SpudFiles

I'm in the very final stages of building a 1' galvanized steel piston cannon and my only snag is the piston. Either it doesn't seal at all or it does, leaks a ton, and then sucks the rubber into the barrel. I'm currently using a 1 inch wooden dowel with rubber bolted to the end as a piston.

If anyone has made a 1 inch steel piston valve before please do tell what you used for the piston.

Thanks

Go to a hardware store, and buy some 1 inch rubber O-rings , and a 1/4 inch or 1/2 inch bolt, and some nuts and metal washers. or you could get a 1 inch wine cork(most wine bottles have the right size), and Use some super stregnth epoxy and epoxy some truck tire innertube to the end, or some neoprene, or I have used a basketball, just cut out the right sized peice, it is really nice and thick. :kermit:

I am making one right now. my problem is that th episton doesn't slide that well with the seam in the pipe. this may be you rproblem also. I am going to try to sand it out.

pat123 wrote:I am making one right now. my problem is that th episton doesn't slide that well with the seam in the pipe. this may be you rproblem also. I am going to try to sand it out.

Dremel FTW

i don't have a dremel i think that i will get a dremel and a vice pretty soon.

look, i don't feel like writing a whole lot right now but if you ask i am sure i or someone else answers

I wish I could have 1 inch steel nipples...

I think one of the main problems is how rough the inside of the nipple is, I'm gonna try to sand it out.

Well I got the piston to seal every time but I'm having troubles actuating, all the air just rushes out the pilot. I'm using a 1/4" ball valve.

help would be great.

There are about 10 topics from only a few months back regarding this question. Just use the advance search to find them.

Not being mean or anything, they're a good source for information.

Well I got the piston to seal every time but I'm having troubles actuating, all the air just rushes out the pilot. I'm using a 1/4" ball valve.

i have the same problem. if i push the piston forward it will seal but not actuate with a blowgun. mine will with a 1/4"ball valve though. the inside of the pipe is just too rough.

I dremeled out my nipple (lulz) and it seals and fills fine but when I open my ball valve all the air just rushes out the ball valve, not the barrel.

Galv tee's are a bitch for pistons. I usually sleeve them with some copper or PVC to make it smooth.

Kobl,

Your piston is either to tight of a fit and is getting caught in the rough Galv, or it's not a good enough fit and the air is just going around the outside of the piston and out the pilot valve.

Yeah, I can now switch my pilot valve to a modded sprinkler cuz my brother and his hooligan freind just shattered the chamber of my old cannon. We'll see if that helps and if not its on to more drastic measures.

You shouldn't need a modded sprinkler valve to pilot a 1" piston and if you do, your piston is in poor shape and you have no where near the power you could.