My ZOOKA for Baseball Practice
Here's my first attempt at a pneumatic cannon. I made it to fire tennis balls for my 9 y.o. son to practice baseball. So far I've only wired in the circuits so that the LED flashes along with a buzzer to countdown to the firing of the tennis ball. I've yet to set up the third circuit so the compressor starts and stops automatically. It took heaps of time to build but it was worth it. Anyone who sees us practicing wants a go.
- Attachments
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- The business end. That's an LED below the barrel end. It flashes and there's a buzzer to tell you when it's going to fire.
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- Left hand close up. The blue box houses the two 12 v batteries. The knob with the blue stripe (a car gear knob) is for adjusting elevation.
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- Right side view. That's the arm and fire switch hanging next to the orange air hose. It's a modified PC joy stick on a long lead.
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experament_u2
- Specialist 2
- Posts: 271
- Joined: Sun Aug 06, 2006 5:04 am
that is so kool i rely like it i need to make one
very good idear oh and welcome to spudfiles im looking forwards to more of ur guns 8)
very good idear oh and welcome to spudfiles im looking forwards to more of ur guns 8)
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ProfessorAmadeus
- Sergeant
- Posts: 1046
- Joined: Fri Apr 28, 2006 5:39 pm
- Location: texas
This is second profesional looking cannon that I have seen on the forums in 2 days. I really llike the stand and the saftey buzzing thing. How fast does it go? This would be alot cheaper to build than to buy one from the store. They cost like 1,000 dollars! I also like how you got every thing organized on it. It just looks soo profesional. Good Job!
SOO CUTE!! OMG!! I COULD JUST LICK YOU!!Insomniac wrote:Hey why am I a goose???? Why not somthing a little more awe inspireing, like an eagle or something? LOL
That setup looks amazing.
Looks like its all set to go as it is. Is the compressor running off a battery in that box?
Its always nice to see someone with a practical use for an air cannon
Come to that its nice to see any well designed cannon.
Looks like its all set to go as it is. Is the compressor running off a battery in that box?
Its always nice to see someone with a practical use for an air cannon
Come to that its nice to see any well designed cannon.
Noice!
Im going to go out on a limb here, but this is competing with the best of spudders cannons. Well as far as quality goes, as it is apparent your goal wasn’t to knockout your son out with a TB [power]. To see the level I’m talking about, visit NeoSpud.com. 'Mr. Plow' is among the best of spud gun builders, and in my honest opinion yours is just as nice, and innovative. Hell, this is your first build, while I have yet to build something comparable after my 10 or so cannons. Id also advise that you post this on SpudTech, as you will surely get a lot of positive feedback and props.
On top of that you got fricken' electronics... I assume you used a 555 timer or some MC's? If you wouldn’t mind I’m sure myself and other spudders would benefit from some schematics to the electronics. Although that’s at your discretion as you don’t have to show anyone, or invest time to present the schematics, and any other work that may accompany it.
Nice color scheme tossing up the neutral blacks and grays up with some blue PVC components, and box. Not only did the color scheme turn out nice, also did the texture of it. Might have to rob the color scheme on a future build.
On this smaller scale launcher, I’m really liking the vertical chamber hooked by what appears to be a long sweep elbow? Also it looks as if your got a ~1/4" solenoid valve? Just a few more questions if I may, the upper stand construction is wood, while the lower portion is a metal stand salvaged from something, or did you also build that as well? Also if I’m not mistaken you used a 'gear shifter handle' as to adjust elevation by inserting it into pre-drilled holes?
Very nice gun, like how everything you need for the operation of the gun is onboard, and so you only have to transport the gun itself. I don’t think I can express how nice this gun is. Very nice build, and thank you for taking your time to share your build with us. [That means build more cannons :-p]
How could I forget? Happy Thanksgiving!
Im going to go out on a limb here, but this is competing with the best of spudders cannons. Well as far as quality goes, as it is apparent your goal wasn’t to knockout your son out with a TB [power]. To see the level I’m talking about, visit NeoSpud.com. 'Mr. Plow' is among the best of spud gun builders, and in my honest opinion yours is just as nice, and innovative. Hell, this is your first build, while I have yet to build something comparable after my 10 or so cannons. Id also advise that you post this on SpudTech, as you will surely get a lot of positive feedback and props.
On top of that you got fricken' electronics... I assume you used a 555 timer or some MC's? If you wouldn’t mind I’m sure myself and other spudders would benefit from some schematics to the electronics. Although that’s at your discretion as you don’t have to show anyone, or invest time to present the schematics, and any other work that may accompany it.
Nice color scheme tossing up the neutral blacks and grays up with some blue PVC components, and box. Not only did the color scheme turn out nice, also did the texture of it. Might have to rob the color scheme on a future build.
