly up to the top based on buoyancy. Air is far less dense than water is. What ever is holding the airbag under water will have to be strong, and if it fails, it will possibly pop up and fly out of the can, at least an inch or two. High enough to be seen and laughed at by spectators. If you can keep it in place, you might have a worthwhile safety breath. Clearly examination will be limited. Also, How big are you. You also take up space and will there be room for you and the bag?

Another shot at this might be to stash a "re-breather", down the back of your pants. These things are not cheap, but they do give you a a few minutes of life in a bad spot.

Would a false bottom inside the can work? This could be about 4 inches deep with a kind of drain plug that could be released from inside, draining the water, giving you an extra 4 inches of air when it is filled. I don't know much about hydrostatics etc. Maybe there would need to be some kind of automatic valve to release the air, as I figure that the water would need to push the air out, and if there was just one drain plug, there would be a fight between the water going in, and the air coming out.

Using this system, there would be more chance of examination.

Just a thought.......

I've tried it with different materials and a different set-up

You could also learn how to arch your back, for one last Stand-Up Before the lid is put on. I won't go into further details here.

The bag could be clipped with a carabiner to the inside bottom or side of the can. I would make the bag the long way so it fits between the leg in front of me.
Didn't knew about re-breather. I'll look into it. Surely look smaller and easier to sneak into the can.

But I love Mick's idea of the "solid" air chamber, a false bottom on the can. The valve inside will looks like a safety release device under examination? Maybe look suspicious too.

Jay, I would like to hear any of your recommendations.

Three words: slightly domed lid.

Steve
Yes but the length of the neck needs to be short enough so you can twist your head up. Some cans are not breather friendly.

I plan on making my own version that addresses the best points of safety and presentation and that's one of them.

Son of a beat.
I will also look into getting a special gimmick to sell as well but can not comment on it further.

It' on my list of things to do. I'm just happy for now, to get some of the EA books on the website. Not enough hours in the day.

OK, lets get scientific here. If you have a false bottom in the can, in which there is an air pocket waiting for you, your first problme is pulling the plug to open it. But you do that with your toes fairly easily. Not one bubble of air comes up. Like opening a juice can with only one hole, the juice won't flow out because air cannot flow in. OK not problem you say, we can have two plugs. Sure you can, and not the water will push the air on the lager hole, and a stream of bubbles will pour out the smaller one, thus granting you that life saving gasp of air.

Bad news, the bubbles coming out will make noise. To the performer in the water, it will be LOUD. whether the audience can hear it I do not know.
Worse news, the water pouring down into the false bottom will probably sound like someone is urinating inside the can. That will be heard by the audience, and bring you laughter and jeers. Maybe if you play loud music.

Remember water is a much better conductor of sound than air is, and metal is better than both water and air.

This system needs work

This is going to sound crazy... And I don't want to go into detail. But with the right bathing suit, I've played with trapping air inside.

Oh can someone post a link to the small rebreather? I can only find huge ones

Hmmm... that might have been oversharing.

But, that goes away from the consistently dependable aspect of the question. You couldn't count on it every time you perform. If you can, I hope you list it in the "special skills" area of your resume.

http://www.spareair.com/

Sounds like a lot of fuss about nowt,,,,,done the MC more than just a few times and all you do is pop up and down a couple of times to displace some of the liquid,,,thats it.

Cmon now,,,who you trying to fool here ??

Ken.

I'm not much of a hydro-scientist but I see clearly the noise trouble with the double-bottom drain thing.

I also see the trouble of just thinking about this MC safety thing, but as a precision I refer to it as a Milk Can Escape but it is actually a Drum Escape that I'm doing. Sorry everybody for the confusion here.

And my safety issue is a 110% exposure safety issue as much as a health one.

I'll work on the safety bag/tank. I'll weld a ring at the bottom of the drum and attach a modified milk gallon with a valve and call it a day. Guess it's gonna be enough to reassure the director, the actor and my wife...

Also, another precision.
The Safety Bag research is also MAINLY because I need to push further the initial suspence level by having the commitee of spectators to lock me in for much longer than now, over a minute, a minute fifteen, if you see what I mean.

And thanks for the Spare Air link, that might also be the wife comforter. She already know by heart my "bubble act".

You might try putting the ring on an angle, with holes at both top and bottom of the slope. That way, the air/water circulation will follow a natural and efficient pattern.

Noise. You can cover that, if it's needed.

If it's a DRUM you're using, why not David DeVal's "Death Tank" system from "Key to Escapes"--it's much simpler and WORKS. I used it with a steel drum escape back in 1976-77.

I guess my only question is what are you filling the bag or balloon with. as if you blow it up yourself then all you are releasing is CO2 into the tank and that aint good

you need to fill it will Oxygen!

however what have all the other escape artist been doing all these years with out a bag option!!

just curious

Holding our breath?