Why not to use acetylene as spud gun fuel.

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.
User avatar
Extrusion
Specialist
Specialist
Posts: 147
Joined: Fri Sep 29, 2006 12:48 pm

Mon Oct 09, 2006 1:22 am

I think this video will probobly sum it up for anyone who would ever think of using it without doing some reserch.

"No living person is a virgin because life screws us all." - Extrusion
User avatar
ProfessorAmadeus
Sergeant
Sergeant
Posts: 1046
Joined: Fri Apr 28, 2006 5:39 pm
Location: texas

Mon Oct 09, 2006 1:37 am

fun........
Insomniac wrote:Hey why am I a goose???? Why not somthing a little more awe inspireing, like an eagle or something? LOL
SOO CUTE!! OMG!! I COULD JUST LICK YOU!!
Blackspire
Private 3
Private 3
Posts: 45
Joined: Thu Mar 30, 2006 11:31 pm
Location: Alberta Canada

Mon Oct 09, 2006 12:35 pm

Haha, drayton valley is an hour or so away from where I live. Damn drunken canadians :D .
User avatar
Torch
Specialist
Specialist
Posts: 180
Joined: Tue Jun 27, 2006 2:08 pm
Location: Maryland

Mon Oct 09, 2006 1:59 pm

Now I know why to never use that in a cannon..
User avatar
Extrusion
Specialist
Specialist
Posts: 147
Joined: Fri Sep 29, 2006 12:48 pm

Mon Oct 09, 2006 5:20 pm

Yes it is way to strong for any PVC cannon or metal for that matter, it would just explode and the potato probably wouldnt even leave the barrel.
"No living person is a virgin because life screws us all." - Extrusion
User avatar
frankrede
Sergeant Major 2
Sergeant Major 2
Posts: 3220
Joined: Thu Jul 20, 2006 9:47 pm
Has thanked: 1 time
Been thanked: 1 time

Mon Oct 09, 2006 5:34 pm

They are using a lot of it and it is in a plastic bad.
Acetylene cannons have been built.
Current project: Afghanistan deployment
User avatar
Flying_Salt
Corporal 3
Corporal 3
Posts: 779
Joined: Mon Oct 09, 2006 4:57 pm
Location: Texas

Mon Oct 09, 2006 5:55 pm

Wow nice explosion...
I've also heard rumors about bug spray?
User avatar
Velocity
Sergeant
Sergeant
Posts: 1039
Joined: Tue Feb 07, 2006 5:42 pm

Mon Oct 09, 2006 6:04 pm

I don't believe that acetylene cannot be used in a welded steel cannon. This has been done many times before, at mixes about 1X
User avatar
Extrusion
Specialist
Specialist
Posts: 147
Joined: Fri Sep 29, 2006 12:48 pm

Mon Oct 09, 2006 6:16 pm

Well this is just demonstrating what it is capable of someone new might come here knowing nothing about spudguns and build one and run out of hairspray then think o wait my dad's welder has gas ill try it wich wouldnt be good.
"No living person is a virgin because life screws us all." - Extrusion
User avatar
spudmonkey
Specialist
Specialist
Posts: 154
Joined: Tue Feb 14, 2006 5:59 pm

Mon Oct 09, 2006 6:45 pm

that looks like fun, i think ill have ta try that, maby with a 3 leeter
Never Argue With An Idiot, They Bring You Down To Their Level, Then Beat You With Experience
User avatar
Extrusion
Specialist
Specialist
Posts: 147
Joined: Fri Sep 29, 2006 12:48 pm

Mon Oct 09, 2006 7:07 pm

Ive done Oxygen and Acetylene in a 2 liter bottle i poked a small hole in the bottle stuck a fuse in it filed it with Oxy Acetylene burried it until the only thing out of the ground was the fuse lit it and ran like a mother it blew a nice sized whole in ground and the bottle went like 60 feet in the air it was quite fun (and loud).
"No living person is a virgin because life screws us all." - Extrusion
reaper613
Private 4
Private 4
Posts: 75
Joined: Mon Feb 27, 2006 12:42 am

Mon Oct 09, 2006 7:52 pm

acetylene just makes the potato go farther, just use a sch40 steel gun with pressure rated wealds and youll be fine
User avatar
joannaardway
Corporal 5
Corporal 5
Posts: 949
Joined: Mon Oct 09, 2006 4:57 pm
Location: SW Hertfordshire, England, UK.

Tue Oct 10, 2006 1:07 pm

I don't truly understand why acetylene is so feared. (Was that plain acetylene or oxy-acetylene?)

If someone had done that with a bag of propane, I don't imagine the results would have been much different.

In fact, I suggest you try it with a bag of propane - just see how different the effect is.

The biggest problem with acetylene is the low ignition energy, which makes it likely to trigger by accident.
User avatar
Extrusion
Specialist
Specialist
Posts: 147
Joined: Fri Sep 29, 2006 12:48 pm

Tue Oct 10, 2006 1:46 pm

Ok it is feared because it detonates you saw what happened to the bag it went BOOM if i tried that with a bag of propane (Wich i might do and tape it.) it would make a large fireball not an explosion because it doesnt detonate.
PVC wouldnt be able to handle the shock of the acetylene detonation therefore exploding and sending PVC shards flying in all directions.

Hope that clears some stuff up.
"No living person is a virgin because life screws us all." - Extrusion
User avatar
joannaardway
Corporal 5
Corporal 5
Posts: 949
Joined: Mon Oct 09, 2006 4:57 pm
Location: SW Hertfordshire, England, UK.

Tue Oct 10, 2006 2:24 pm

Why should the PVC fail, rather than the spud moving?

I know of someone who has achieved use of acetylene, repeatedly, in practically unrated pipe, in a launcher worth costing about $10 of your US bucks.

It hasn't failed on him, so why should properly rated pipe fail on you?

If you contain it deliberately in a fixed volume system, yes, then maybe you've got a problem.

It is clear, beyond any doubt, that most of the internet stories about acetylene are urban myths. The force of the detonations described is simply impossible - and I've done the maths to prove it. The descriptions of the damage are beyond even nitrogylcerine explosions.

And nitrogylcerine produces 10,000 times it's own volume in gas. Even oxy-acetylene cannot get close to that.

Back to your detonation point, and thinking again, I've seen similar effects from lots of different things, mostly revolving around butane.

I've seen bangs not much smaller (relatively) than that from deodorant sprays in latex balloons.

Ok, so perhaps it's more impressive when you're on site, but I still can't see it.

If you show me the video of the propane, and it's so so so much more feeble, then maybe I'll agree with you, but regardless, most of the fear about acetylene is based around false truths.
Post Reply