On this smaller scale launcher, I’m really liking the vertical chamber hooked by what appears to be a long sweep elbow? Also it looks as if your got a ~1/4" solenoid valve? Just a few more questions if I may, the upper stand construction is wood, while the lower portion is a metal stand salvaged from something, or did you also build that as well? Also if I’m not mistaken you used a 'gear shifter handle' as to adjust elevation by inserting it into pre-drilled holes?
Very nice gun, like how everything you need for the operation of the gun is onboard, and so you only have to transport the gun itself. I don’t think I can express how nice this gun is. Very nice build, and thank you for taking your time to share your build with us. [That means build more cannons :-p]
How could I forget? Happy Thanksgiving!
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SpudStuff
- Sergeant 5
- Posts: 1410
- Joined: Sat Dec 10, 2005 3:55 pm
- Location: Cupertino, California
- Contact:
Wow you are right that is one of the nicest cannons in a long time! The thing looks almost too powerful! Is this for a team?
The only thing I see as being a problem is the fact that the chamber appears to be supported only by that elbow. Or is there something i am missing? Also that Reducer one the chamber? Is it pressure rated? It appears to be due to the thickness and the long socket length.
The only thing I see as being a problem is the fact that the chamber appears to be supported only by that elbow. Or is there something i am missing? Also that Reducer one the chamber? Is it pressure rated? It appears to be due to the thickness and the long socket length.
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pyromanic13
- Corporal 5
- Posts: 913
- Joined: Wed Oct 19, 2005 7:54 pm
very nice cannon, but why didn't you go with the spinning wheel approach?
Movie dialogue: "The good die first."
Tom: "But most of us are morally ambiguous, which explains our random dying
patterns."
Tom: "But most of us are morally ambiguous, which explains our random dying
patterns."
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ProfessorAmadeus
- Sergeant
- Posts: 1046
- Joined: Fri Apr 28, 2006 5:39 pm
- Location: texas
Well spudStuff, I dont think hes going to be shooting stuff at his kid at over 60 psi so I think it would be fine.
SOO CUTE!! OMG!! I COULD JUST LICK YOU!!Insomniac wrote:Hey why am I a goose???? Why not somthing a little more awe inspireing, like an eagle or something? LOL
Thanks for the complements guys. 
I'll try to answer your questions. First up, I sprayed it blue after my son's team colours. All tube and plumbing are high pressure. The chamber is 95mm ID and the barrel is 65mm ID.
That is a steel elbow from the chamber to the valve. It suited the layout and gave me something to tap into for the gauge and the air line. I had to put the chamber up so I could get the elevation. Otherwise it hit the stand. You can put it nearly vertical and fill the barrel with water. Pump it up to 70 psi and you douse everything. You put a ball in as well and you never find the ball again. The stand is a modified roller guide I had for my Triton saw bench. It folds up and is height adjustable.
The 4WD tyre compressor is powered by 2 batteries from an electric scooter. They are 12V 4.5AH in parallel. One would probably have been enough. The box they're in is a spare water quality test kit box.
The elev adjuster was an old shifter knob. I modified it and sprayed it to match.
The circuits come as kits. One was an adjustable timer I modified to countdown from 4 secs. It activates the other which is an electronic metronome which I modded so instead of clicking each second it would activate a buzzer and LED together so you get visual and aural count down to firing. The top button on the joy stick sets it all going. On the fourth beep/flash you pull the trigger to fire it.
I'll give some more details later. My internet just fell over. I'll have to fix it. And have a beer. Catch ya!
I'll try to answer your questions. First up, I sprayed it blue after my son's team colours. All tube and plumbing are high pressure. The chamber is 95mm ID and the barrel is 65mm ID. That is a steel elbow from the chamber to the valve. It suited the layout and gave me something to tap into for the gauge and the air line. I had to put the chamber up so I could get the elevation. Otherwise it hit the stand. You can put it nearly vertical and fill the barrel with water. Pump it up to 70 psi and you douse everything. You put a ball in as well and you never find the ball again. The stand is a modified roller guide I had for my Triton saw bench. It folds up and is height adjustable.
The 4WD tyre compressor is powered by 2 batteries from an electric scooter. They are 12V 4.5AH in parallel. One would probably have been enough. The box they're in is a spare water quality test kit box.
The elev adjuster was an old shifter knob. I modified it and sprayed it to match.
The circuits come as kits. One was an adjustable timer I modified to countdown from 4 secs. It activates the other which is an electronic metronome which I modded so instead of clicking each second it would activate a buzzer and LED together so you get visual and aural count down to firing. The top button on the joy stick sets it all going. On the fourth beep/flash you pull the trigger to fire it.
I'll give some more details later. My internet just fell over. I'll have to fix it. And have a beer. Catch ya!
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jrrdw
- Moderator
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WOW, all you need now is a big hopper to put the balls in, unless you don't mind loading them one at a time. Very good thinking into this build. How long did it take you from planing to the finished cannon? Great benifit to the team, i'm guessing all the team members want one of thier own. Very nicely done.
