The Beginner

[PCGUY]

<div align="center">THE BEGINNER

Provided By Devin - <a href="http://www.cherryspotatoguns2.150m.com">www.cherryspotatoguns2.150m.com</a>

This cannon design is your basic combustion. If you haven't read the theory page then I advise doing so before building a cannon. I go over safety precautions and safe, effective building tips as well as how it works.

You will need the following for this project:
3' or 4' of 2" PVC (make sure it is SOLID white pressure rated, schedule 40 or higher). This will become the barrel.

1' or 1.5' of 3" PVC (same as before, must be schedule 40 or above). This will become the chamber

One 3"-2" reducing coupling (reduces from chamber to barrel).

One female 3" threaded coupling (this will attach to the end of the chamber).

One 3" clean out plug (this will fit into the female threaded coupling and complete the chamber).

One standard BBQ grill peizo igniter (can be purchased at any hardware store for around $5-$15...). this will be your ignition source.

2 screws which will conduct a spark and when screwed into the chamber allow a gap small enough for the spark to jump across.

One bottle of Right Guard.

One sack of potatoes.

Have fun, be careful, and enjoy.

Provided By Devin - <a href="http://www.cherryspotatoguns2.150m.com">www.cherryspotatoguns2.150m.com</a></div>

[No.Va]

wow, i actually just made one almost like that a few days ago, but im having problems with it, its made with ABS pipeand has a 3'' diameter, 14'' long chamber and a 2'' by 36'' barrel, i used a lantern sparker drilled into the endcap, but i dont like it at all, im gong to install the spark igniter, but i just have one problem, i can seem to get it to light, i was using butane froma lighter refill can, but no matter how much i used, (i went from a very little amount to a very large amount) but it only lit once, and even at that pooint the potato only went about 6 feet. i think it might be my shitty igniter idea but im also going to install the spark jump and buy some right guard soon. Any ideas for what my problems could be?

[spudshot]

you dont have a good fuel mix most likely, do you have something in the barrel? another problem would be that the lantern ignitor isnt sparking, i dont like using them because sometimes they dont spark, also you may have gotten the flint wet, making it not spark. i find that right guard is very easy to get a good fuel mix, you might want to try that.

[No.Va]

thanks, i sure will try that now, im also going to make an electric sparker as soon as i buy the parts. i also have a fan wired, i just have to hook it up the the cannon.

[crazykiwi]

hey im from new zealand and im making a basic combustion spud cannon and over here pvc piping is a *&%&ing rip of my end cap cost me 30 bucks alone but the acual pipe isnt dare i was wondering does it matter it i have a long combustion chamber its about twice the thickness of the barrel but its long will this effect the combustion in any way

[spudshot]

twice the thickness? do you mean twice the diameter or are the walls like schedule 80? a long combustion chamber wont hurt, but it will be hard to get a good fuel mix unless you use a chamber fan or have propane injection

[crazykiwi]

yea i ment diameter i finished now and it works it shoots like 80 meters with this crappy hairspray im going to get something else can anyone recomend anything also i use onions there easy to fit and are light and lubrecated well only prob is the smell but i can live with that.

[spudshot]

use rightguard deodorant in the brown can, also you're only gettin 80 meters because your fuel mix isnt good, try different amounts of fuel, but i'd wait till i got rightguard if i were you, hairspray will gum up your chamber

[longshot1068]

Hello,
I'm the new guy on the block, I have yet to build a cannon out of pvc- but my neighbor and I have been screwing around with a peice of cardboard tubing that has an I.D of appx 3" and is about 24" long. The walls are about 3/8" thick. I cut an end plug out of 1/2" plexi and fixed it into the the end. then I drilled a hole about an inch above the plug. we use a propane torch to fuel and fire it. We have been putting a plastic bottle inside the tube and then putting apples and pears and tangerines on top of it. we have been getting distances of about 100 yards out of this crude device. We want to upgrade so i looked around and found this place, should yield some good advice.

[rozby]

can i reduce the hole thing 1/2" cuz my spuds are small hear in WA do they make 1 1/2"to2 1/2" reducers

[CS]

You have 2.5" as your chamber? Man get a 4" chamber and use the 2.5" to shoot TB's. Anyways back on topic... McMaster might have that kinda reducer, but the chamber size is useless because of the rarety of fittings in the 2.5" area. Use either a 4" or 3" chamber then just get a reducer(s) down to 1.5". I also use 1.5" because seeing as the cheap potatos tend to be small They wont fit in 2" pipe.

[SpudStuff]

check on plumbingsupply.com for the reducer they have the worlds largest selection

[spudmonkey]

use static guard instead of right guard it works alot better

[SpudStuff]

use ropane its better that ll of them and very cheap $2-3 a tank 400+ shots per tank

[potatochickenboy]

it shoots like 80 meters with this crappy hairspray

a good fuel is propane!!! get a cheap welding torch and just dont use the igniter on the can!! it works great, make sure you buy the propane though not some other stuff.