Air Cannon

[speedyejl]

*EDIT* You might need to hit right-click show picture to see it


Hey I made an air cannon out of PVC. It works great, im not post here cause im having trouble with it, I want some ideas for it though. Anything from figuring out how to use a Nitro tank to power it to tapping it for a gauge im open for ideas. I'll explain how it works later. Im tired now. BTW Ill add some info. The bore is 3in wide, it shoots a water/paint ballon in a tin can shell about 60ft at 50psi. http://pic1.picturetrail.com/VOL137/672726/1104078/13341804.ptp The one im talking about is the giant U thing in the middle. The thing in between the U is my shoe its about a foot if anyone wants to measure it.

[speedyejl]

pic above not working, wt ever heres it attached.

[Spray Painter]

i have an air cannon that has a sprinkler solnoid valve so all i have to do is flip a switch. if you pump it up to 60-65 psi it will go alot futher than with 50psi. also look in the friendly corner forum, it had an air cannon that used a nitro tank

[speedyejl]

oooo

[Meph]

I STRONGLY suggest that anything under pressure to NOT be made of PVC pipe. Use metal threaded tubes and loctite. It's more expensive yes, but not only can you pressurize it much more, but you don't run the risk of it exploding like you do with PVC.

And with metal tubes, you can get adapters to eventually fit it's way down all the way to 1/8" standard pipe thread, and you can just thread on any old ASA! And then you can screw in a tank.

[misfit]

palmer female stablizer to gauge so you can read teh out put pressure, then to a 1/4 npt solonoid, so it can be recharged with teh push of the button electronics are removed in this picture

[Spray Painter]

The 1 1/2 inch(barrel) pvc pipe i used is rated at 300psi and the 2 inch(air chamber) is rated at 280 psi so if you only pump it up to 100psi at the max(i've never been above 80psi)it should be fine.i normaly use 60-70psi

[speedyejl]

wow, where do you get these solinoids?

[Spray Painter]

it's just a sprinkler valve. i got mine from yard birds

[Polishpickles451]

I've been making these for years...they're awsome and sooo harmful. I could shoot a potato almost 2 miles, that for real.
goldmann.com has alot of info about spudguns and aircannons.
These things are a worthwhile project, but be advised, be very careful while making them, make sure it's all put together right, and in a combustion one, never use anything else but hairspray. WD40 or other propellants will chemically degrade the PVC plastic. Very unsafe.

[rightsidefight]

ive been makin potatoe cannonsfor like 3 years....i have a bazooka style with spiral ported barrel,a short "shotgun" with a 3 inch chamber to 1 1/2 inch barrel hich kicks like a mutha and a huge double barrel one....all of these are used with propane and ignitors i made....oxygen is used on the double barrel one but its crazy dangerous an i dont think anyone should use it

[misfit]

phenumatic ones are much more powerful, combustion fired ones genterate roughly 20 psi, pvc is rated to something in the neighborhood of 220, put 100psi through it to be on the safe side, and see spuds go into orbit