Piston probloms

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.
User avatar
turbohacker
Specialist 3
Specialist 3
Posts: 392
Joined: Wed Dec 20, 2006 12:34 am

Sun Apr 08, 2007 6:09 pm

this is my firt piston gun. I have been building pnumatics for quite a while but i cant seem to get this dang piston to work :evil:
the pison seals well but when i exaust it only air from behind the pison leaves, the piston will not slam back. when te pressure is relived then the pison will slide back. any suggestions?[/img]
Attachments
close up of piston
close up of piston
gun opened
gun opened
full gun
full gun
User avatar
A-98
Corporal 5
Corporal 5
Posts: 921
Joined: Thu Apr 27, 2006 7:41 pm
Location: Santa Barbara, CA

Sun Apr 08, 2007 6:11 pm

ive had that happen to me, and i couldnt fix it. other people will probably answer your question tho. and ide like to know the answer
There are rules, and then there are hundred dollar bills.
User avatar
benstern
Corporal 5
Corporal 5
Posts: 908
Joined: Wed Sep 21, 2005 8:24 pm

Donating Members

Sun Apr 08, 2007 6:12 pm

Is the piston lubricated? If not it may not move because of friction.
How big is the chamber?
User avatar
spudthug
Corporal 5
Corporal 5
Posts: 936
Joined: Mon Feb 26, 2007 9:02 pm
Location: johnsonburg, Pa USA
Contact:

Sun Apr 08, 2007 6:17 pm

yes rubber is very tricky to get to move....lube it up wtih gun oil......alot of gun oil if it doesnt work...maybe the inside of ur chamber is rough/bumpy??sand it a bit just to be sure...fine grit sandpaper 250 grit+ only u will rough it more if u use any less grit..
4" piston valved cannon-half done..( i spilt my cement...)

Hybrid- 75% done. need to build propane holder and drill/tap sparkplug hole..
User avatar
jrrdw
Moderator
Moderator
United States of America
Posts: 6572
Joined: Wed Nov 16, 2005 5:11 pm
Location: Maryland
Has thanked: 39 times
Been thanked: 22 times
Contact:

Donating Members

Sun Apr 08, 2007 6:17 pm

Can't really see how much pilot volume you have. Do you get a little amount of air out of the sprinkler valve, or does the whole main chamber empty out of the sprinkler valve?
User avatar
turbohacker
Specialist 3
Specialist 3
Posts: 392
Joined: Wed Dec 20, 2006 12:34 am

Sun Apr 08, 2007 6:18 pm

chainber is around the barrel
3 inch outer pipe for resivior and two inch inner pipe for barrel
ps. it is lubed extremly well
Last edited by turbohacker on Sun Apr 08, 2007 6:25 pm, edited 1 time in total.
keep_it_real
Specialist 3
Specialist 3
Posts: 320
Joined: Sat Dec 23, 2006 4:41 pm
Location: Bend, Oregon

Sun Apr 08, 2007 6:21 pm

I would make a lot more chamber volume. I doesn't look like you have very much. Make sure the piston slides pretty easily but it should also seal pretty well against the pipe.
User avatar
jrrdw
Moderator
Moderator
United States of America
Posts: 6572
Joined: Wed Nov 16, 2005 5:11 pm
Location: Maryland
Has thanked: 39 times
Been thanked: 22 times
Contact:

Donating Members

Sun Apr 08, 2007 6:22 pm

Do you have enough of a pilot chamber for piston to retreat into?
User avatar
experament-u2
Specialist 4
Specialist 4
Posts: 469
Joined: Tue Dec 26, 2006 11:18 pm

Sun Apr 08, 2007 8:47 pm

this is the exact problem i had a few days ago
i fixed it by adding a oring and cutting the size of my piston down but im not sure how u could do that to urs
User avatar
hi
Staff Sergeant 2
Staff Sergeant 2
Posts: 1619
Joined: Thu Feb 01, 2007 9:28 pm

Sun Apr 08, 2007 9:44 pm

i had that exact same problem with my first coaxial. the solution is simple, your piston is too loose int the chamber. you need to make it fit better and put a little oil on it and it ill work fine. your piston isnt exactly round, it close, but not quite. it need to be perfecly round and fit in the chamber just right.
Matheusilla
Specialist
Specialist
Posts: 140
Joined: Tue Feb 13, 2007 7:43 pm

Mon Apr 09, 2007 10:17 am

I agree with "hi". Your piston is probably too loose. There are many ways to make it fit better, it just depends on what you have to use/work with.
User avatar
deusXmachina
Private 4
Private 4
Posts: 83
Joined: Sun Feb 25, 2007 6:06 pm

Tue Apr 10, 2007 12:44 pm

It's too thin to put o-rings around easily, but Ive heard a few layers of duct tape/painters tape work, just make sure they don't come loose and get lodged in the pilot assembly.
"On a scale from 1-10, I hope you fall in front of a bus."

:white stuff pours out of piston: "What is that? It looks like milk."
"....<i>Well...</i> it's not milk."

YAAAAAAAAYYYY WE'RE DOOMED!
Freefall
Private 3
Private 3
Posts: 49
Joined: Sat Mar 17, 2007 4:04 pm
Been thanked: 1 time

Tue Apr 10, 2007 12:52 pm

When you try to fire, does the chamber completely depressurize? At first glance, I'd guess that you're leaking too much air past the piston, which prevents the force imbalance needed to drive the piston open.
User avatar
tater36
Private 2
Private 2
Posts: 30
Joined: Tue Mar 27, 2007 9:02 pm

Tue Apr 10, 2007 4:15 pm

if i use an end cap for my piston on my first would multiple wraps of duct tape work to let air get past but still work?
User avatar
Blitz
Corporal 2
Corporal 2
United States of America
Posts: 627
Joined: Sat Apr 07, 2007 1:48 am
Location: Illinois
Been thanked: 3 times

Tue Apr 10, 2007 4:26 pm

tater36 wrote:if i use an end cap for my piston on my first would multiple wraps of duct tape work to let air get past but still work?
Dude, start your own thread to ask that.

What exactly is that piston made of? What kind of rubber?
Post Reply