SpudFiles

A friend of mine recently turned me on to the whole spud gun thing. After seeing everyone else's creations I have been itching to build my own. I don't have a ton of hardware lying around, and I wanted to get something going now, so I decided a mini pill bottle cannon would be a good shooter to start with. I put this thing together in less than an hour (had to wait for the epoxy to dry). I based it on PCGUY's pill shooter with my own modifications. I used a clear 2" pill bottle, a clear pen cylinder, two of those little hook screws used for hanging things, and a clicker and wires out of one of those long click lighters. It's very basic, but quick and very easy to make.
However I am having trouble getting the fuel to ignite. With the clear tube I can monitor the mechanics inside the chamber, and I can see that I am getting a good spark, but still no bang. As fuel I have used WD-40 and I have used Starting Fluid (aka. Diethyl Ether), but still no luck. Any advice?
Here's the pics...

WD 40 no longer has ingredients to make it a good fuel, starting fluid floods so easy its even hard to get to work in normal sized cannons

more...

Any advice on how to get a good mix?

one spritz of binacca and your good to go

Bedo wrote:one spritz of binacca and your good to go

Excuse my ignorance, but what is binacca?

its a breath freshener, it comes in little tiny spray bottles

u have that lighter right? use the butane from it, a second or two.

Ok, I'll try the butane. Man, I've tried isopropanyl, cologne, and a few other things but still no bang. I'm only giving it one spritz into the chamber. Should I let it evaporate a little before closing the chamber or should I close it immediately after adding the fuel?

King Pow nice mini. I like how everything is clear. Hope it will work for you, it would be disapointing if such a nice gun didnt fire. If your using liquids let it evoperate a little but if your using butane screw the lid on as soon as you are done injecting the fuel.

I don't get where I've gone wrong. I'd hate to just toss it, but I've tried everything I can get my hands on, and it still won't fire. Butane, BlowOff (butane & propane), ice remover (isopropanyl), etc...
I still haven't tried the banacca, but with the poor luck I'm having with all the other stuff it may just be a waste of time. or is it???
Man, I really want this thing to fire. I'm sure it would be a sweet little night shooter.

AH HA!! I tried the Banacca and IT WORKS! Being transparent, when it fires the whole thing lights up in a bright yellow glow! Thanks Bedo! My breath is minty fresh too! 8)

sweet, i'd love to see this thing lit up, great stuff! whats the range? etc? is ur ammo just those ear things?

julz wrote:sweet, i'd love to see this thing lit up, great stuff! whats the range? etc? is ur ammo just those ear things?

So far I have only tried shooting a few things. Q-tips, spit balls, rubber erasers out of the end of pencils, small rocks...
The range on the q-tips is about 50 feet. Everything else I have shot I have no idea. They fly so far and fast I have not been able to find them!
I have been shooting this thing so much I have worn the clicker out. Time to get a new one.
I'll be working on a full size cannon very soon.

use oust it works but it floods some times