INWOST, I realised I haven't built any launcher in nearly a year. I've done some modifications and tinkering, but nothing "new".
So, I looked at the "Drawing board" folder on my laptop for ideas - Counting up the individual sub-folders (I keep all information related to a given idea in a single folder) there are are more than I thought there were.
Just a few of the major ones:
- Cyclone (Modified vortex block design)
- Timberwolf (Semi-auto/Pump action shell loading pneumatic)
- Ball Lightning (Semi-auto gauss pistol)
- Deujakkan (Full automatic Hybrid -
Pronounced: Dew-Jah-Can)
- Helios (Electrothermal concept)
- 3vo (High velocity pneumatic -
Pronounced: Three-voe)
- Leviathan (1" bore hand-held pneumatic, capable of breaking 2000 ft-lbs and my wrist)
- A self-contained cartridge paintball gun (currently un-named)
- Gryphon (Co-axial advanced combustion)
And those are just some of the ones that try to do something significantly different - there are dozens more that are just fairly simple plans.
Currently, I'm leaning towards 3vo or Leviathan, as those are two of the lower budget projects, as well being within the area in which I have most experience (pneumatics of course!) and will allow me to further experiment with my advanced piston valve and high pressure breech designs.
As for choosing between the two, that's a harder choice.
Leviathan is going to allow me to experiment more, but I'd also be interested to see what the ideas I have for 3vo will allow it to achieve.
The power of Leviathan is tempting, although more than I could routinely use, as I just don't have the space to safely use those sorts of energies regularly - but (shock, horror) there isn't any requirement to use full power every shot. It's also rather bigger than I really like to make cannons, as it would have to be fired from the hip rather than the shoulder, but I can make an exception...
3vo is more modest in power than Leviathan at a maximum of "only" 650 ft-lbs, although at the low weight end of the ammo spectrum , I wouldn't be too surprised to break the sound barrier, considering all the "custom" design features and the planned pressure.
A quite difficult choice. Blast, if only I had somewhere I could discuss it with people who have some idea about the subject.
(Bear in mind, that there is more behind Leviathan than just more target damage - I do live in a suburban area, and although I have a gentlemen's agreement with the neighbours, I still can't be too blatant about my hobby)
They showed pictures of it to a guy who said it looks like a 12-pounder shell, and it probably has gunpowder in it! He said that people have been killed trying to defuse them, but they are safe otherwise. Yikes! 
). It is a 2" Goyen Quick Exhaust Valve. It really surprised me...I have only seen up to 1.5" QEV's on eBay, and even those are rare and expensive.
. Shipping was $12.00.
