SGS-AC

Show us your pneumatic spud gun! Discuss pneumatic (compressed gas) powered potato guns and related accessories. Valve types, actuation, pipe, materials, fittings, compressors, safety, gas choices, and more.
User avatar
AegisAvenger
Private
Private
Posts: 15
Joined: Mon Feb 16, 2009 12:56 pm
Location: Malibu, California
Contact:

Wed Feb 25, 2009 3:57 am

STANDARD GALVANIZED STEEL AIR CANNON!!

<img src="http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k160/ ... rete-1.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>


Here's a Galvanized Steel and Schedule 40 PVC cannon I made a few months ago!! It's got ugly welds and a microscopic safety switch, but It's touting my colors. So I dig it.

It's basically a 10 in x 2in diameter Galvanized steel pipe air chamber connected to a 1" Rainbird Sprinkler Valve, with a 24 in schedule 40 barrel. The diameter eludes me at the moment, but I believe it is 1.5 in..

I created special ammo for my cannon, basically a super hard elastic slug that's also very light.

Then I tweaked the slug to make it GLOW. =)

Image
Image

Now I can shoot my own stars up into the sky and scare the crap out of my alien fearing neighbors. (the little green kind)

Image
Image
Image

I love my cannon just the way it is.... BUT. I was wondering if any of you veterans out there could give me some sound advice about using C02 tanks (9oz and 16oz) to pressurize the steel chamber?? It's galvanized steel that I got from the hardware store. No pressure rating on it, but I can assure you it's extremely heavy.

I'm not so much worried about pressure, because I will cut off at about 100psi. What I'm unsure about is the cold factor. I know steel might not succumb to cold like pvc does, but what about the sprinkler valve??

Any ideas?? Thanks!!

-A.J.


The bottom cannon in this picture shows the air chamber unpainted, to give you an idea of the pipe I used.
Image



P.S. here is a video I made of some very discouraging target shooting haha.



Skip to 2:55 so you don't have to hear me blab!!!!
User avatar
starman
Sergeant Major
Sergeant Major
United States of America
Posts: 3027
Joined: Wed Dec 12, 2007 12:45 am
Location: Simpsonville, SC

Donating Members

Wed Feb 25, 2009 4:23 am

Well designed and built cannon....looks....heavy for its size. The barrel looks smaller than 1.5"....1" looks closer.

In any case, you can use CO2 from a standard CO2 canister you would use for paintball. Check out Frankrede's shotgun setup. You can get a reasonable look at it on his 600 psi shot...

[youtube][/youtube]

His full write-up and commentary is here.

You just need a Palmers reg and a quick-connect air setup instead of your schrader. I would keep your pressures 150 psi or less while using the sprinkler valve.
User avatar
psycix
Sergeant Major 4
Sergeant Major 4
Posts: 3684
Joined: Mon Jun 25, 2007 7:12 am
Location: The Netherlands

Donating Members

Wed Feb 25, 2009 3:14 pm

Too bad you have to cut it off at 100 psi.
I HIGHLY recommend switching to a metal piston valve with metal barrel so you'll be able to run it on WAY more pressure.
Till the day I'm dieing, I'll keep them spuddies flying, 'cause I can!

Spudfiles steam group, join!
User avatar
LCTChamp
Specialist
Specialist
Posts: 188
Joined: Thu Aug 21, 2008 8:01 am

Wed Feb 25, 2009 4:26 pm

The sprinkler valve and the pvc pipe really limits your performance. If you just wanted 100psi, you could have used a pvc chamber. If you want it to be extremely powerful you should put a copper barrel and a qev or piston valve on it. It has a great paint job and looks comfortable to hold. How much do you think it weighs?
User avatar
AegisAvenger
Private
Private
Posts: 15
Joined: Mon Feb 16, 2009 12:56 pm
Location: Malibu, California
Contact:

Sun Mar 01, 2009 6:33 pm

starman wrote:Well designed and built cannon....looks....heavy for its size. The barrel looks smaller than 1.5"....1" looks closer.

In any case, you can use CO2 from a standard CO2 canister you would use for paintball. Check out Frankrede's shotgun setup. You can get a reasonable look at it on his 600 psi shot...
His full write-up and commentary is here......
That comment means a lot coming from you sir! I actually have a few paintball tanks that I could incorporate into something like that... hmmm. Thanks for the idea and link starman!!


lctchamp wrote:The sprinkler valve and the pvc pipe really limits your performance. If you just wanted 100psi, you could have used a pvc chamber. If you want it to be extremely powerful you should put a copper barrel and a qev or piston valve on it. It has a great paint job and looks comfortable to hold. How much do you think it weighs?
Sorry for not replying right away!! The internet in my area has been on and off this week for some reason.

I've been wanting to build an all metal cannon with a qev setup, but I haven't been able to figure out a plan I'm comfortable with yet.

I'm actually purposely limiting performance on this cannon, because I mean to sell it to a probably inexperienced customer!! It's meant to fire those "STAR" rounds for recreation and fun.

Thanks for the paint job comment, I really love black and blue a lot. It weighs about 6 lbs, but maybe more now because I'm planning to add in an aluminum stock!!
Last edited by AegisAvenger on Sun Mar 01, 2009 6:43 pm, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
AegisAvenger
Private
Private
Posts: 15
Joined: Mon Feb 16, 2009 12:56 pm
Location: Malibu, California
Contact:

Sun Mar 01, 2009 6:36 pm

psycix wrote:Too bad you have to cut it off at 100 psi.
I HIGHLY recommend switching to a metal piston valve with metal barrel so you'll be able to run it on WAY more pressure.
Thanks for the tip!! I'm becoming really interested in piston valves now.. I found an awesome video that helped me understand the basics of it. I want to get a really concrete sense though before I tackle building one. But only because I want the cannon it's installed in to rock multiple socks off. =)

Here's a link to the video I found.

http://video.aol.com/video-detail/how-t ... 3953315810
Post Reply