FINALLY Completed Howitzer

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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thunderskunk
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Location: Derry NH
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Sun Jun 22, 2014 9:50 pm

Good evenin folks!

I've been waiting months for this. This gun has gone from a vintage-looking wooden carriage with shells the size of large spud gun chambers into a pretty distinguishable howitzer.

My original idea was to use gigantic shells, and a rifled barrel. The barrel rifling... didn't work out. The jig worked, the cutters worked, but it was an extremely slow and lengthy process. I think I'll try making a soldering-gun tip so I can burn the grooves in, something a machinist buddy of mine mentioned.

My original carriage fell apart, and I threw out the frame because I had to keep the chamber, barrel, and two shells in my dorm room for a few months. Brought it home thinking I could get it to work the way I intended. Welded a heavy duty frame up, tore apart an old bicycle for parts, and made it look cool. The shell thing... no dice. I couldn't get them to ignite using spark plugs.

I got some new parts and made my shell-holding chamber into just a chamber. I cut the ends off my shells and made them into mini-shells that just hold a potato. They've got a cable going down the middle so I can push them up the chamber and extract them with the sacred shell retrieval staff (pipe with a hook). The back door has an interrupted thread and four handmade rubber gaskets. I certainly had some issues getting a good seal to start with, but I eventually got it to stop leaking.

This is one of my favorite projects I've ever done. I learned a lot about the difference between half-a**ing and doing professional quality work. Even when I couldn't get the gun to fire, it still looked good. This is my first combustion cannon build, and I don't think I'll be making any more for a while, haha.

By the way, it's called The Projectile Impregnator.

This is a video of a firing comparison:



And the link to the photo dump for all the build pictures:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set ... 700&type=3
Attachments
Full gun, as is now with the new chamber door
Full gun, as is now with the new chamber door
Note the interrupted threading
Note the interrupted threading
Back of chamber with the door locked. Note the winch elevation
Back of chamber with the door locked. Note the winch elevation
Shells
Shells
Clip of a video from firing. The muzzle brake looks pretty dang cool
Clip of a video from firing. The muzzle brake looks pretty dang cool
SUNP0142.JPG
SUNP0144.JPG
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bravootome
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Sun Jun 22, 2014 11:02 pm

i a war situation you are prepared,. Lot of work to build it ....and nice product. If i would of make that and shoot it in open field, in max 1 week 5 police car and 10 special forces would knock knock knocking om my wood door...


i always wanted to make one to shoot beer bottles into a brick wall in high speed.............
come undone
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jackssmirkingrevenge
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Tue Jun 24, 2014 9:13 am

Sweet, sweet build!

My only complaint would be that the skinny bicycle wheels make it lack a bit of gravitas, but otherwise fantastic job!
hectmarr wrote:You have to make many weapons, because this field is long and short life
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