My first working pengun- ammo questions...

[SloppyJoeES]

I have finally completed a simple coaxial pengun, yet another copy of a copy of JSR's design from so long ago. I'm very happy with it!

The build is made up of two 1/8" brass pipe nipples coupled together, with an OD 7mm ID 6mm stainless tube epoxied inside. Inside of that tube is the barrel, an OD 4mm ID 3mm stainless tube. The piston is a short section 6mm steel rod with a slice of 1/16" thick rubber epoxied to the top.

This is my third attempt at one of these damn things, mostly owing to struggles getting a proper piston made. Concern that my piston would not work is why this one is built inside of pipe nipples- the valve can come off and the piston can be removed for service.

The tube I ordered to be the barrel is supposedly 3mm, but 3mm steel ball bearings do not fit at all. Not even half of the bb will fit inside, so I am thinking it may be 2mm or perhaps 2.5mm. Any way to loosen the barrel, or should I just get new bearings? I would also love to hear other ideas for ammo.

Thanks for the guidance last year JSR. Took me damn near long enough to work it out though, what with school and everything else. The steel rod I eventually used as a piston was going to be a mandrel, to sharpen a piece of barrel cleanly enough that I could punch a proper piston out of rubber. Never could get one I was happy with.

I have been shooting it at 1000psi, but I might step up to 2000psi soon, once I receive some extremely high psi rated Schrader cores I ordered from an aviation supply

[PracticallySane]

I have made a few pen guns, always thought shooting small nails was fun. Or "skewers" work as well.

[jackssmirkingrevenge]

Very cool!

interesting to see what performance will look like at high pressure.

I never really took them beyond 850 psi, maybe a tiny caliber 4500 psi pengun would be an interesting project...

Any way to loosen the barrel, or should I just get new bearings?

I would just get the right sized bearings, small nails with their heads cut off also work as PracticallySane suggested but only for very short ranges as they start to tumble.

[PracticallySane]

If you find some with the right size head, you dont need to remove it and it will apply some drag stability. I like the nails for hanging pictures.

[SloppyJoeES]

If you find some with the right size head, you dont need to remove it and it will apply some drag stability. I like the nails for hanging pictures.

I found a couple nails around my apartment... I have also ordered more ball bearings and tiny tiny nails which should hopefully fit. I will try and remember to upload a video showing off this thing in action once I receive them. I predict pretty good performance at 1000psi. So far I have only used it to startle my girlfriend, for which it works very well

I disassembled it and took the piston out and I must say, I am glad I made this thing serviceable because the sealing face is already looking pretty rough. Let's see how long it goes before I must replace it...

[farcticox1]

Came to see a Penguin

[mrfoo]

[SloppyJoeES]

I shot a tin can with a nail using the pen gun @ 1000psi. I was quite happy with the results...

When I shot it, I saw orange sparks fly out, and it smelt like smoke... Is that normal?? Lol.

Entry:

Exit:

[farcticox1]

Cracking Gromit

[jackssmirkingrevenge]

Came to see a Penguin

That joke is literally as old as the first pen gun

When I shot it, I saw orange sparks fly out, and it smelt like smoke... Is that normal?? Lol.

Hmmm... from the pen itself? Or the target?

Could it be that you had some lubricant in the barrel that ignited from the sudden compression?

[hectmarr]

I like it, and also, it is the perfect "weapon" to annihilate the state bureaucracy and its henchmen that take many hours from our ephemeral and interesting existence. You waste my time, and I pierce you!

[SloppyJoeES]

Hmmm... from the pen itself? Or the target?

Could it be that you had some lubricant in the barrel that ignited from the sudden compression?

It was from the target for sure. Maybe just from the steel hitting steel. I did lubricate the piston quite heavily with silicone grease, but I don't think that's flammable.

I have shot the same can a few more times since then and have not gotten the same sparks, which I find somewhat disappointing because I thought it was pretty cool.

[jackssmirkingrevenge]

Oh in that case, perfectly normal when punching through steel fast enough

[Anatine Duo]

looks fun... I really need to make one too

[hectmarr]

Hmmm... from the pen itself? Or the target?

Could it be that you had some lubricant in the barrel that ignited from the sudden compression?

It was from the target for sure. Maybe just from the steel hitting steel. I did lubricate the piston quite heavily with silicone grease, but I don't think that's flammable.

I have shot the same can a few more times since then and have not gotten the same sparks, which I find somewhat disappointing because I thought it was pretty cool.

If you want to get a bit of sparks and smoke, add a small drop of oil, like spring-loaded airguns do, with the dieseling effect. Your work was excellent, I'm thinking of building one like me too.