First Attempt

Boom! The classic potato gun harnesses the combustion of flammable vapor. Show us your combustion spud gun and discuss fuels, ratios, safety, ignition systems, tools, and more.
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VEGEMITEMODDER
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Sat Aug 12, 2006 7:58 am

Hi all

I am new to this site/forums and would like to say some of the work I'v seen is just amazing.

But I would like to get some advice from the pro's as me and me mates have been having some trouble with the fuel/air mix in our cannon.

we are using part WD40 and part deoderant with a car coil igniton.
I think we might need to get more Air into the chamber I have seen the use of computer fans but being new to this (newbie,noob whatever) I'm not sure if they are used for Exhausting the spent air and fuel or to get the air into the chamber.

We were thinking of using the air compressor to get a quick shot of air into it.

but when it finaly does work she gets them potatos flying

oh well any ideas or suggestions you may have would be geatly Appreciated

Thanks
VEGEMITEMODDER (AUSTRALIA)
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LucyInTheSky
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Sat Aug 12, 2006 8:27 am

Dont use WD40 its usless unless you have a very old can.

Fans are for exhausting spent fumes and mixing air and fule in the chamber.
Dom
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Sat Aug 12, 2006 8:42 am

Like said... WD40 is not combustible.
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CS
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Sat Aug 12, 2006 8:57 am

As LITS said, WD40 changed there formula so it no longer works for our use. For my aersol guns I use starting fluid.

'Chamber Fans' are used to both exhaust spent contents, and to 'mix' fuel prior to ignition. For the time being just let the cannon 'air out' a bit more, or as you were thinking, blow it out with a air nozzle on a air compressor. Another thing that helps is to load your cannon with the cap off. It both makes it a lot easier to 'push' in, and it assists in the 'venting' of the spent gasses. Hope that helps, and feel free to bounce more questions.
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VEGEMITEMODDER
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Sat Aug 12, 2006 9:11 am

thanks guys

actualy it might be a bit different to WD40.

We were using some of the same sort of stuff but I'm not sure that you have it in the USA but I do have some of that starter stuff (START YA BASTARD) I dunno I might get banned for that but that is what is called and is 25% eather

before we use it tomrow I might put some computer fans in it and see how it goes.

thanks again
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M3NT4L
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Sat Aug 12, 2006 2:39 pm

Wow ether, i have never used any fuel or aerosols containing ether, thats cool.
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VEGEMITEMODDER
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Mon Aug 14, 2006 8:30 am

Well today we tested out the cannon and had great Success using a few different fuels.

part AROSTART
part deoderent
and part RP7

I think the RP7 gave it that kick it needed to launch that potato (over 300 meters :twisted: )
some of the shots we did had that much recoil it blew part of the stand apart :shock: .

we have plans to make a automatic turret using a few windscreen wiper motors in the shed and a remote trigger

thanks for your help
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VEGEMITEMODDER
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Thu Aug 17, 2006 8:21 am

Now has remote SMS ignition hehe
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