The ever-popular "first cannon" topic.
Posted: Wed Dec 27, 2006 10:40 pm
Here's the specs. Keep in mind this is my first so it is rather simplistic. My total cannon length is about 8 1/2 feet. The chamber is 2 feet of 3-inch PVC with a female thread adapter and screw in cap on the rear. The front of the chamber has an adapter that drops it down to the 6 feet of 2-inch barrel. I did the calculations for the chamber to barrel volume ratio at the .8/1 ratio I found elsewhere on here. I can always cut down the barrel later should the need arise. Oh, and yes I did use SCH 40 PVC. I'm not entirely stupid.
It's all inline and I'm probably going to use Static Guard for fuel. Anyone got any ballpark ideas for how far I should be able to send a tater? I'll post pics of it once it's been completed, probably tomorrow.
Addendum: And as for the ignition system, I have two alligator clips attatched to the screw in cap that extend several inches into the chamber. they have heavy wires running through two holes in the cap sealed with epoxy. There'll be a thin wire strung between them. It resembles a model rocket ignitor, remote ignition. Basically just run a lot of current through the thin wire and heat it up a lot. If that can ignite the solid state fuel of a rocket I don't see any reason it wouldn't ignite volatile liquids.
It's all inline and I'm probably going to use Static Guard for fuel. Anyone got any ballpark ideas for how far I should be able to send a tater? I'll post pics of it once it's been completed, probably tomorrow.
Addendum: And as for the ignition system, I have two alligator clips attatched to the screw in cap that extend several inches into the chamber. they have heavy wires running through two holes in the cap sealed with epoxy. There'll be a thin wire strung between them. It resembles a model rocket ignitor, remote ignition. Basically just run a lot of current through the thin wire and heat it up a lot. If that can ignite the solid state fuel of a rocket I don't see any reason it wouldn't ignite volatile liquids.