My first cannon, mini pill bottle

KingPow · Tue Sep 27, 2005 4:18 pm

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...

spudshot · Tue Sep 27, 2005 4:22 pm

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

KingPow · Tue Sep 27, 2005 4:22 pm

more...

KingPow · Tue Sep 27, 2005 4:47 pm

Any advice on how to get a good mix?

Bedo · Tue Sep 27, 2005 5:10 pm

one spritz of binacca and your good to go

KingPow · Tue Sep 27, 2005 5:20 pm

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

Excuse my ignorance, but what is binacca?

spudshot · Tue Sep 27, 2005 5:25 pm

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

saladtossser · Tue Sep 27, 2005 5:33 pm

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

KingPow · Tue Sep 27, 2005 9:34 pm

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?

Tue Sep 27, 2005 10:28 pm

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.

KingPow · Wed Sep 28, 2005 1:44 pm

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.

KingPow · Wed Sep 28, 2005 11:54 pm

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)

julz · Sat Oct 01, 2005 1:46 am

sweet, i'd love to see this thing lit up, great stuff!

whats the range? etc? is ur ammo just those ear things?

KingPow · Sat Oct 01, 2005 8:40 pm

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.

joemama · Fri Oct 21, 2005 8:43 pm

use oust it works but it floods some times

My first cannon, mini pill bottle

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