SpudFiles

I just finished working on some ammo that I will use to test my launchers maximum range. This is how I did it.

The stubby cylinder and shaft is what's left of an old fireplace poker. Both ends of the shaft are threaded.

I took a normal kitchen funnel and turned it on a grinding wheel until the outer edge was fairly close to the diameter of the 2" pipe. I then stuck the funnel in the pipe, centered the funnel and started grinding again. I ground the funnel down until it would slip into the barrel.

The funnel is held in place with a few brass fittings and a couple washers. It's a little on the heavy side at 610grams so I may have to shorten the nose section to trim some weight.

I haven't had a chance to fire it yet. Whenever I get to fire it, I will record the shot and the range on a measuring wheel and post the results.

its a good arrow you got there, but why not adapt a real arrow? they are lighter and will probably go further? The funnel could be used to mold a wax sabot. Just a thought. Other than that, I really wouldn't wana get hit with it

Looks rather heavy...How much does it weigh?

A real arrow would probably work much better but this is made from stuff lying around the shed.

I think you can get cheap arrows at WalMart so I might try that. What I'm going for is something that will travel long distances with little drag and still be visible after it drives itself into the ground. A real arrow would have to be weighted to get maximum range I would think.. Maybe a lead ball cast around a broad head would do it?

I work on a plant nursery that has a few hundred acres of open field which has just been mowed, so I would like to test this thing before the grass starts to get deep again.

I have found a couple other things that work great in 2" SDR-26 PVC. Both of the cans below met they're maker when I introduced them to an old truck's windshield.

If you made fins for the arrow and used a sabot, rather than using a funnel for both, you would greatly decrease the drag on it, and thus greatly increase the distance it travels. That is why arrows have fletching, rather than a funnel bolted on the back.

How about an old broom handle with a steel pipe cap on the end? To make the stabilizing end wrap an old t-shirt around the handle with an increasing amount of cloth toward the end. Bind it with string or tape.

Like this

_
_ !
D============ !
-- !
--

Or maybe make pvc rockets? To make them heavier you could fill with concrete.... And spray then end florescent orange!!

PVC rockets have already been done... (cant find the link)

ammosmoke wrote:How about an old broom handle with a steel pipe cap on the end? To make the stabilizing end wrap an old t-shirt around the handle with an increasing amount of cloth toward the end. Bind it with string or tape.

Obviously you didnt read my earlier post...
Use fins, so that it isn't insanely unaerodynamic, that is what sabots are for.

http://www.burntlatke.com/rocket.html
There you go!

Both of the cans below met they're maker when I introduced them to an old truck's windshield.

you can't say something like that and *not* post photos! nyargh!

Well, my illustration came out funny...... It wasn't supposed to look like that. It was supposed to have a smooth angle. See that d? it was supposed to be on the other side. It is all out of whack. I have actually tried such a thing on a lower scale with dowel rods, and it worked quite well. And well, you had a good point about a sabot. I think if you firmly wrapped the arrow behind the fins with a towel or something, then taped the tail end down it should work ok. Ketchup bottles work great for fins, and you can even use 2 liter bottles if you want to get the arrow to spin.

@ benstern: Your avatar makes me feel sick every time I see it...