marble shooter (now with videos and damage pics!)

[jook13]

So this is my newest effort. I don't have a name for it as its not quite done yet (still gotta paint it and replace that ugly tape with something more badass). It is about 6 foot 8 inches tall. The chamber includes 5 foot of 1 1/2 sch 40 pvc and a bunch of fittings. the barrel is 1/2 inch by about 4 foot, not sure the type of pvc, but it is pressure rated (said 318 psi on the side). It is much thinner than sch 40. I used it because it fits marbles and as a barrel it doesn't hold much pressure. I sleeved the barrel with some electrical conduit because it was flimsy otherwise. the conduit was just laying around in the garage.

I know the chamber size is overkill, but I don't care. I use a big and fast compressor and air is free.

The breech loading mechanism is something I have seen on these forums in a few threads (thanks for the inspiration!). Its a ball valve with a hole drilled in it. Its rated at 150 psi (the lowest rated piece on the gun? whats a 1 inch sprinkler rated at? I have heard people say they take theirs to 160.)

So yeah, I don't know how to use, or where to download that program to see the power I am getting, but I am happy with it. I didn't get the damage pics to the fence behind these items, but most marbles went through the 1/2 inch plywood AND the 3/4 inch pine fence planks.


I know I promised a piston when I posted my last sprinkler valve. I tried to build one and it was a semi-success at best. It was a mini coaxal copper (about 18 inches long) that shot a chunk of spud about 18 feet at best.

So yeah, here she is.

edited... added videos

can of spray paint getting shot...
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v13/j ... CF6784.flv

and a 3" diameter candle getting shot
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v13/j ... CF6786.flv

[jackssmirkingrevenge]

I use a big and fast compressor and air is free.

... but not the electricity/gas that powers the compressor

As to your launcher, aesthetics are clearly not a forte but the damage pics speak for themselves, good job

[Novacastrian]

I agree, the damage shots certainly are impressive.
VERY nice work.

[jackssmirkingrevenge]

by the way, shouldn't you have take the flash circuitry out of the camera first?

[jook13]

by the way, shouldn't you have take the flash circuitry out of the camera first?

haha, maybe. Call me old fashioned or call me retarded. But I prefer those flint twist igniters for my combustiones.

[Hubb]

I like it. Does the barrel have a detent to keep the ammo from rolling out?

[jrrdw]

Could your barrel be SDR? Did a job on that WD-40 can for sure. They are made from heavier gauge steel. Try a full can of Cambells soup. Nice!

[Carlman]

whats a 1 inch sprinkler rated at? I have heard people say they take theirs to 160

around 150 - 160 psi

down my way i can get sprinkler valves rated to 250psi though

[bluerussetboy]

obscure fact: every inch of pretty orange tape adds 50 fps and an additional 100' of distance.

[jook13]

obscure fact: every inch of pretty orange tape adds 50 fps and an additional 100' of distance.

Haha, I get the hint. The tape is just a placeholder till I figure out something better to secure the barrel to the chamber.

around 150 - 160 psi

down my way i can get sprinkler valves rated to 250psi though

right on, thats what I figured. And I wanna get my hands on one of those sprinklers!

Could your barrel be SDR? Did a job on that WD-40 can for sure. They are made from heavier gauge steel. Try a full can of Cambells soup. Nice!

It says pvc1120 on the side of it. I shot a can of green beans but didnt get a pic because I didnt want to bring the drippy can home (didnt have a camera with me). I am going out again today so expect more damage. a video perhaps?

I like it. Does the barrel have a detent to keep the ammo from rolling out?

Yup. The screw keeps the marbles from rolling back into the chamber and an O-ring is in there to keep things from rolling out the barrel. Though the marbles are kinda variable in size so the smallest ones still sometimes get past the o-ring

[jrrdw]

A video would be sweet! It's really neet looking to watch things explode when they get hit by simple little round objects.

[jook13]

I added a couple of videos to the original post....

[bigbob12345]

I like it nice and simple Ill have to make somthing that shoots marbles as I actually have not made a single marble shooter yet.

[jook13]

yeah man... marble shooters are funner en' hell... it kinda sucks because the marbles I get (from a craft store) kinda vary in size. Some are pretty loose in the barrel, and one or two per batch are too big. But for the most part they shoot close to the same. At about 40 yards I had a spread of around 6 inches. Not too bad, could be I am a bad shot? But my next gun will shoot 1/4 inch ball bearings, so it should be more accurate (if I find a barrel that fits them nice). And more powerfull since it will be all copper with a piston valve and a MUCH higher PSI.

[pizlo]

But my next gun will shoot 1/4 inch ball bearings, so it should be more accurate (if I find a barrel that fits them nice). And more powerfull since it will be all copper with a piston valve and a MUCH higher PSI.

Weird, I built a sprinkler valve pnue with the intention of shooting marbles with the same chamber and barrel,(one of my 3) size, and then A few days ago I drew up plants for my copper ball bearing gun with a 100% seal piston valve, and 400 PSI operating pressure. But I'm getting rock band and putting that dream off for a bit.

Man I HAVE to try that paint can thing, except for with my 20 marble grape shot rounds and 5 different colored cans, I could tydye a shirt.