Static guard spray

Boom! The classic potato gun harnesses the combustion of flammable vapor. Show us your combustion spud gun and discuss fuels, ratios, safety, ignition systems, tools, and more.
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Demon
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Mon Mar 02, 2009 3:33 pm

I just searched a bit on the internet and most where saying that static guard was the best fuel for combustion spudguns( luckily, a shop sells it near my house) but then i remembered a post on the spudfile main page saying that Right Guard was R.I.P.

Is Static Guard unuseable too now?
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Radiation
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Mon Mar 02, 2009 9:10 pm

It's hardly the best. In my experience it was only barely average. Butane and carb cleaner are great for spray and pray designs. Or if you want a spudgun that is really good use propane.
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nibbler125
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Mon Mar 02, 2009 9:30 pm

propane is youre best friend. i use it in my guns beacuse some stuff may be corrosive to youre combustion chamber
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Tue Mar 03, 2009 1:36 pm

Demon wrote:I just searched a bit on the internet and most where saying that static guard was the best fuel for combustion spudguns...
That's what you get for searching the internet. You get the average answer to a question instead of the correct answer. :D

Static guard sucks as a fuel. So do all other fuels that come in an aerosol can. What you actually found with your internet search was the answer to the question "Of the crappiest ways to fuel a combustion spudgun, which is least crappy?"

For the cost of an can of Static Guard you can buy a good fuel and a meter.
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Demon
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Thu Mar 05, 2009 2:38 pm

Does propane bottle come with a regulator or any npt threads works??

Is the regulator simply a low flow valve or a prechosen psi pressure one?
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Thu Mar 05, 2009 2:59 pm

Demon wrote:Does propane bottle come with a regulator or any npt threads works??
Nope to both. Easiest way to attach to it is to use the standard blow torch head minus the mixer (which screws off), a piece of pressure rated hose and some hose clamps.

You can also unscrew the metal pipe and epoxy in a short length of pipe with whatever fitting you want. Of course, now the head can no longer be used as a torch. Or, cut the end of the pipe off (to remove the very small vent hole). Again, you can't use the torch for it's intended purpose.

You can buy a fitting for the tank though they can be kind of hard to find.
Demon wrote:Is the regulator simply a low flow valve or a prechosen psi pressure one?
On a torch head it is a needle valve which, in combination with the exteremely small hole in the head, acts as a flow regulator. Any closed container attached to the torch head will eventually reach the full pressure of the tank (50 to perhaps 150 PSIG depending on the tank's temperature).

The hole in the torch head is very small. A reasonable sized meter will fill slowly enough that the pressure can be controlled with the torches needle valve. You really only need a pressure gauge. A regulator is nice but not a requirement.

You can even get away without the gauge. "One-potato--two-potato..." will even work. The gas flow rate is so slow that this works much better with a propane tourch than it does with an aerosol can. Well, at least it is much more reproducable.

If you want an even cheaper setup just use a disposable butane lighter. A syringe makes a meter as accurate as any meter around. Without the syringe it is still better than any aerosol can. You can connect to a $0.98 disposable butane lighter with a length of small ID tubing. I just use the insulation stripped off a piece of wire as the tubing.
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jmeyer1022
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Thu Mar 05, 2009 3:00 pm

Propane bottle does not come with a regulator or threads on it.
Here's a quick video showing you how to connect your propane bottle to a regulator.

[youtube][/youtube]

A regulator simply limits the flow of what your using in this case propane to a specified PSI. A new canister of propane comes out at about 90 PSI I believe. With the regulator you can set it up so it only comes out at 5, 10, 20 PSI etc etc.
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Demon
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Thu Mar 05, 2009 3:08 pm

So if i understand, once the torch is removed, the thread is not an npt and needs an special"compression fitting" ?

In my rona, they dont have such specialized plumbing pieces( 3" pvc sch40 cost 10 $ per foot)


Please reply to me, i need to know.
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Thu Mar 05, 2009 4:44 pm

correct; you need the fitting. If you can't get it, just put a piece of pressure rated tubing over the end of the torch (after removing the unscrew-able thing on the end) and put a hose clamp over that.
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Demon
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Thu Mar 05, 2009 5:03 pm

what is od and mip fittings?

Is'nt mip for hoses?

EDIT:

I dont think so that putting a hose on that part is safe, there is almost no room for the clamp.
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Thu Mar 05, 2009 5:44 pm

Not positive but I believe it's referring to outside diameter and MIP stands for male inner pipe. Anyways when I went to look for mine at home depot the guy looked at me like I was alfalfa but after a while we found it. If not you can buy fittings for tanks that will go straight to 1/4" male threads, I like the method in the video for on/off options
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Demon
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Thu Mar 05, 2009 5:58 pm

I dont understand, this is like an connector with an 1/4 inch npt side, the other an pretty strange thread, is it an "compression thread" ? and of what size???

I really need to know that to make my first combustion spudgun a metered one.
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