shirt cannon help

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dhoffroad
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Sat Jul 07, 2012 11:17 pm

ok so I put together a shirt cannon going off of some specs I found online. This is what I built http://kipkay.com/wp-content/uploads/20 ... uncher.pdf I also watched two different videos in which this gun was made (by different people) and they don't seem to have the problem I'm having.
Now I'm thinking its a valve problem and I need to mod the valve but I'm just making sure that if I mod the valve I will be getting what I want (since I already made up the electrical trigger) . I built this style cannon because I wanted to shoot a couple shirts before I had to re-pressurize the main holding tank, but what I'm getting is if I only shoot from the "shooting air chamber" the shirt barley gets out a few feet, but if I use the same pressure and use both tanks (shooting tank and main holding tank) it launches the shirt ok (still think I could get a little more distance). so basically at this point I have a one shot cannon and I wanted a multiple shot on a single charge. oh yea I do get the honking valve.

thanks Danny
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Technician1002
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Sat Jul 07, 2012 11:21 pm

That design is very ineffecient and low range by design. The restriction to go to a 1 inch valve severly limits flow. If you want shots further than about 30-50 feet, consider a much larger valve, and mod it.

When you up the effeciency of the valve, you can get by with a smaller firing chamber which uses less air. My marshmallow cannon with a 2.5 inch barrel 3 feet long can launch shirts about 200 feet on 100 PSI.

Image
Last edited by Technician1002 on Sat Jul 07, 2012 11:27 pm, edited 1 time in total.
dhoffroad
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Sat Jul 07, 2012 11:27 pm

well with using both tanks at 50 psi its getting a little over 100' distance with about 25+ foot of elevation, which is'nt all that bad for what I want, a little more distance would be good but according to things I found online with this design just over 100' distance at about 45psi in shooting chamber is what I should be getting not using both air chambers.
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Technician1002
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Sat Jul 07, 2012 11:30 pm

How the shirt is rolled and secured does affect the distance. Roll for a relatively snug fit so little air blows by.
Last edited by Technician1002 on Mon Jul 09, 2012 4:21 pm, edited 1 time in total.
dhoffroad
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Sat Jul 07, 2012 11:54 pm

here is a video I found on youtube he is shooting from the "shooting" chamber only and getting good distance and getting some honking ? mine is shooting like this but only using both air chambers. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TAfiRQaI ... detailpage
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mattyzip77
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Sun Jul 08, 2012 6:22 am

I would modify the valve and get rid of that whole u shape where the pvc ball valve is and make it a strait shot. You are restricting air flow in this area which is why your performance is limited.
Go Bruins!!!!
dhoffroad
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Sun Jul 08, 2012 9:04 am

the U shape and ball valve shouldn't be used during firing, thats just to transfer air from the storage tank to the shooting tank.....
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8tonsemi
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Sun Jul 08, 2012 9:47 am

Hey if you want to really improve your gun and its flow you should try a
1 1/2 inch diaphragm valve like matty and I use. Push on the link to see it.
http://www.spudfiles.com/forums/my-sole ... 24294.html
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mattyzip77
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Sun Jul 08, 2012 10:14 am

ohhhh now I see. Still I would modify the sprinkler valve for better performance as technician suggested. If its still not strong enough than you need a better and bigger valve. Also I dont know how much air pressure your using, but those bell reducers are not pressure rated. Some tend to frown upon those things around here!
Go Bruins!!!!
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8tonsemi
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Sun Jul 08, 2012 10:27 am

Thats because getting plastic shrapnel in you is no fun :D
dhoffroad
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Sun Jul 08, 2012 10:29 am

thanks. yea I know about not being pressure rated, going off other things I've found on this design I "SHOULD" only need to put 40-50 psi in the shooting tank to get the shirt to do 100', and putting 70-80 psi in the "reserve" tank should get me a couple extra shots, so the max that this will see is prob arround 80 psi, which by what I've seen arround here thats very low pressure...LOL
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8tonsemi
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Sun Jul 08, 2012 10:40 am

Hope it works well. DO you know how to solvent weld properly or not i'm just curious.
dhoffroad
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Sun Jul 08, 2012 9:25 pm

well I have done my share of PVC pipe work over the years for water and air, 1/2" through 4", and cant remember ever having a problem with my glue joints.....
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sgort87
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Mon Jul 09, 2012 5:45 am

Try this: http://www.ipexinc.com/Content/Registra ... Code=en-CA

You may learn a couple things. I certainly did, and will probably check it out again today for a refresher.
dhoffroad
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Tue Jul 10, 2012 8:38 pm

so a quick update. I modded my valve and now it shoots like I want it to !!! At 40psi. in just the shooting chamber I got a 145' x about 20"-25" of height shot !!! and I can now get multiple shots out of one fill
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