First post and want do you think of my designs?

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.
User avatar
Jeeperforlife
Specialist
Specialist
Posts: 108
Joined: Tue Jan 15, 2008 4:51 pm

Thu Jan 17, 2008 11:50 am

My first cannon was back in high school, I enjoyed it and used it for a couple of years until it pissed my off one night (would not fire) and I got pissed pitched it as far as I could and it shattered. Fast forward 9 years and I decided to buid another one. Fist was a combustion, but I won't talk much about that, Wrong fourm. I wanted a reliable gun that was powerful and fun and just could not keep the combustion on reliable enough.

I decided to build a pneumatic gun even though I had never seen or heard of one. I am a manager of a Ace hardware store in Missouri so I got bored on night and built one out of PVC wile I was working. It has a 4'x1.5" and a 4'x3"barrel , two 2'x24" tanks over all I have 1.5 gallons or 345.5 cubic inchs. And a 1.5" ball valve. I found this site a couple of days ago and wanted to say hi. I don't have any damage picts but here is a few of my guns.


Image


Image


Image

Image

Image
User avatar
jackssmirkingrevenge
Five Star General
Five Star General
Posts: 26179
Joined: Thu Mar 15, 2007 11:28 pm
Has thanked: 543 times
Been thanked: 319 times

Donating Members

Thu Jan 17, 2008 12:01 pm

Jeeperforlife wrote:I am a manager of a Ace hardware store in Missouri so I got bored on night and built one out of PVC wile I was working.
Dream job, you must be spoilt for parts :)
Attachments
Behave kids, OR ELSE!
Behave kids, OR ELSE!
Last edited by jackssmirkingrevenge on Thu Jan 17, 2008 12:36 pm, edited 1 time in total.
hectmarr wrote:You have to make many weapons, because this field is long and short life
User avatar
potatoflinger
Sergeant 2
Sergeant 2
Posts: 1136
Joined: Thu Nov 02, 2006 3:26 pm
Location: Maryland

Thu Jan 17, 2008 12:06 pm

Nice looking guns, but some of the parts on them are DWV, which means non-pressure rated, so you might want to consider replacing them with parts that say NSF-PW, which are pressure rated.
It's hard to soar with eagles when you're working with turkeys.
User avatar
jrrdw
Moderator
Moderator
United States of America
Posts: 6569
Joined: Wed Nov 16, 2005 5:11 pm
Location: Maryland
Has thanked: 39 times
Been thanked: 22 times
Contact:

Donating Members

Thu Jan 17, 2008 12:23 pm

potatoflinger wrote:Nice looking guns, but some of the parts on them are DWV, which means non-pressure rated, so you might want to consider replacing them with parts that say NSF-PW, which are pressure rated.
The combustion cannon should be fine. But with kids around, that pneumatic is dangerous! I like the chamber configuration on the pneumatic.
Welcome to Spudfiles. :D
User avatar
Fnord
First Sergeant 2
First Sergeant 2
Posts: 2239
Joined: Tue Feb 13, 2007 9:20 pm
Location: Pripyat
Been thanked: 1 time
Contact:

Thu Jan 17, 2008 12:25 pm

Yeah, all those elbows are not pressure rated, so avoid using pressures higher than ~60 psi or so. You should also watch using heavy projectiles in the pneumatic; the recoil is being loaded on the elbows in the back, and if they are stressed too much they can crack.
The combustion is fine though.

Other than that, I hope you continue your efforts in this hobby because these are very cleanly constructed. I'll bet you'll produce some very good work to come.

So you're a Jeep enthusiast? Or are you that guy from Jeepers Creepers? :)
Image
User avatar
judgment_arms
Sergeant 3
Sergeant 3
Posts: 1272
Joined: Tue Oct 17, 2006 8:49 pm
Location: Not so beautiful North Carolina, but at least it’s the U.S.A.!

Thu Jan 17, 2008 1:01 pm

Welcome to the forums!
Call me "Judge", it's easier to type.

Spud gun safety rules
User avatar
Hubb
First Sergeant 2
First Sergeant 2
Posts: 2390
Joined: Mon May 28, 2007 8:39 am
Location: South Georgia
Contact:

Thu Jan 17, 2008 1:21 pm

Agreeing with the DWV parts, which shouldn't be hard for you to pick out, being a manager of ACE hardware. I do like it's mortar-like configuration, though.

