Premixed?

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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FeLeX
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Mon Apr 02, 2007 6:23 pm

Ok so I asked my dad to buy me a propane torch for my new project and he bought the wrong one. This one has a premixing hole in it. So I was wondering if I rig it up trough a hose witout the propane meter wouldnt it still work? I mean since it already has the premixing hole isnt it gona work better?
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hi
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Mon Apr 02, 2007 6:40 pm

I bought one of those, mine didnt work because it couldnt build any pressure. Can you tell us the model, or maybe a website with a picture? There are some that might work and some that dont.
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paaiyan
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Mon Apr 02, 2007 6:46 pm

Well it, hmm. It depends on how the premix works. If it works like a bunsen burner it'll just use pressure differences to draw in air as it flows. So if you tried to pressurize anything to above 1 atm with it, you''ll just get propane flowing out of the air intake. It would work if it has some mechanism that prevents backpressure, but I don't know much about welding torches so I couldn't tell you what models would work.
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FeLeX
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Mon Apr 02, 2007 8:27 pm

It doesnt say the model and I lost the booklet but it one of the Bernzomatic torches that has the piezo installed in it. What if I leave the barrel open, let the propane in then shove the spud in?
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willarddaniels
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Mon Apr 02, 2007 10:18 pm

You could go and get a regular torch and use that, or take the thing back to Home Depot or where he got it and return it. Then take the in-store credit or cash and get the one you want. Just tell the return folks that your dad bought you the wrong one and you haven't used it at all, or atl least not much. If they give you grief, just say that you called in yesterday and some guy in tools said it would be okay. Make sure you forget who you talked to yesterday.
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FeLeX
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Mon Apr 02, 2007 11:32 pm

1) He opened it and tested it out when he got home and threw away the reciept and the box... The trash pickup was the next day and thats when I had time to look at it and find out its the wrong one.
2) I just tested it out if it pressurizes and it doesnt. I put my hand on top of the nozzel and the propane comes out of the premizing hole, oh well I will just make small furnace to melt aluminum so I can make my dieseling gun.

Thanks for all your help guys! If the mods dont want this topic to stay here you should just delete. Not much purpose for it.
pyrogeek
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Mon Apr 02, 2007 11:38 pm

Just keep the torch around for regular torching of stuff (a push button torch comes in very handy for me). And get a Bernz-O-Matic that will work. Or, go find one of the propane adapters for a gas grill so it accepts a 1lb tank. Those work even better than a torch head.
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hi
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Mon Apr 02, 2007 11:43 pm

you might be able to take a hose, cut it long ways and wrap it around the hole and put a hose clamp on it. It might pressurize, but then again it might not. worth a try.
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FeLeX
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Mon Apr 02, 2007 11:44 pm

Yea but I only got like $180 left in my budget and I dont know if I want a low power propane cannon. I like the portability but they are a bit expensive. I am gona work on my crossbow and dieseling gun for a while. Maybe when I get a job ill make my propane gun with stun gun and fan and all them other things. Besides I live around many people and I already got called cops on me once.
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paaiyan
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Mon Apr 02, 2007 11:45 pm

What'd you do to get the cops called?
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FeLeX
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Mon Apr 02, 2007 11:50 pm

Well my cannon has a union on it. I put it there for the burst disks because it gives more power. I fired the cannon with nothing in the barrel inside my open garage. My friend was walking to my house and he said he hear it 4 blocks away. I put my cannon away and left really fast. About 10 seconds after we left my house and went up Kroger I saw 3 cop cars pull up near my house. I was perty lucky my parents were at work.
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willarddaniels
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Tue Apr 03, 2007 12:47 pm

You can still return it if you follow my instructions exactly. Believe me, I work at a large hardware store, it happens all the time. The store will simply either get another case and literature from the manufacturer, for free, or return it to the manufacturer for full credit.
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FeLeX
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Tue Apr 03, 2007 2:41 pm

I dont have the reciept anymore man. There is no way they will let me return it.
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willarddaniels
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Tue Apr 03, 2007 10:54 pm

Yes, they will. Don't try to argue with me over this, I have a lot of knowledge of how the large hardware stores operate. If you follow the instructions of my original post, they won't give you cash they will most likely give you in-store credit in the form of a gift/merchandise card that you can use to make any purchase you'd like there.
take the thing back to Home Depot or where he got it and return it. Then take the in-store credit or cash and get the one you want. Just tell the return folks that your dad bought you the wrong one and you haven't used it at all, or at least not much. If they give you grief, just say that you called in yesterday and some guy in tools said it would be okay. Make sure you forget who you talked to yesterday.
If they still say no, ask to speak to a manager and explain it to them: your dad bought the wrong one for your school project and you need to either switch out the torch head or exchange the whole thing. If this still does not work, go back home and work on your persuasion techniques.
If you're 20 and not a liberal, you don't have a heart. If you're 30 and not a Conservative, you don't have a brain.
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FeLeX
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Tue Apr 03, 2007 11:34 pm

Did you not read the post where I said that I am keeping the torch to make my mini furnace for melting aluminum to make my own parts. I was going to buy it anyways, I was just going to buy the one for the spud gun first. Either way works for me.
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