::NEW VIDEO:: My first Combustion! Halo-Themed Decal

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.
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Coodude26
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Sun Apr 20, 2008 10:53 pm

Well, it all started one day when I watched a lot of the awesome cannons across the internet. I noticed a lot of items that could be used for a potato gun in a small hardware store about 2 blocks from my house...it had a barbecue sparker, all sorts of PVC pieces and pipes, PVC cements, hose clamps, tape, etc. So it was all a matter of putting it together.

It was finished sometime in mid March of this year. Since then it has gone under a lot of cosmetic, safety, and operational upgrades. It can now be launched kind of like a leaf blower, being that it can be shot horizontally near the hip held with 2 hands.

!!!Video Has Profanity!!!
[youtube][/youtube]
Oh yea...If you don't know I'm only 14. Oh well.


Specs:
Barbecue Sparker
1 1/2' x 3" PVC
3' x 2"PVC
3" x 2" Reducer
3" Coupler
3" Thread Adapter
Pretty Basic.
I will have a Youtube vid up within the week.

Enough talking, picture time!

http://s88.photobucket.com/albums/k171/ ... C01912.jpg

Here it is, next to a can of Static Guard.



http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k171/ ... C01913.jpg

The Halo Rocket Launcher decal!



http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k171/ ... C01914.jpg

The handle + sparker. Handle is strategically placed to be at the center of balance, so if you hold it by that handle it will not lean forward or back. Not pictured is an additional handle midway on the barrel.



http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k171/ ... C01924.jpg

Hung by the ceiling, showing its center of gravity is perfectly at the handle.


http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k171/ ... C01925.jpg

Another angle.

As I said before, a video will come soon.

Any questions or comments are welcome.
Please keep in mind that this is my first cannon, so while it's not that bad, it was only like $25 and I'm sure your superman-killing thousand dollar giant is better, but still...it's pretty damn sweet. Neighbors beware.

I have found the right amount of Static Guard to use, a little over one second and a spritz on the endcap. It's a lot more consistent.
Last edited by Coodude26 on Mon Apr 21, 2008 11:16 pm, edited 4 times in total.
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elitesniper
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Sun Apr 20, 2008 10:58 pm

Really nice, I like the use of the hose clamp as a handle, may I suggest wrapping some electrical tape around the handle as it may cut your hand.
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Coodude26
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Sun Apr 20, 2008 11:09 pm

Surprisingly, it's all pretty blunt. I have yet to have any physical pain (aside from purposely zapping myself to see how much it hurts - not that bad) from making this. An earlier version had the sparker just hoseclamped to the barrel and then I just took a metal file to the excess metal I cut and it evened it out pretty well.
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biggsauce
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Sun Apr 20, 2008 11:15 pm

it was only like $25 and I'm sure your superman-killing thousand dollar giant is better, but still...it's pretty damn sweet.
You might be suprised how easy it is to make on of those...
Paitience and a little extra money can get you quite a nice superman-killer :lol:

Yet it IS a nice cannon. Very clean, no purple jizz bath. But if you're looking for more, try a chambr fan. Once you get that mounted and you're looking for more, try a metering system. Your imagination is the limit man
THUNDERLORD
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Sun Apr 20, 2008 11:15 pm

Someone correct me if I'm wrong (I think a thousand people will comment similarly if I'm correct) But is that a bell reducer attaching the barrel?

Other than that Coodude26 , It looks like a perfect example picture for a standard combustion. Which is a good thing .

You will find many ideas to improve it or make one or that one more fancy here.
I'm not really into combustions but it looks just like one I had a long time ago that was pretty fun.
(Except mine had a shorter barrel and bigger chamber because I didn't know better).
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Coodude26
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Sun Apr 20, 2008 11:18 pm

THUNDERLORD wrote:Someone correct me if I'm wrong (I think a thousand people will comment similarly if I'm correct) But is that a bell reducer attaching the barrel?
Uh oh...is that bad?

And yes, now it's pretty bad-ass looking. Imagine the terminator in the position of holding the minigun, except a potato gun instead.
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bigbob12345
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Sun Apr 20, 2008 11:19 pm

Yes that is a bell reducer
It is a spray and pray combustion nothing is going to go wrong.
Anyway nice job
It seems you have done most of your "homework".
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biggsauce
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Sun Apr 20, 2008 11:21 pm

You're safe with the bell reducers, people will raise hell if you build a pneumatic with them though, as they aren't typically safe for that use. Besides, they look cool :P
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Blitz
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Sun Apr 20, 2008 11:22 pm

Nice cannon man.

Yeah that's a bell-reducer. Although that's not the optimal application, it's fine for a combustion like that.

Big is good!
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Coodude26
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Sun Apr 20, 2008 11:23 pm

bigbob12345 wrote:Yes that is a bell reducer
It is a spray and pray combustion nothing is going to go wrong.
Anyway nice job
It seems you have done most of your "homework".
Ha, I was pretty lucky actually - I learned about the C:B diameter ratio after I made it, and, luckily, 1.5:1 is perfect - mine is 3:2.
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bigbob12345
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Sun Apr 20, 2008 11:27 pm

Coodude26 wrote:
bigbob12345 wrote:Yes that is a bell reducer
It is a spray and pray combustion nothing is going to go wrong.
Anyway nice job
It seems you have done most of your "homework".
Ha, I was pretty lucky actually - I learned about the C:B diameter ratio after I made it, and, luckily, 1.5:1 is perfect - mine is 3:2.
It is a common misconception that the perfect ratio for combustions is 1.5:1 but its really 0.8:1. You dont really need to change anything because the power difference isnt *that* great.
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Coodude26
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Sun Apr 20, 2008 11:28 pm

hmmmm...oh well. It still turned out pretty well.

What did you guys think of the decal?
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Blitz
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Sun Apr 20, 2008 11:36 pm

Coodude26 wrote:hmmmm...oh well. It still turned out pretty well.

What did you guys think of the decal?
I thought it came out pretty nice. Whatcha do to make it?
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Coodude26
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Sun Apr 20, 2008 11:40 pm

actually it's pretty cheap...I photoshopped a picture of the word "SPNKr" and turned it into a black and white cutout. After I laid down a thin layer of e-tape and taped the cutout over it. I used a utility knife, made the cuts, and pulled back the tape - that last part was the coolest part, seeing it appear little by little.
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Blitz
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Sun Apr 20, 2008 11:43 pm

Oh I gotcha, good idea. I'd try to laminate my decals, if I choose to employ any. Looks pretty good though!
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