air cannon props for marching band

n2wzb · Sun Sep 30, 2012 7:36 pm

I built these 2 air cannons as props for the high school marching band that 2 of my kids play in. The concept of the show this year is medieval knights, castles, etc. So the idea of flaming arrows shot from the "castle" came about. The idea is to shoot 2 arrows from each side of the field at the start of the show, and 2 arrows from each side at the end of the show. The launchers and one person to fire them hides behind large panels on the field that serve as the castles.

The supply tank is charged to about 100 PSI, and the regulator fills the upper chamber to about 50-60 PSI. This pressure can shoot two 2" dog-toy tennis balls with the plastic bag "fire" about halfway across the football field and go about 40 feet in the air. We can get about 4 or 5 shots before the supply tank needs recharging.

The valves are modified Orbit 1" sprinkler valves with ball valves to make them fast enough for this purpose.

I learned a ton of info from this site, from how to modify the orbit
valves to GGDT usage.

velocity3x · Sun Sep 30, 2012 11:04 pm

n2wzb,
Very good work and major credit to you for being involved with your kids!

jackssmirkingrevenge · Sun Sep 30, 2012 11:31 pm

velocity3x wrote:Very good work and major credit to you for being involved with your kids!

Agreed, and it's heartening to see someone glean the information they needed from the forum without actually having to ask any questions, some faith in humanity has been restored

jake321 · Mon Oct 01, 2012 12:00 am

jackssmirkingrevenge wrote:
velocity3x wrote:Very good work and major credit to you for being involved with your kids!
Agreed, and it's heartening to see someone glean the information they needed from the forum without actually having to ask any questions, some faith in humanity has been restored

Asking questions is how humanity learns. Humanity asks what it is like on the moon so we go there. I learn bye asking about things and so do you.

jackssmirkingrevenge · Mon Oct 01, 2012 12:24 am

jake321 wrote:Asking questions is how humanity learns. Humanity asks what it is like on the moon so we go there. I learn by asking about things and so do you.

No doubt about that, but the nature of this forum means that you get a lot of lazy queries where the questioner simply couldn't be bothered to look up information that was readily available a few mouse clicks away. In this case, the builder put together a very decent setup without having to ask for help, and this in itself is highly commendable.

pneumaticcannons · Mon Oct 01, 2012 3:46 am

^+1
Also, nice props OP. Over all, very cleanly executed

velocity3x · Mon Oct 01, 2012 11:40 am

jake321 wrote:Asking questions is how humanity learns. Humanity asks what it is like on the moon so we go there.

The early engineers and scientist that first took us to the moon...........who could they ask? Much of their accomplishment was the result of "Trial and Error" and "Learn by Doing". I too commend n2wzb for his accomplishment without clogging the board with mundane questions.

n2wzb · Sun Oct 14, 2012 2:42 pm

Thanks for all the comments, and I happen to be an engineer, so maybe that's why I don't ask many questions?

By the way, the launchers were used last night at Metlife (Giants) stadium in NJ. Fired from the sideline, the "flaming arrows" landed on the far line of hashmarks for about 30 yards distance. Looked like 2 penalty flags were thrown

Waiting to unload and set up on the field.

I'm the guy behind the prop panel wearing the burgundy jacket

air cannon props for marching band

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