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Revision as of 19:16, 3 June 2008 by Hotwired (talk | contribs) (Combustion Launchers: linking hybrids)

The Spudding Handbook

Welcome to The Spudding Handbook! This wiki format handbook contains all of the information you will ever need to build spudguns, and much more besides. The purpose of this handbook is to explain the principles of spudguns and how they are built and operated. All of the information contained in this handbook is free and available to anybody who wishes to view it.

Look around and enjoy your stay. --BC Pneumatics 02:13, 31 May 2008 (EDT)

An Advanced Combustion Cannon

What is a Spudgun?

Main article: What is a spudgun?


There are many different names for spudguns. They are called potato cannons, spud launchers, potato guns, spud cannons, and a host of others. Whatever you decide to call it, all of the aforementioned describe the same type of device: a device used to accelerate a potato down the barrel, and launch it some distance. While it may offend some purists, the humble little potato is quickly losing favour to other ammunitions such as golf balls, tennis balls, and other cheap, uniform projectiles.

Types of Spudguns

Pneumatic Launchers

These use the energy stored in compressed gas to launch a projectile. The launchers chamber is pressurised and the gas held back from the barrel by a valve. When the valve is opened the gas is allowed to rapidly expand and escape down the barrel forcing the projectile out before it.

Combustion Launchers

These find the energy needed to launch a projectile from the combustion of a gaseous fuel and air mixture. The fuel is added to the air already in the chamber, the chamber is sealed and the mixture ignited. This combustion creates a pressure spike that forces the projectile out through the connected barrel.

Hybrid launchers are a special type of combustion launcher that use a pre-pressurised fuel/air mixture. This results in a higher pressure and hotter combustion on ignition, thereby transferring more energy to the projectile.

Important & Related Links

Glossary/Index

BCARMS

Useful construction links

Launcher configuration

Computer Applications

International Potato Launching Association

Safety

Ammunition

Legal issues

History (A Brief History of Spud Guns)

SpudFiles forum guidelines

External links