V.A.L Piston Valved Antenna-Golfball-Nerf Launcher (video)

[MrCrowley]

Yeah there is recoil, it's fine holding it there. It's resting against my leg/plevis. I doubt it will slip into my crotch...hopefully not

[microman171]

Haha. Nice cannon BTW it ooks GREAT! How much NZD did it set you back?

[MrCrowley]

...a lot

My mum paid for half because it was a 'school project' and all. But I would've spent about $150NZD, I had some fittings already. So from scratch i'd say you're looking close to $400NZD, if not more.

[THUNDERLORD]

LOL, Nice side by side comparison yesterday MrC.
Perhaps the knee thing going was subconscious.
I knew there was something to that. 8)

[starman]

Ended up with about 15 offers to make one for people. All denied.

Maybe you should reconsider that one...could be a lucrative little money maker for you, at least enough to nicely fund the hobby for a while. It's not that hard to pump out parts by the multiples once you've got everything engineered.

Again, very nice gun there...congratulations on your success with it at school. Maybe you should take on a new alias....Angus... 8)

[microman171]

Wow! Not cheap

The gun that I have was $40 and I thought that was reasonable...

[MrCrowley]

Ended up with about 15 offers to make one for people. All denied.

Maybe you should reconsider that one...could be a lucrative little money maker for you, at least enough to nicely fund the hobby for a while. It's not that hard to pump out parts by the multiples once you've got everything engineered.

Again, very nice gun there...congratulations on your success with it at school. Maybe you should take on a new alias....Angus... 8)

Two reasons why I don't make a small business:

1) The law, bit dodgy. These are classed as air rifles, which means you have to be 18. No doubt in my mind a cop wouldn't hesitate one bit at taking it off you even if you are 18.

2) I don't want a bunch of loose teenagers running around the streets with these. They have no idea the power and no where near enough respect. I built it, I know it. They don't. A few people even asked to get shot at low pressure such as 10psi. Even though it would've done little harm, it's still not the most responsible thing to do and people will keep pushing it that one extra step.

But thanks for your comments anyway, I've always been tempted by the money I could make doing something I love.

Oh and i'm the biggest Randy Rhoads fan, I just played along with the Angus idea as THUNDERLORD had already brought it up

[microman171]

Well there are websites that sell kits... maybe you could sell E-Books or mostly complete kits, that way there is more involved and although there is still the teenages running around you know they wiull have more respect.

[THUNDERLORD]

...
Oh and i'm the biggest Randy Rhoads fan, I just played along with the Angus idea as THUNDERLORD had already brought it up

I wasn't saying you looked like him. Just reminded me of that.

I agree about the sale thing and the average peoples responsibility level.
Recently I was thinking the same thing. And all it would take is one incident and that would be trouble.

Maybe it's a better idea to make/sell flame throwers since they already have a bad rap? 8)

[starman]

I don't want a bunch of loose teenagers running around the streets with these. They have no idea the power and no where near enough respect. I built it, I know it. They don't. A few people even asked to get shot at low pressure such as 10psi. Even though it would've done little harm, it's still not the most responsible thing to do and people will keep pushing it that one extra step.

Good Lord man, ...you wouldn't sell 'em to anyone under age 21. Most of them wouldn't have the cash they would need to purchase one anyway. I would estimate that gun could go for say $300 - 450 US. I don't know about the market in NZ. Flea markets, word of mouth, the internet...maybe sell it in pieces...a semi-constructable... just thinking out loud here...

[MrCrowley]

I don't want a bunch of loose teenagers running around the streets with these. They have no idea the power and no where near enough respect. I built it, I know it. They don't. A few people even asked to get shot at low pressure such as 10psi. Even though it would've done little harm, it's still not the most responsible thing to do and people will keep pushing it that one extra step.

Good Lord man, ...you wouldn't sell 'em to anyone under age 21. Most of them wouldn't have the cash they would need to purchase one anyway. I would estimate that gun could go for say $300 - 450 US. I don't know about the market in NZ. Flea markets, word of mouth, the internet...maybe sell it in pieces...a semi-constructable... just thinking out loud here...

NZ'ers are pretty damn loose, I would limit the age to 40, but even 40 year olds here have a dark side.

I couldn't trust anybody with one, America has relatively light gun laws. In NZ it's pretty hard to get a gun, and if you do it would only be a small caliber rifle or shotgun. So most people aren't brought up with the same respect for firearms and dangerous weapons as Americans might be.

Loads of my brothers friends who are about 22-23 now, keep asking me to let them have it for a night so they can do drive-bys in their car. I tell them many times that a golfball will almost definitely kill someone, but they don't listen.

And most Kiwi's that age would be the same.

If someone did something bad with a gun I sold them, i'm certain I would get in trouble too.

[MrCrowley]

Made a nifty little spool winder today out of a small electric motor and a handle from a drill.

With only one 9v battery it winds up 80m of line in about 15 seconds, and that's slowing it down so I can guide the line over the spool. It has no torque whatsoever so the nerf has to be cut from the line before winding it up. Which isn't really a problem seeing as you'd have to anyway.

It looks ghetto but once I get into school I can tidy it up in Tech class on Tuesday.




If you haven't noticed already, the motor is inside the handle.
Here's a quick video of it spinning, the cable is tied off as i'm only demonstrating the speed

[starman]

That's pretty cool you were able to find a motor that would fit in that handle and able to mount and align the spool so well as to spin without wobbling.

I would have probably just chucked up the spindle on a drill motor and called it a day.

Nice work!

[THUNDERLORD]

Cool winder MrC.
LOL, It has so much speed it'd be funny to attach money to the string. And when lucky someone goes to pick it up, buzzzzzz and snatch it away

BTW,If you try that it please make a video. 8)

[Mitchza89]

Hmmm I reckon you may encounter a problem mate. I've recently gotten into lathed timber pistons and I've come across something... As you know that with compressed air, comes condensation... I've had the problem of the piston swelling and getting stuck in the piston housing.

It says your piston is water sealed, does that mean you've coated it with an epoxy or?

All the best,

Mitch.