This is my first real attempt at a spud launcher. I have made several minis, some ( very dangerously ) out of non rated pipes and soda bottles, and one sad attempt at a PVC one, all combustion. This is my first real attempt at making one thats nice and safe, also my first pneumatic. It uses a 3/4" stainless steel ball valve, which I know most of you are going to look down on, but I have to say it opens very quickly ( thanks to alot of wd40 ), much much faster than the PVC ball valves. The barrel is 1/2" and the chamber is 1 1/4". The only thing I would change on it is the shrader valve and the poor placement of it. The pressure gauge and the T that it mounts off of as well as the support were added after I had 'finished' it, or else I would have placed the shrader valve on the metal fittings were the pressure gauge is. The shrader valve ( the only one that I could find ) is supposed to be used for car tires, it has a huge round rubber peice behind it and I know that there is no way in hell that it will be expelled from the pipe. I also belive it said it was rated to 160psi on the box. I may add a second brace soon because the barrel slopes downward about 1/4" from the valve. I don't care to much about the 'purple paint job', but I may paint it some day anyways.
For ammo, I bought 4, 4' long half inch dowl rods. I wrap the ends in duct tape just enough so that its a good fit ( for some reason they are not quite 1/2" ), and at 100psi they can do some real damage, and they are also reusable, I hate wasting potatos/frozen grapes. I may have some damage pictures tomorrow.
