Pics and videos of my Softball Cannon

[xpitxbullx]

Here is a couple of pictures of my compression cannon with interchangeable barrels.

Before you flame me, all parts that weld ABS to PVC was done with "ABS to PVC Transition Cement" and reinforced with bolts and nuts.

The softball barrel has a long bolt running 6" above the fitting to allow the combustion chamber to be a little bigger. I got better results from doing that.

My girlfriend firing a softball
[youtube][/youtube]

Softball vs an oil drum trash can
[youtube][/youtube]


Jeff

[Rob Thornton]

Nice job mate.

I like the versatility of multiple barrels, just a little concerned that with the softball barrel your chamber/barrel ratio may be a little small?

But if it shoots well, i guess it's no matter...

ps. Nice girlfriend!!!!!

[MaxuS the 2nd]

That's a supremely small chamber to power that softball barrel.

[xpitxbullx]

The softball is seated 6" above the connection joint on a large bolt so that makes the combustion chamber a little bigger. With wadding, the softball is going about 150yrds before it lands. I could make it bigger but it fits so well in my car just the way it is.

Jeff

[MaxuS the 2nd]

I posted before I saw the first video. Yeah, it did quite a good job, well congratulations.

[SpudFarm]

you big piece of mucles there
that is a pretty good cannon the only thing is the beaten to death flow.

[THUNDERLORD]

Wow! that first vid I thought the softball would show up on the jet's radar or something.

BTW I like your avatar. I used to have two pit bulls, so everyone started leaving us one's that were neglected/abandoned. So I used to find them homes (mostly to rural areas). Sometimes we had 5 in that house at a time!!! 8)

[MrCrowley]

I hope those trash cans were yours...


I know it's unlikely, but if you did get caught, it's not doing any good for the already bad image spudguns have.


Nice cannon though.

[SpudFarm]

any dent pics of the drum afterwards?

and mrcrowley i am going to PM you about something

[xpitxbullx]

any dent pics of the drum afterwards?

You can see the dent in the trash can in the 2nd video.

Jeff

[bigbob12345]

Well great simple cannon you got there
I think it deserves a good propane meter though.And a pressure rated chamber

[starman]

Your c:b ratio when using that softball barrel is pretty darned low...like .25/1 or less. You are losing some performance with the barrel that long on that chamber. A barrel 1/2 or 1/3 that size would actually increase your performance.

However, it's kind of cool to see a low noise combustion in action...about the only good side effect of the long barrel.

Great effort on the interchangable barrels, indeed the gun as a whole. You can keep your barrels and design an advanced metered propane chamber to drive them.

BTW, the spud barrel could use some more length to it...another couple of feet would make a noticable difference.

Edit: OK just read where you placed the ball 6" up in the barrel. That's better, just dealing with the weird chamber constriction at the "breech". I still believe you should still try a shorter barrel with the ball seated at the breech.

[Boom_erang]

Nice cannon, man. Now I'm inspired to try an interchangeable barrel design. As others have pointed out, a larger chamber for that barrel will give you quite a bit more push... I don't think the overall gun would have to be longer. I'd suggest going to a 4" pipe for the chamber, maybe the same length or just a few inches longer. That is - if possible with the types of fittings you're using. I haven't gotten my wife to shoot one of mine yet... congrats!

[starman]

I'd suggest going to a 4" pipe for the chamber, maybe the same length or just a few inches longer.

Uuum that is 4" pipe on his chamber already....

[Boom_erang]

OOps... I missed that - scale I guess. OK - then longer!