Pneumatic copper spudgun.

Show us your pneumatic spud gun! Discuss pneumatic (compressed gas) powered potato guns and related accessories. Valve types, actuation, pipe, materials, fittings, compressors, safety, gas choices, and more.
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CpTn_lAw
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Thu Feb 16, 2006 12:02 pm

This is my second cannon. It hasn't any particular name. It is made out of copper and PVC.
Here in france we haven't sch40 pvc and i didn't want to spend extra money buying it from another country.
The air tank is a 20" x 1.5" copper pipe, which is stopped by a 1.5" elbow and an brass endcap. all the pieces are superglued, as superglue can handle much more than any of my spudguns would ever take. I usually pump it to 5bars (80psi) and it shoot pretty well, with some noise. Image
My barrels are a 1/2"(1m) , a .40 cal which is small (30cm) and a potato cannon, 1.5".
ImageHere is the .40cal cannon, with which i shoot pieces of chalk and steel BB's. These one usually get through 300-500 pages of paper.Image
Here is the adaptor i made for the .40cal, it's made from electrical conduit pvc .the ring is for the adaptor of the sprinkler valve.
Imagethis is the potato cannon, made of non scheduled pvc (still 4mm thick) shoot potato out of sight, depending on the pressure involved in the shot.Image
And this is what it looks like when aiming.

This canon is great for it's small size. it's powerful and can reach up to 700 fps with marbles (3 grams , 16mm).
I am currently thinking of adding a blow gun for trigger-style actuation, unfortunatly my last blowgun had a too small flow and didn't open the valve quick enough. For the moment, i am using a ball valve actuation for the sprinklr valve.
I will soon get a 3/4" barrel for paintballs!
You will excuse me for my poor english, i'm trying to do my best (i'm 17 yrs old french guy!!)
ChickenChucker
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Thu Feb 16, 2006 1:49 pm

Nice launcher! Your english is just fine, clear and understandable... don't sweat it.
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CpTn_lAw
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Thu Feb 16, 2006 2:35 pm

thanks!! i've added a blowgun with a homemade union between the hose and the blowgun!! it's much more fun to shoot with it now!! i'll try to do some destruction pics!
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theexp
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Thu Feb 16, 2006 10:57 pm

Do you know how to solder? It's probably pretty wise to do so, becuase it will make it alot stronger. Its not too hard. i would practice a wee bit before doing it on a cannon.
Its not that expensive (i don't know about france) to start up all you need is some solder a propane torch and some flux
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CpTn_lAw
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Fri Feb 17, 2006 5:18 am

Well i think I know how to solder, but you know, my parents aren't particularly ok with spudguns. I think you need to heat the copper up to 600 °C or so, and then you can join the parts together as the metal will stay glued on copper. I have a propane torch, but my parents wouldn't let me do it. when i'm 18 (in 8 months, i will do it. Thanks for the advise
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CS
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Fri Feb 17, 2006 5:29 am

NICE GUN!
Very clean look! I dont think soldering would be necessary for pressures around 80 psi. If you were to charge with CO2 that would be a different story. You could solder just for safty measures though.

Im must say im always amazed at others ablity to learn other languages. Geez, the only words that I know that arent english is a couple of spanish swear words (My mexican freind also told me how to say "border patrol" in spanish).
spudshot
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Fri Feb 17, 2006 9:12 am

captn, you need flux and solder to solder the pipes, just heating them up wont do. its a bitch to solder pipes if its just one person, or if you dont have a vise.
Image
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CpTn_lAw
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Fri Feb 17, 2006 9:42 am

thanks everyone for all this feedback!! it's pleasant to see other people answer!!
@Pimpman : i'm learning since i was 5....lol so that makes some kind of a practicing! When i travel with my father, I usually speak english without problems, even if it isn't totally fluent.
@Spudshot : Yeah i need solder and flux, in fact, i don't know the meaning of "flux" nor "vise" but i think that flux is the blue paste you solder with the solder to help it maintain the pipes together. For the moment, i'm working for my blank exams, so i might try with my father to solder the pipes and the endcap later (something around the next few weeks).
Cya around later.
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Copperboy
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Wed Mar 01, 2006 12:23 pm

Flux= paste that removes the grease
vise= a screw-stand
Am I right? :) Nice gun, copper is lovely (except when the soldering leaks)
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