SpudFiles

Hello all, it's been some time since I have done any work as far as cannons go (once you start, you can never truly stop building them!), but I was looking at getting back into things. I was thinking about making a cannon with a sprinkler valve that shoots golf balls. Before I can get started, I have four questions-

1. Where in a hardware store like Lowe's or the Home Depot can I find sprinkler valves? (There are tutorials innumerable as to how to mod the sprinkler valves, so I don't necessarily need to know how to do that). The other part to this is - I am fairly sure that there are 2 kinds of sprinkler valves. I know one is easier to mod than the other, could someone give me a heads up on which one to look out for?

2. If I use golf balls as ammunition, what is the best size PVC pipe to use that will give me the tightest seal?

3. Is there a portable way to compress air other than, say, a bicycle pump? (one that can be carried, and ideally doesn't require fuel or make a lot of noise)

4. Just for kicks... has anyone managed to make a "rocket" that holds airsoft bb's? I was wondering if i could make some just for show, but I can't come up with a reasonable means of making a rocket that splits apart in the air.

Thank you for your help.

umm ok
#1 in the yard department next to pvc pipes and pluming
i dont know what one easyer to mod than others

#2 i used (2) 2 inch pipes sleeved

#3 hpa tank regulated to low safe pressure

#4 i have no clue

For the barrel I suggest 11/2 in sdr 21 pvc pipe

Thanks, maybe I can dig around to find something to make one of those rockets

You could make like a shot gun shell for paper and tape. Just fill it with bbs and but a nose cone on it

I like that idea, sounds like a more portable version of what i have tried with previous cannons. What I did was take a whole bunch of tall grass and twist it into a knot so it fit in the barrel, then pack it down and pour bb's over it. The resulting shot was impressive, but not portable/easy to do. The paper and tape sounds nice and cheap

http://www.spudfiles.com/forums/shotgun ... 17589.html heres one

I know one is easier to mod than the other, could someone give me a heads up on which one to look out for?

typically the better ones have slant bases like this

the guide rod ones I believe tend to have flat bases like this I think

Are you looking to make a real rocket, or something that's shot out of a spudgun?

so you want to know if anyone has managed a safe bursting projectile, well there have been countless proposals and quite a few attempts in that area

http://www.spudfiles.com/forums/delay-b ... 16686.html
http://www.spudfiles.com/forums/air-del ... t6083.html
http://www.spudfiles.com/forums/pneumat ... 20454.html
http://www.spudfiles.com/forums/new-pne ... rt,15.html
http://www.spudfiles.com/forums/ca3-pda ... 15430.html

I think the last two links best fit your rocket description, they sorta work but didn't catch on

edit:
oh and here's another really crude one
http://www.spudfiles.com/forums/airsoft ... t8301.html

For shotshells have a look at this thread.

Also, cake!

In the two pictures above, the top one is the best to modify. The lower one with the solonoid in the center of the lid has a guide rod and other things to deal with in a mod such as a bleed hole in the center of the diaphragm. Avoid that Orbit model and others built like it.


Look at the flow of the top valve. The inlet goes to the outside of the diaphram area and the center seals the outlet pipe. The Solonoid port goes from the top of the diaphragm to the outlet pipe. This is the best configuration to modify. A little epoxy in the port and a blow gun on the lid over the diaphragm and your done.

ive got one for the rockets. 3oz Dixie cups (small bathroom ones) with 2 pieces of duct tape across the back in a X make a very effective explode-on-impact rocket thing that holds about ~400 BBS