YELLOW JACKET

Provided By - Splattered Starch

Yellow Jacket
(A coaxial piston exhaust valve cannon)

Specifications:
84"; x 2"; Smooth bore barrel
70"; x 4"; Chamber size
2:1 Chamber to barrel ratio
10-100 PSI Operating pressure
Piston exhaust Valve type

Special features:
Nitrogen filling setup
¼ quick disconnect for direct hookup to compressor hose as well as a Schrader valve
Removable barrel (uncommon in coaxial guns)
Modular design (in case of failure, which came in handy when a joint broke)

Description:
Yellow Jacket is a coaxial piston exhaust valve cannon. The piston exhaust valve design was selected for my first and only cannon due to its fast operating time, full porting, and simplicity of design. Construction took a weekend in the 2001 winter, one day at home and one in the machine shop. The most difficult part of construction was getting the 4"; by 2"; bushing down the 2"; barrel and trimming the end off the barrel to allow for proper valve operation.

The sprinkler valve was at one time operated electronically, however I discovered that it was just as easy to simply open the bleed lifter screw on the sprinkler valve to fire the cannon. The cannon requires a crew of 2 people to operate one to hold the cannon on his/her shoulder and aim, and another to fire. A stand would remedy the requirement of 2-person crew, however I have not settled on a stand design yet.

A nitrogen setup was later added to allow the cannon to travel further than the compressor hose. I find it to be an effective alternative to carbon dioxide. I was not keen of the fact that carbon dioxide gets very cold when it expands, much more than nitrogen. The nitrogen regulator allows for very consistent pressures, and high flow.

Provided By - Splattered Starch