How-to: Metal cannonballs of (nearly)any size

A place for general potato gun questions and discussions.
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lukemc
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Tue Apr 03, 2007 2:53 pm

i made marshmellow shooter with half inch pvc and an air tank but the barrel is a bit small for marbles s im going to make my own thanks for this tutorial a lot
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hi
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Tue Apr 03, 2007 4:58 pm

can you just melt pellets for a pellet gun?
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BC Pneumatics
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Tue Apr 03, 2007 5:15 pm

Only if they are lead pellets. Most (here at least) are not. In fact, CA may have banned them. Dumbasses.

Also, only 'Lead Free' pewter contains no lead, so make sure it says that.

Lead shrinks by just over 4% as it solidifies as I recall.

Playing with lead is fun, but make surer your plaster molds are very well dried. Molten lead is hell on the toesies.
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hi
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Tue Apr 03, 2007 5:54 pm

CA didn't ban them because i bought a box last week.
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BC Pneumatics
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Tue Apr 03, 2007 5:59 pm

Really? Hmm. I cant recall seeing any that aren't steel. Oh well, maybe if I looked.
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hi
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Tue Apr 03, 2007 6:26 pm

ya, just regular old crosman field hunting pellets.
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iPaintball
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Fri Apr 13, 2007 11:17 pm

Use bismuth. It is heavier than lead and just as easy to cast.
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BC Pneumatics
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Sat Apr 14, 2007 2:06 pm

and expensive ;)
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iPaintball
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Sat Apr 14, 2007 2:39 pm

Not if you know where to get it! :wink: :wink:
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BC Pneumatics
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Sat Apr 14, 2007 3:47 pm

A hell of a lot more than lead, that is for sure. Unless you are referring to some 'free' source of yours, which doesn't concern us much at all.
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hi
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Thu Apr 19, 2007 11:25 pm

i was wondering, could i use cement as the mold and use solder as a projectile? or would the cement break and the solder be to soft?

EDIT- i think i would like to make a bullet shaped projectile, would that work too? i was going to make it for 1/2'' pipe
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you know you are not an engineer if you have to remind yourself "left loosy righty tighty"
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hi
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Fri Apr 20, 2007 1:56 am

another thing, when people talk about tin soup can, are they really made out of tin? tin melts at a lower tempature than lead and is safer because it isnt toxic. if soup cans aren't made of tin, what is made of tin that is easy to get a hold of?
"physics, gravity, and law enforcement are the only things that prevent me from operating at my full potential" - not sure, but i like the quote

you know you are not an engineer if you have to remind yourself "left loosy righty tighty"
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rna_duelers
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Fri Apr 20, 2007 4:26 am

They are coated in Tin,usualy steel coated in tin and hence the name.
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cb4289
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Fri May 04, 2007 11:32 pm

for me finding the bismuth tin and stuff was kinda hard but then i found a place called http://www.alchemycastings.com you can find almost any thing there but shipping aint cheap i think antomony is 10.00 for 5 lbs and the lead is 25.00 for 50lbs. you can get it in ingots and the lead is pretty good and very pure it isnt scrap lead[/img]
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Thu May 10, 2007 10:12 am

you could also use solder just take it all off the role and melt it in the pot or pan you have to do that with
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