New Potato Gun User, Please Help

[jimmy101]

Anyways, currently I am waiting for my mom to come with a new can of axe.

Axe is a common fuel. Personally, I would suggest a NOOB start with a disposable butane lighter. It's cheaper and there isn't anything in it that will gunk up the inside of the gun. MAPP is good but a bit $$ since you'll also need a torch head (ot at least a valve). Long term, figure you'll spend the $$ and use either propane or MAPP.

So once it arrives, I will record my first potato gun shot into one of the new houses in my new area.

Now all you have to do is get the mixture correct. I suspect it take a few tries. If you have an farm supply store nearby you might get a 60cc plastic syringe (~$2). That, plus a disposable butane lighter, is the cheapest fuel meter you can build. It'll be a lot more consistent, and powerful, than spray-n-pray fueling.

Btw, about the cap situation, as i mentioned before, it was too tight to close...
Am i suppose to tighten the cap all the way? or ...

anyways i've been taken a sand paper to sand in between the threads of the cap and its getting a little big looser and looser.

The first thing to do is to use a razor (or small file, or sand paper) to clean up the flashing marks in the threads. Latke has a page that discusses cleaning up the threads. If the threads are banged up then clean that up as well.

The cap shouldn't screw on all the way. IIRC, the cap is a pipe thread, that means the threads are supposed to tighten up as the cap is installed. The cap should stop turning with a couple threads still showing. The cap will leak a bit since it really isn't designed for a pressurized system. Minor leakage is no big concern. Big jets of burning fuel would be a problem but I've never heard of that hapening.

[nosebleedXD]

HAHA it was amazing, i was like work dammit, click click click BOOM

was not that powerful as i expected it to but i guess its cause my ammo was not the best and did not fit in the barrel snugly leaving some gap

oh and how long should i spray my axe into my combustion chamber for

[nosebleedXD]

ok i have a problem guys, my cap flew out from the back like 5 times

scared the crap out of me

so if me 5 minutes and i'll show you guys a video i uploaded

do you guys have like a diagram to show me how to make a wrench or something for the cap

mine isn't that effective as for poorly done

p.s any good cheap fuels i could find at local grocery stores or something. i bought axe at sobeys costed me 7 dollars, not that great, and i don't use axe really for personal axe

[nosebleedXD]

[youtube][/youtube][/i]

[Deadeye]

Sounds like your cap is done... Time for a new one.
I suspect it was all that sanding.
You know the same force that makes it hard to turn is part of the force that holds it together.
If that cap blew out 5 times I got a believe you have torn away most of the useful threads.
That's why I suggested a wire brush - it gets down into the threads and removes any foreign matter, but it's hard for you to damage anything.
Re Fuel, here is an interesting test which may give you some ideas.
My preference is gumout
http://www.spudgun.com/FPOWER.HTM

I am sure there will be 5 more times at least that the cap flies off, so take precautions, not only for where it is likely to fly but there will be flames chasing it which can burn you in most cases.

Futhermore keep in mind that you may be damaging the female threads on your cleanout each time - don't say I didn't warn you $$$$.

Someone mentioned you check this out - not sure if you took them up on it but here it is anyway - http://www.burntlatke.com/cleanout.html

As far as the wrench - "I beleive the horse is out of the barn" but refer back to your previous thread where I described it. This all comes down to the type of cap you have - it was NOT featured in your photos so you may want to upload a snap - If you don't have the square protrusion there is no point in going to the trouble of telling you more on the wrench - at that point you'll likely need a rubber pipe strap wrench.

Let's see cap pic, threads two if you can, and for pete's sake be careful, 1st time you get a extra good tater seal & just the right mix - your going find out what that cap can really do.

[nosebleedXD]

ROFL ok my problem is i dont think i screwed the cap on good enough

these dam abs piping, as i see videos on youtube, everyone uses pvc, easy as hell to screw on

just give me a sec to upload a pic of cap

[Deadeye]

Ok sorry to double post, but I have now seen your vid - nice job on that BTW. Dramamine not included.

You really need a freund or mom to shoot the vid - so we can see what is going on instead of the blair witch thing you showed - We need to see you screw the thing on how many turns etc...

Couple things I did see. You do have the cap I was referring to - that's good. so you just need to measure it and then cut a three sided square opening into a piece a wood just that size, be sure to leave enough wood around the square to provide support - it is more than you might think otherwise it will crack the board.

Again, this likely won't fix your current problem but will come in handy tomorrow after your trip to the H-store to buy a cap.

Lastly, again, not now but after you get your cap thing fixed - you will need a tighter fit on the bullet and a plunger to get it all the way in - I hesitate to tell you this now but hope that you will respect the order in which I am instructing you on.

You do get extra credit - For not over-fueling - if anything you might be a little under - but I have never used the 7$ Ax.
Just for kicks try fueling and then loading - it typically pushes some fresh air in and sort of mixes it (like a fan) -- might help.

[nosebleedXD]

rofl so does the bullet have to be tighter and do you still want a picture of my cap of how damaged it is

[nosebleedXD]

check out my cap

[Deadeye]

I don't need the backside that has been established, but shoot one of the cap threads and the female threads on the cleanout so I can maybe see what all you will be buying tomorrow.

Yes the bullet needs to be tighter - AFTER WE GET THE CAP TO STAY PUT - NOT BEFORE

The more resistance the ammo has the more pressure that is allowed to build up in the chamber before the ammo even moves which dramatically increases power.

On loose ammo it leaves the barrel too early and wastes part of the combustion.

Looks like you can just add some tape.

[nosebleedXD]

i think if i just tighten the cap more its fine cause it wasn't even like half way in as i'll take a screen shot how much i screwed in

i'll try again tomorrow

[nosebleedXD]

check it out yo oh and i checked it out, the cap has 3 threads, and 1 of them doesn't go in

[starman]

Yo?...

You're not getting enough threads screwed in there... pretty obvious I guess. You need to get at least 3 or 4 screwed in. You may need to file some flashing from between the threads....and also, wind a couple of layers of teflon tape on them.

Most of us have had a clean out cap blow out the back, a pretty common happening with spray n prays.

The axe should be fine. Looks like you didn't use enough however and you are waiting too long before screwing on the cap.

[nosebleedXD]

ROFL its the cap problem untill i find a way to unscrew it without it getting stuck then i'll close it all the way for now =] THANKS everyone

[iisthemuffin]

I assume you dont bother reading entire posts if they are too long. Deadeye has suggested, more than once now, a very reliable homemade wrench. And if you dont want to take his adive you could get a bike intertube and wrap it thightly around the cap and twist that.

Also, broaden your vocabulary. I find your overuse of the phrase "rofl" irritating. And as i read, some one else agrees.

Nothing i have read in this thread has even made me chuckle the tiniest bit. If you dont choose a different phrase atleast use the one your hooked on in the right context.