first gun

by **Hamerish** » Fri Mar 02, 2007 1:40 pm

im thinking of making my first spud gun but two things i don't get one the ratio sizes, could someone tell me the sizes of PVC a small gun but with the right ratio. And also i think what is abs( i think thats what i read), is it just like PVC but different.
Thanks Rob

by **Gramanam011** » Fri Mar 02, 2007 2:46 pm

If you look at some of the stickies and go to the cumbustion section. I think you will find what you are looking for.
A small gun could be made with with about 18" of 3" pipe for the chamber. Then for the barrel you can use 28" of 1.5" pipe. This is taken directly from http://www.advancedspuds.com. I would recomend you personaly going there because I am more of a pneumatic person.
Have fun and be safe with it!

Also, you should try to fix your spelling, capitalization, and grammar.

Hope that helps! Welcome to the fourums!

by **Hamerish** » Fri Mar 02, 2007 3:54 pm

Thankyou

by **hi.** » Fri Mar 02, 2007 4:16 pm

What kind of igniter? The basic two are flint and bbq. Personally, I would use a flint. I have used both and like the flint much more. With a bbq the sparkers have to be just right, or else it dosnt work. The only drawback to a flint is you have to change the flint about every 100 to 200 shots, but they are cheap. You can get 10 for $1. Flints give a huge spark, bbq give off small sparks, but can be wired to have multiple sparks. and as for your question. flints, yes drill a hole and screw it in. bbq, go to http://www.advancedspuds.com . Use a flint because it cost alot less and it 100 times more reliable. Good luck

**Sponsored**

by **jimmy** » Fri Mar 02, 2007 5:01 pm

Flint ignitors have two main problems:

1. A flint igniter takes one hand to operate the ignition system. (With a piezo sparker you can use both hands to hold the gun since the piezo can be operated with one finger.)

2. It is difficult to get a flint sparker in the optimal position (near the ccenter) of the gun.

A flint is not "100 times" more reliable than a piezo. If the flint gets wet it stops working. I've used the same piezo for several years. I even move it from gun to gun. To move a piezo from gun to gun, just add aligator clips to the wires attached to the piezo.

by **BewareOfDog** » Sat Mar 03, 2007 3:06 am

BBQ ignitors have two main problems:

1. They suck.
&
2. They suck.

A bbq ignitor generally costs 4 to 5 times more than a flint ignitor.

You have to mount it on, or in something.

They require 2 electrodes.

After half-a-dozen or so shots within a 15 minute period, the ignitor decides that it "just doesn't feel" like making making a spark anymore and goes on a coffee break, then takes a nap.

Oh, and did I mention that they suck?

by **TurboSuper** » Sat Mar 03, 2007 8:18 am

I agree with DR on the price point, I definitely wouldn't buy one new. If you come across one in an old BBQ then it's very satisfactory for a free ignitor.

I prefer the electric BBQ ignitors, but they seem to be hard to find.

On another note, sometimes I ask people for the ignitor in the old BBQ they're throwing out. They usually say "I don't see why you'd want that, it's broken".

I always get it working...newbs[:p]

by **Hamerish** » Sat Mar 03, 2007 9:34 am

I did happen to have an old BBQ igniter, thats why i was thinking of using one, but i can't find it so i am guessing i have thrown it. So it looks like i will get a latern igniter, as long as i can find one. With a latern igniter, do you just need to screw it in then? or do i need a 'glue'.
Thanks for your replies

by **jimmy** » Sat Mar 03, 2007 5:04 pm

I don't know why people have so much problem with piezo ignitors. I have never had any problems. I've used both the Weber type BBQ replacments and piezos salvaged from lighters. I've also used flint sparkers.

Never had any problems with piezos. Never had a piezo fail to work.

I have had flint sparkers fail, way back in my "squirt-'n-screw" days.

Yes, piezos should be mounted on something. But that would be what you would call a handle or pistol grip. Since a nice gun has a handle anyway it isn't much of a problem. For anything except a mini, there is no way to use a flint sparker with a handle.

The big advantage is you can get the spark in the center of the chamber. Kind of hard to do with a flint sparker unless you have hands tiny enough to reach into the chamber to hold the flint sparkers nut, or you leave the nut off and just thread the sparker into the center of the chamber.

Also, pretty tough to do multiple sparks with a flint sparker.