Air power vs Combustion power for tennis ball cannon

[Antonio]

I wouldnt go with air or combustion. Using a mechanism is way easier. Why not build something with two flywheels power by an electric motor or something. Isnt that how the real machines work. Here is a cool vid of a person which used bike parts to make a tennis shooter:
[youtube][/youtube]

[Novacastrian]

That is a very cool bit of kit ant, now to buy a couple of bike parts...

[jimmy101]

The link BigGrib posted would be an excellent starting point. Lots of good ideas including the breach loader setup. (Add a T and you've got a place for a magazine.)

A smaller sprinkler valve, 1" or even 1/2" would work fine for your use. The sprinkler valve's standard electrical activation would work fine as well.

Any kind of valve that is more efficient than a ball valve or sprinkler valve is probably not only overkill for what you are trying to do but is also too dangerous for firing at a person. WAG for BigGrib's gun, I would say it'll launch a TB at perhaps 500 FPS (~340 MPH). That is more than three times faster than a major league baseball pitcher can throw a baseball. Roughly ten times the kinetic energy of that major league pitcher. Definitely in the energy range that would be far to dangerous to launch at a person.

[origin unknown]

I suggest a sprinkler valve pneumatic with a very small chamber for quick pressurizing by hand and a very short barrel to keep power down all in an over/under configuration and a pop-safety valve made to open at whatever pressure is safest in your case. Hope all goes well with your project.

[biged]

1.5" valve, 2.625" ID barrel, 11 gallon air tank.
Barrel support is adjustable for 1.5"x6', 2"x8', and 3"x10' barrels.





Not finished with it yet. $70 so far.

///ed///

[nicetoentice]

Yes, lots of great ideas to start with.
I like BigGrib link also http://www.spudfiles.com/forums/viewtop ... tml#153709

The " T " as a place for a magazine is nice too.

Now I just need to see if adding a CO2 tank supply would work.Kind of the same line as a T-shirt launcher.

I like to see some close up photos of the breach loader.

Great ideas,thanks to all for a little more enlightenment.

The bike mechanism thing is cool too....seems like more work for me after then the goalie

Again thanks, the more post the more ideas to work with