First pneumatic...finally done. Pics inside.

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.

How is this for my first cannon?

Poll ended at Fri Jul 13, 2007 10:04 pm

Good.
0
No votes
Bad.
0
No votes
give up spudding FOREVER!!!!
0
No votes
give up spudding FOREVER!!!!
0
No votes
give up spudding FOREVER!!!!
0
No votes
 
Total votes: 0
User avatar
Rayman_1337
Private 3
Private 3
Posts: 47
Joined: Fri May 04, 2007 12:50 am

Mon May 14, 2007 10:04 pm

Well, after some frustration with sprinkler valves, I finally just decided to put a regular ball valve on this one, and when I get one that works, il mount it on later. This is 3" chamber 2' long. and a 2.5" barrel that is about 3' long. I'm gonna paint it up soon, and I am going to pick up some 1" and some 1 1/2" piping tomorrow for some smaller projectiles.

Burned off some of the hairs on the tennis ball, put it in water, put WD 40 on the ball valve, loaded it up to about 60 psi, shot it at my 1/4" thick steel shed, and it made a fist sized dent about an inch into the steel.(That pretty good for a ball valve?) I'l get damage shots later when I get some smaller barrels to shoot some more solid projectiles. 2.5" requires some big spuds, plus I'm out of em.

EDIT: feel free to tell me how to improve on things. (besides sprinkler valves, I know that.)
Attachments
SpudGun 006.jpg
SpudGun 004.jpg
SpudGun 001.jpg
Last edited by Rayman_1337 on Mon May 14, 2007 10:07 pm, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
noname
First Sergeant 4
First Sergeant 4
Posts: 2698
Joined: Mon Apr 10, 2006 9:19 pm
Location: Bay Area, CA

Mon May 14, 2007 10:06 pm

Get a bigger ball valve and elbows, and make a barrel support. Great first gun anyway, good job.
User avatar
Rayman_1337
Private 3
Private 3
Posts: 47
Joined: Fri May 04, 2007 12:50 am

Mon May 14, 2007 10:52 pm

What would bigger elbows help do?
User avatar
noname
First Sergeant 4
First Sergeant 4
Posts: 2698
Joined: Mon Apr 10, 2006 9:19 pm
Location: Bay Area, CA

Mon May 14, 2007 11:04 pm

They would allow air to flow more quickly, resulting in better performance. You'd also need a bigger valve if you get bigger elbows though.
User avatar
mega_swordman
Corporal
Corporal
Posts: 526
Joined: Wed Nov 29, 2006 2:37 pm
Location: Bay Area, California
Contact:

Tue May 15, 2007 5:13 am

Pretty good. I would follow noname's advice as well as shortening the length of pipe going up from the chamber to the ball valve. That would help with the support problem. Then just secure a block of wood in the space for support.
"Never tell people how to do things. Tell them what to do and they will surprise you with their ingenuity." George S. Patton
User avatar
integral
Specialist 2
Specialist 2
Posts: 204
Joined: Fri Mar 09, 2007 11:54 pm
Location: Aussieland

Tue May 15, 2007 5:17 am

Bigger valve... how about going for a modded sprinkler? Cheap compared to the increased performance you will achieve. Nice work and happy blastin!

EDIT: Since you have a large chamber volume, try to make the smaller bore barrels longer in length but still have a relatively close chamber:barrel ratio. This will give you alot more accuracy and power :D
Last edited by integral on Tue May 15, 2007 7:25 am, edited 1 time in total.
Oderint dum metuant
Image
User avatar
joannaardway
Corporal 5
Corporal 5
Posts: 949
Joined: Mon Oct 09, 2006 4:57 pm
Location: SW Hertfordshire, England, UK.

Tue May 15, 2007 7:16 am

Very good for a first cannon.

I can only see what looks like safe pressure rated parts there, you clearly used primer (but very neatly I must add), a pretty sensible range for the pressure gauge, and well attached stuff.

The damage seems pretty good for a ball valve cannon, but I'm sure that when you get the sprinkler valve sorted, you'll be much more impressed.

I must admit that my first cannon certainly wasn't as good as this. You're certainly inline to creating some absolute monsters of cannons further down the line.
Novacastrian: How about use whatever the heck you can get your hands on?
frankrede: Well then I guess it won't matter when you decide to drink bleach because your out of kool-aid.
...I'm sorry, but that made my year.
Post Reply