Oh, welcome to Spudfiles and you should stick around. I'm sure there are a lot of questions asked that you can probably answer. :wink:
User avatar
ALIHISGREAT
Staff Sergeant 3
Staff Sergeant 3
Posts: 1778
Joined: Sat Aug 25, 2007 6:47 pm
Location: UK

Thu Jan 17, 2008 2:23 pm

ooooh nice! they both look really clean and i like the mortar style of the pneumatic :)
User avatar
pizlo
Corporal 3
Corporal 3
Posts: 783
Joined: Fri Dec 22, 2006 7:27 pm
Contact:

Thu Jan 17, 2008 7:33 pm

I'm surprised no one has said this, but you would get a performance increase even if you switched to a 1 inch sprinkler valve.
User avatar
Eddbot
Specialist 4
Specialist 4
Posts: 434
Joined: Tue Oct 09, 2007 6:08 pm

Thu Jan 17, 2008 8:05 pm

nice guns, no primer stains too

jack must be cynical or something, i wouldn't see a swing in the background and think to point the gun at a kid

edit: i didn't see the guage and fill valve earlier, that's pretty slick
Last edited by Eddbot on Thu Jan 17, 2008 8:56 pm, edited 1 time in total.
:edfirst:
User avatar
daberno123
Corporal
Corporal
Posts: 594
Joined: Mon Nov 19, 2007 5:56 pm
Location: Ohio

Thu Jan 17, 2008 8:12 pm

jack must be cynical or something, i wouldn't see a swing in the background and think to point the gun at a kid
Most people don't. Jack seems to be an exception
User avatar
jackssmirkingrevenge
Five Star General
Five Star General
Posts: 26179
Joined: Thu Mar 15, 2007 11:28 pm
Has thanked: 543 times
Been thanked: 319 times

Donating Members

Thu Jan 17, 2008 11:54 pm

pizlo wrote:I'm surprised no one has said this, but you would get a performance increase even if you switched to a 1 inch sprinkler valve.
good point!
jack must be cynical or something, i wouldn't see a swing in the background and think to point the gun at a kid
I thought it was funny that the gun appeared poised to lob spuds at the kid's play area, of course I wouldn't actually condone the shooting of children :P :wink:
hectmarr wrote:You have to make many weapons, because this field is long and short life
User avatar
Jeeperforlife
Specialist
Specialist
Posts: 108
Joined: Tue Jan 15, 2008 4:51 pm

Thu Jan 17, 2008 11:59 pm

Thanks for the compliments. Yea I realized the elbows are not pressure rated after I got it working. As far as the swing set gos I have two kids, 4 year old son, 8 month old daughter. My son likes to watch me shoot them but he is required to stand back a safe distance. all the joints are cleaned primered and glued. I really did not take my time or plan out the design at all. there is some thimgs I would change.

I think for the next potato gun I will build a small copper high pressure for indoor use. I am thinking 1"x24" chamber and a 1/2"x4' barrel. I noticed a 9/16" fits perfect in a 1/2 copper pipe. it will have a simple 1" all copper ball valve rated at 600 PSI. I plan to run it at and probally over 400PSI. I will build my own motorized compressor. I was thinking of using this http://www.justforcopper.com/JFCPro.htm . I have sold this at work to many people and have heard good things about it. Think it will hold up?

Once I am done with this It will be time for a large hybrid. :twisted:

As far as the Jeep comment Yes I love Jeeps, I even have the tatto. here is a picture of my Jeep.

Image
User avatar
jackssmirkingrevenge
Five Star General
Five Star General
Posts: 26179
Joined: Thu Mar 15, 2007 11:28 pm
Has thanked: 543 times
Been thanked: 319 times

Donating Members

Fri Jan 18, 2008 12:05 am

You should look into valves other than ball valves, indeed with the parts at your disposal a large and awesome piston cannon wouldn't be too hard to make.

Nice jeep btw :shock: :D
hectmarr wrote:You have to make many weapons, because this field is long and short life
User avatar
mark.f
Sergeant Major 4
Sergeant Major 4
Eritrea
Posts: 3627
Joined: Sat May 06, 2006 11:18 am
Location: The Big Steezy
Has thanked: 52 times
Been thanked: 53 times
Contact:

Donating Members

Fri Jan 18, 2008 7:19 am

I agree with everybody else. The cannon is a nice design and cleanly constructed, but the parts are not pressure rated, and you could do with a better valve.

Being manager at Ace, I would have expected you to be able to tell DWV from pressure rated. At least now you know, and the next person coming in for building pneumatics you can make sure they don't buy DWV!

The combustion is nice, though.

BTW, where do you live arounds? You could come mud-riding with us sometime at the Bogue Chitto... I get to bring my four-wheeler though. :)

I'll keep my comments on the Jeep to myself. And before someone tries to corner me, NO, I am not a Ford or Chevy or any other truck fanboy, so don't try.
Post Reply