Cannon fusing together?

[Flying_Salt]

I was doing some "quiet shooting" with some hairspray and after a particilarly loud blast, I had trouble getting my end cap off. After prying it off with a big wrench, I noticed a section that was browned and smoking a little. Is there something wrong?

[SpudStuff]

You probably had a very good shot and the cap wasn't on good. The hairsray is like glue. That is why you cap was hard to get off.

[nicholai]

That sucker is burnt! This happens when a cannon is ignited with the cap off and continues to burn, it has been used a whole lot, or the cap/cleanout adaptor cooled much too quickly when molded which made the whole part(s) shrink. I would suggest tossing it away because you will probably end up blowing the cap(s) out. Typically the female threads are rendered useless by this point, the only option I know of is to cut the chamber where the cleanout adapter is and cement a new one on. This will shorten your chamber but save some pvc, especially if your barrel is not interchangable

edit: dammit spudstuff beat me to it. forgot to mention a loose cap

[Flying_Salt]

Yeah I think I may have had it cross-threaded when I put it on or something. Putting a new adapter on will be a little tricky though. My sparker hole is very close to where my existing adapter is, so I would have to cut that off and drill a new one...

[Flying_Salt]

EDIT: This picture shows how close my sparker is to my adapter.

(I know it's generic, but it's my first one, so I'm kinda attached to it...)

[MisterSteve124]

Not much you could do without redrilling the holes. I say just try and clean out the threads with a triangular file or a razor blade. OR don't use hairspray. Or were you using hairspray because you wanted it to be more quiet?

[mark.f]

Coat the threads on that cap with some teflon tape.

Heated air leaking through those threads at around 2,200 K, (just using propane as a model, hairspray probably burns colder), is bound to turn the female adapter brown, as well as burn the crap out of your hand if the leak gets bad enough.

[Flying_Salt]

Or were you using hairspray because you wanted it to be more quiet?

Yes, that's why I said I was doing "quiet" shooting

[squeaks]

the only option I know of is to cut the chamber where the cleanout adapter is and cement a new one on.

ATENTION!!! YOU CAN SAVE YOUR FITTINGS/PIPE!!!!!

All you need to do is cut about 4 vertical slices in the pipe/fitting attached to the pipe/fitting you want to save. Then with a hammer and a screwdriver, you work the screwdriver between the two parts and pry. I suggest that you work the screwdriver in on several spots for each slice before prying. If you do this correctly the solvent weld will break like a hot knife cutting through butter............well, not exactly like a hot knife but you get the idea.

[jrrdw]

I'm no expert, but i was thinking that you got some hairspray on the threads themselfs, and with a loose fit it cought fire and melted the parts together. If it was mine i would cut as little off as possible and glue another one on, remount your sparker and your done. Happy shooting!

Is there a echo in here, (i hear chrickets cherping now).

[Flying_Salt]

^^Yeah jrrdw probably has it