SpudFiles

Hello everyone.
I’m new here so please bear with me.
Until 4 months ago, I'd never thought of building a golf ball cannon. Seeing some on the internet, I decided to take a stab at it. I’m sure my cannon is just the product of to much coffee to late at night but, this is my first....the 44mm HUNGUS. (Hungus/adj /related to slang/Large, unwieldy, usually unmanageable.)




The trigger assembly isn’t what I wanted but....it’s what I needed. Originally, I wanted an electric solenoid valve but, after trying many, I settled on a mechanical valve and trigger assembly. The discharge from the tank is extremely fast. In order to completely actuate the piston, The air behind it must be released at a very high speed. I found that solenoid valves, regardless of modification, provide a only a soft opening. The mechanical valve is extremely fast and provides a hard, positive opening.

That's What I'm talking about!!! I think you are definitely going to blow some minds with the quality of that monstrousity....

You need to get a chrony reading from that thing... and 300psi+ capable.... 'scuse me while I wipe the drool off my keyboard... And I'm one of the old farts on here so thats saying something...


And PLEASE clog this thread with pics.... There's a bunch of pic junkies on here, you're liable to get lynched if you DON"T post pics...

Welcome to the forum.
That is absolutely beautiful workmanship!

I really liked your choice for a launcher theme.

Enjoy!

jeep you are a young old fart!

Thanks Jeep
My wife is going away for a week so, while she's gone I'm starting the all new 'SUPER HUNGUS".

Out of curiousity, where do you live, USA I'm guessing, but what region???

If you're in the southeast we'll make sure and keep you posted on spudding/golfballing get togethers.... I'm gonna try to have one this summer sometime...

Jeep
Thanks for the thought but, I live in the southwest corner of Az.

Mind=blown.

So you basically build that entire "manifold" at the back yourself? That's impressive.

Impressive to say the least. Definitely not what I was expecting opening a thread titled "New Cannon"... I'd suggest you change the title so this thread doesn't get lost among the countless threads with similar titles.

What made you chose hex screws instead of making the parts threaded?
I like them a lot, they make they cannon look cleaner. Its something different that I don't see very often.

The spring loaded ball valve pilot is superb, from what I can tell you've rigged it up to so the cannon fires at the push of a button on the handle.

Don't worry about too many pics, I'd love some more, especially of some holes in that 20 gauge steel.

Keep up the good work! Welcome to Spudfiles!

@jeepkahn: Kind of reminds you of DD1 doesn't it

Mark,
I live on a farm but, I have a fairly well equipped machine shop. I designed every part on CAD/CAM software before actual machining the parts. It was actually harder to imagine the manifold than make it.

Daberno,
I used Hex head screws because I really like the look they give to a finished product. To me, they have and aerospace/ military/ scientific appearance. Where ever possible, I set them in a counterbore for strength and appearance.

daberno123 wrote:
@jeepkahn: Kind of reminds you of DD1 doesn't it

DD1 on steroids maybe.... If I had a machine shop, this is exactly the type of caffeine fueled OCD project you'd see me build.....

But, as of right now, I'm still saving up for the fittings for my copper "Decimater".... If I could sell a coupla launchers(the wifey doesn't see THAT money) I'd have some nice'ns to post up...

BOT, I second the motion for more pics, and Damage pics....

Work of art!
I am really impressed.

What do you fill it with, and how well does the scope work?

It's an absolutely stunning cannon, right down to the wheels on the bottom!

Jeep,
Per your (and others) request, I did some damage this morning and posted some pics on photobucket. This was my last sheet of galv. It was / is 24 ga x2'x4'. The shots were made at 100' ranging from 75-100psi. The galv sheet was attached to the front of my hay bale backstop. None of the metal deformation is enhanced except for the holes I bent back down and plugged with duct tape. It appears the velocity of the ball "slaps" the steel out of its way in order to bend it back so far. I did flip the sheet and shoot it from both sides. After the steel, the balls still penetrated far into the hay bales...some pushing golf ball size galv metal plugs ahead of them.

http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r240 ... US008.jpg?

http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r240 ... US007.jpg?


I also posted a few new (and better ) pics of the breach.
http://s145.photobucket.com/albums/r240 ... %20HUNGUS/

Bio,
Thank you for the compliment. I normally fill with shop air from the compressor but, it only delivers 125psi max. I've been filling with co2 from a cylinder to achieve 160 psi.

The scope is great! I bought it on Ebay for about $40 new and delivered. I find the accuracy is greatly increase with higher pressure and speed. At very high speed, the ball follows it assigned vector regardless of enertia from wayward spin. I also load the ball with a 3"x 3" swatch of paper towel wraped arount the rear of the ball for a wad. It forms a tight seal in the barrel and causes the ball to fly very straight.

*applause, applause*

truly magnificent! excellent work! This looks soo superb that i cannot even begin to describe it with words.

The only problem i see with it is that now you have to do even better for you next cannon

Oh, one last thing DAMAGE PICS!!!!!!!!

A couple boxes of SHCSs and a counterbore. Good stuff.

USGF