Why the heck ain't it workin'?

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.
redclay92
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Sun Sep 24, 2006 7:10 pm

This baby won't ignite the combustion chamber is 2in 40sch about 16in long the barrel is a 25 in long 1.5 inch tube. I'm using a peizo elec. from a long nosed lighter y ain't it firing? Also what is the best fuel
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demilus
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Sun Sep 24, 2006 7:41 pm

the spark you are using probably isn't hot enough. If I were you, id get a BBQ igniter. They make much better sparks and are pretty cheap.
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carlbelcher
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Sun Sep 24, 2006 7:51 pm

The whole... "hole in the pipe" ignition system is a BAD idea.
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drac
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Mon Sep 25, 2006 9:29 pm

Also, your chamber is way to long for the fuel to spread evenly. Use a 4inch chamber half the length, and it will work much better.

Get rid of that hole too, it's really not safe.

And demilus, spark heat really doesn't have much to do with ignition, the changes are probably minimal at best.
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zeigs spud
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Mon Oct 09, 2006 3:01 pm

carlbelcher wrote:The whole... "hole in the pipe" ignition system is a BAD idea.
yea for a technical "explosion" somthing has to be pressureized by a book definition but even jaming somthing in to a half a psi rofl will do womtin to help. the hole is bad idea cuz it vents your cannon, burn your hand, eventualy break the pipe (crack, ect.) get a grill lighter and drill to small hiles in for those then fill them in. then fill that big a$$ hole you got in lol... i like that cannon tho. for fuel...almost anything that is flamable or says don't go near open flame ect. In the rist lik10 ingredients it should have a word or two, mabey three that rymes with paine,propayn (s.p.) ect.
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