Trying to get better power and range out of my tennis ball launcher
Posted: Tue Oct 22, 2024 4:38 pm
Joined cause im a bit stuck in my design/testing of my launcher and hoping i can get some ideas to add velocity and power to my projectiles. Im working within some constraints but i can always cut welds and redo if i have too. Im going to break it down into current setup and constraints
Setup:
Air tank - 10 gal cheetah tank with 1.5npt outlet
Connected with a 1.5in hose (will cover this in constraints)
Valve: 1.5in 12v solenoid valve from US Solid
This all connects into my main barrel and chamber, the chamber is supplied with a 1.25 pipe elbow (may cut this and weld 1.5 but also considering going to 2in if it is causing significant loss) and is 2.5in schedule 40
Barrel is currently a 10ft 2.5in schedule 80
Constraints:
Tank hose needs to be flexibly connected to the chamber to facilitate the gun recoiling so if i go up in size i have find a flexable tube
Cant go above 2in elbow into the chamber nor can i supply from back since shells slide into the back
Nothing can be super bulky as it has to fit between rails and clear while moving.
My current list of possible modifications is as follows:
Replace solenoid and with a QEV
Re-plumb so all air supply is 1.5in or 2in
Change barrel back to schedule 40 but this gets rid of my option to use fin stablized projectiles unless i order sch 40 DOM
I was getting about 150-175 yrds with my 3ft sch 40 barrel and i about halved that when i went to the sch 80, however my fin stablized projectiles were getting a bit over 200yrds with the sch 80. I know the general rule is valve/air supply bigger diameter than the barrel but its not an option in this build and i accept some preformance loss due to it.
Any help is appreciated and ill post the full project when its closer to being done.
Here is the current layout for visual reference:
Setup:
Air tank - 10 gal cheetah tank with 1.5npt outlet
Connected with a 1.5in hose (will cover this in constraints)
Valve: 1.5in 12v solenoid valve from US Solid
This all connects into my main barrel and chamber, the chamber is supplied with a 1.25 pipe elbow (may cut this and weld 1.5 but also considering going to 2in if it is causing significant loss) and is 2.5in schedule 40
Barrel is currently a 10ft 2.5in schedule 80
Constraints:
Tank hose needs to be flexibly connected to the chamber to facilitate the gun recoiling so if i go up in size i have find a flexable tube
Cant go above 2in elbow into the chamber nor can i supply from back since shells slide into the back
Nothing can be super bulky as it has to fit between rails and clear while moving.
My current list of possible modifications is as follows:
Replace solenoid and with a QEV
Re-plumb so all air supply is 1.5in or 2in
Change barrel back to schedule 40 but this gets rid of my option to use fin stablized projectiles unless i order sch 40 DOM
I was getting about 150-175 yrds with my 3ft sch 40 barrel and i about halved that when i went to the sch 80, however my fin stablized projectiles were getting a bit over 200yrds with the sch 80. I know the general rule is valve/air supply bigger diameter than the barrel but its not an option in this build and i accept some preformance loss due to it.
Any help is appreciated and ill post the full project when its closer to being done.
Here is the current layout for visual reference: