New Ignition System Design

Boom! The classic potato gun harnesses the combustion of flammable vapor. Show us your combustion spud gun and discuss fuels, ratios, safety, ignition systems, tools, and more.
User avatar
Karatedude13
Private
Private
Posts: 12
Joined: Tue Oct 17, 2006 7:34 pm
Location: Norcross, GA

Tue Oct 17, 2006 7:57 pm

I've never seen anyone mention this, so I think i've probably invented it. This being said, DON'T STEAL MY IDEA. I don't mind people using it, otherwise I wouldn't post it, but don't claim you created it. If you did, you'd have already said it.

Anyway, Here it is:

I have wire on the outside that runs out for 20 ft. that runs to an emergency car battery. Inside the chamber, I have 2 small alligator clips, between which I clip a model rocket igniter. The burning igniter sets it off. I found this an obvious ignition system, but from what I've seen, no one's ever used it, save for myself.

The specs on the cannon are this:

All PVC
Standard layout
1' long chamber (4" Diameter Sch 40)
4' long Barrel (2" diameter Sch 40)
Tapered, screw-off Barrel
Butane Powered
Max Range: 312 ft.

I built this cannon for a project I did last year, which I appropriately named "Operation POEN." (I loved the Acronym: Piss Off Entire Neighborhood.)
unipa
Private
Private
Posts: 12
Joined: Sun Oct 08, 2006 9:52 pm

Tue Oct 17, 2006 8:01 pm

that seams like it would be hard to reset.
djt
Specialist 3
Specialist 3
Posts: 387
Joined: Sat Mar 11, 2006 4:30 pm

Tue Oct 17, 2006 8:05 pm

the ignitors will ignite the fuel every time thats for sure. i think the reason alot of people dont use this method though is because you have to pay for each igniter as opposed to buying, say,a stun gun for 30 dollars and never having to pay again.
User avatar
ProfessorAmadeus
Sergeant
Sergeant
Posts: 1046
Joined: Fri Apr 28, 2006 5:39 pm
Location: texas

Tue Oct 17, 2006 8:57 pm

Its been used before. Not just for spud guns but also for remote igniting bombs. I found one on make.com just for this use.
Insomniac wrote:Hey why am I a goose???? Why not somthing a little more awe inspireing, like an eagle or something? LOL
SOO CUTE!! OMG!! I COULD JUST LICK YOU!!
User avatar
noname
First Sergeant 4
First Sergeant 4
Posts: 2698
Joined: Mon Apr 10, 2006 9:19 pm
Location: Bay Area, CA

Tue Oct 17, 2006 10:43 pm

I've used that before, although only once because I didn't want to replace the igniter...
User avatar
FiveseveN
Specialist 3
Specialist 3
Posts: 337
Joined: Fri Oct 14, 2005 5:48 am
Location: Nowhere
Contact:

Wed Oct 18, 2006 8:52 am

Hmm... using an electric match to ignite sh*t. Ya, I'm sure nobody thought of that before :wink:
It's like the guys said: not exactly a fast, reusable method. Even if you make your own matches, you're better off with a stun gun in the long run.
User avatar
Karatedude13
Private
Private
Posts: 12
Joined: Tue Oct 17, 2006 7:34 pm
Location: Norcross, GA

Wed Oct 18, 2006 2:04 pm

I never said that no one's ever thought of it, I'm saying that no one's ever said they've used it. And it's pretty simple to replace. That was the point of the alligator clips. Just open the clips and drop out the spent igniter, then put a new one in it's place. Takes 2 seconds, if that.
User avatar
zeigs spud
Corporal 2
Corporal 2
Posts: 657
Joined: Tue Apr 04, 2006 10:39 pm

Wed Oct 18, 2006 2:53 pm

glad your thinking. lol it would work, but i dought anyone would go through that much truble plus the cost of ignightores would add up.
User avatar
KVINCEO
Private 2
Private 2
Posts: 37
Joined: Wed Oct 04, 2006 5:03 pm

Wed Oct 18, 2006 3:23 pm

or a stun gun, click it and ur done.. then click it again... lol. not to bash the idea, i was gonna do it too, before i got a stun gun, just cuz it would be cheaper in the short run, and i hated useing a bbq lighter. after further thinking, i was just gonna get a model rocket engine, put it in the barrel and have a rocket launcher. i gave up
User avatar
Karatedude13
Private
Private
Posts: 12
Joined: Tue Oct 17, 2006 7:34 pm
Location: Norcross, GA

Thu Oct 19, 2006 6:44 am

Well, this is the broke spudgunner alternative. I don't have anywhere nearby where I can get a stun gun, so this is the next best thing. Plus, this is the best one for switching out different chambers, because you can switch out your chambers, which is my project. By the way, if anyone has any info on the affects of changing the volume of the chamber in relation to range, PM me. I have to have an interview as one of my sources, and this is where I think i can get one.
SpudBlaster15
First Sergeant 3
First Sergeant 3
Seychelles
Posts: 2400
Joined: Wed Oct 18, 2006 11:12 pm
Has thanked: 2 times
Been thanked: 10 times

Thu Oct 19, 2006 9:44 am

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Cras nec placerat erat. Vivamus dapibus egestas nunc, at eleifend neque. Suspendisse potenti. Sed dictum lacus eu nisl pretium vehicula. Ut faucibus hendrerit nisi. Integer ultricies orci eu ultrices malesuada. Fusce id mauris risus. Suspendisse finibus ligula et nisl rutrum efficitur. Vestibulum posuere erat pellentesque ornare venenatis. Integer commodo fermentum tortor in pharetra. Proin scelerisque consectetur posuere. Vestibulum molestie augue ac nibh feugiat scelerisque. Sed aliquet a nunc in mattis.
Last edited by SpudBlaster15 on Wed Jul 14, 2021 11:22 am, edited 2 times in total.
User avatar
jon2680
Private 2
Private 2
Posts: 39
Joined: Tue Oct 31, 2006 5:58 pm
Location: Alberta Canada

Thu Nov 02, 2006 2:58 pm

Karatedude13 good on you for trying something you felt was different.
It may not be the best idea but is certinly not the worst. The ignitors arent cheap, however they would be more rely able than a bbq lighter. (Cant seem to get them to light every time)

Creating an spark, is a bit of a science. Different matterials require different voltages. You can creat a spark bettween certin aluminized ceramics and stainless steel at about 7500 volts. How ever this is very expenseive. Or you can use a bbq ignigtor. My piont is do what works for you, you dont need to spend alot of money or have years of experince to creat a spark.

By the way battery charge bbq lightes work really slick. I think theyre about 25-30 dollars. And unlike stunn guns are safer to use.
User avatar
paaiyan
First Sergeant
First Sergeant
Posts: 2140
Joined: Wed Dec 27, 2006 10:03 pm
Location: Central Oklahoma
Been thanked: 1 time

Sat Dec 30, 2006 6:31 pm

That's extraordinarily similar to what I'm using. I've got 12 volts worth of batteries that put current through a metal/paper strip when I push a button. I didn't feel like buying rocket ignitors so I put the foil and paper together, the foil heats up enough to light the paper. I looked at some plans for a rocket ignitor and heavily modified them for my own devious purposes.
User avatar
mark.f
Sergeant Major 4
Sergeant Major 4
Eritrea
Posts: 3635
Joined: Sat May 06, 2006 11:18 am
Location: The Big Steezy
Has thanked: 57 times
Been thanked: 57 times
Contact:

Donating Members

Sat Dec 30, 2006 7:40 pm

karatedude13 wrote: I never said that no one's ever thought of it, I'm saying that no one's ever said they've used it. And it's pretty simple to replace. That was the point of the alligator clips. Just open the clips and drop out the spent igniter, then put a new one in it's place. Takes 2 seconds, if that.
And how much do you think it'd cost to launch about 10 pounds of russets with this method? It's nice to see some out-the-mainstream thinking, (trust me, it's REALLY great to see this after seeing so many people getting convinced that a 30 dollar stungun is the only way to go), but an igniter out of an Aim n' Flame, a modified disposable camera, or a scrap BBQ igniter all work better. Only use in my book for those little rocket igniters is to ignite solid propellants, and even then I don't use them, I just break open a christmas light bulb and slide in a short length of genuine blackmatch. :wink:
Post Reply