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First SpudGun -- Need Suggestions

Posted: Wed Jul 19, 2006 3:35 pm
by Vale
Okay, this weekend me and a friend have decided we want to build a spudgun. We're aiming for a budget of 30$ or less, seeing as I doubt it should cost more. We don't want anything that's gonna require a crane to move, something sensible.

I'm gonna be doing this without consent of my parents, but will be doing it in an area where I won't have to worry about noise.

We've never built one before, but I think we've decided on combustion being the best way to go. We're guessing potatoes will be the ammo, but a re-useable ammo would be nice as well. We'll only have Lowes and Walmart Super Center to get our supplies from.


Information on parts, part sizes, ammo, and propellants would be nice.

Posted: Wed Jul 19, 2006 3:42 pm
by benstern
propellants: 0.5 second burst of starter fluid
parts: sch-40 pvc that has pressure rating
ignition: lantern lighter
ammo: depends on barrel size

Posted: Wed Jul 19, 2006 3:45 pm
by Vale
I meant more detailed, on like the installation, pipe sizes, etc.

Posted: Wed Jul 19, 2006 3:45 pm
by Atlantis
Here's a design for a standard spudgun which is cheap yet reliable.

http://www.advancedspuds.com/gunplans.htm

There are actually a few designs on there.

Put a male adapter on the barrel and a matching female adapter on the chamber so you can remove the barrel and breech load spuds.

Posted: Wed Jul 19, 2006 3:48 pm
by Vale
Image

This seems like a good one, the sizes are listed, and it seems pretty cheep. Anything any of you would change about the design? Or advice?

Posted: Wed Jul 19, 2006 4:04 pm
by Atlantis
If you don't like the lantern sparker you can rig up a BBQ sparker.

If you need to know how to glue them go here.

http://www.spudfiles.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=293&

Posted: Wed Jul 19, 2006 4:07 pm
by LucyInTheSky
I would go for a 4 inch chamber and 2inch barrel.

Posted: Wed Jul 19, 2006 4:16 pm
by saladtossser
dude, just get a 3' stick of 2" pipe, cap one end, add ignitor, hours of fun.

Posted: Wed Jul 19, 2006 4:25 pm
by M3NT4L
:D Make sure its air tight and pressure rated and use deodorants for propellant because since its your first canon and you have a low budget propane isnt the way to go unless you want to start out big.

Posted: Wed Jul 19, 2006 4:56 pm
by PVC Arsenal 17
I think those mini NERF rockets fit in 2" sch40, they're reusable and already aerodynamic.


Good luck with your gun.

Posted: Wed Jul 19, 2006 5:13 pm
by cannon freak
If you just want a cheap simple combustion gun go with some 4" ABS for your chamber and some 2" ABS for your barrrel. Id go with ABS since it is a WHOLE bunch cheper than SCH 40 Pressure rated PVC pipe and will work just fine with a normal combustion cannon.

Posted: Thu Jul 20, 2006 7:19 am
by drac
EDIT: Guess I should read before going on long winded rants. Your design will work, but it won't be very efficient. If you shorten your chamber to 12 inches, and keep the barrel at 28 inches, you will have an efficient C:B ratio of about .7:1, which will give you some noise, but will get you the most performance.

Posted: Thu Jul 20, 2006 11:52 am
by singularity
well if you havent already decided on one of the other designs, you can try mine it has a handel (isn't that special), theres a hole page on it on my <a href="http://home.comcast.net/~irwinner/potat ... website</a>

Posted: Thu Jul 20, 2006 12:56 pm
by DriftingRz
dont use the one on advanced spuds, i built it not much power at all build this one i drew up.

Image

or u can save money and just lose the coupler and bushing and get a bell reducer, but i just like the bushings

Posted: Fri Jul 21, 2006 12:37 pm
by Codizzle69