Help

[patatoSteve]

I'm new to spudguns. I just built my combustion cannon yesterday and am now trying to build a pnuematic. I read the spud wiki thing, but dont exactly get it. Most of all I need info on filling valves, firing valves, and pressure guages and how to build or buy them.

[MisterSteve124]

Well as it says on wikipedia there are different valves you can use to fill it. The valve to fill it allows you to hook up a hose to it to fill the chamber with air from an air compressor, a c02 tank a bicycle pump or whatever. Then while the chamber if full of air you open a valve to fire he gun which lets out all the air and shoots out the potato. As it says on spud wiki "(ball valves, sprinkler valves, piston valves, quick-exhaust valves, and burst disks are the most common)" Ball valves are probably the easiest. And the pressure gauge just tells you how much pressure in psi is in the chamber. Just read the spud wiki.

[zeigs spud]

http://www.spudfiles.com/spud_wiki/inde ... tic_cannon
look at the link above....

valves you can build.....
piston valve
diaphram valve

valves you can buy....
sprinkler valve (requires moding)
butterfly valve (don't recomend)

scahrder valve...(to fill cannon) -tire vavle-
http://www.spudfiles.com/spud_wiki/inde ... ader_valve

pressure gauge
http://www.spudfiles.com/spud_wiki/inde ... sure_gauge

all of that can be cought at lowes or any hardware store

[patatoSteve]

Where could I buy a pressure guage? Are diaphram and piston valves better?How do I use the pressure guage? Whats up with pilot valves?

[judgment_arms]

You can probably buy a pressure gauge at your local hardware store.
Yes piston/diaphragm valves are for superior to most store bought valves.
To use a pressure gauge you screw the threaded part into your cannon were there are two layers of pipe or into a threaded reducer.
A pilot valve empties your pilot chamber.
Anything else?

[SpudStuff]

all of that can be cought at lowes or any hardware store

Please read the previous post. You use the pressure gauge to measure th pressure. Most have a 1/8, 1/4, or 1/2" Connection, You can either plumb it into the chamber with fittings or drill and tap a hole where the fittings and pipe over lap.

The pilot valve lets the pressure from behind the piston. Theis makes it slide back because there is more force on the front of the piston. Do a search for how they work. There are many good animations.

[Petrie]

is his jar top type valve ok to use and mod?

[Infernal2]

Well, as that appears to be a Watermater of some type I'd say yes. I hate watermaster though, cheap construction recently. I'd rather just by a QEV (Quick Exhaust Valve) but that's my opinion. Do a search on this site (How-to, Pneumatic) for modding a sprinkler valve.

[patatoSteve]

Thanks for the help. Though I still dont understand QEV's

[SpudStuff]

It is like a pre modded sprinkler valve. www.mcmaster.com part # 6646K23 (just enter it in the search bar on the site).

These have an equal or greater flow and opening time then a 1" modified sprinkler valve and only cose a few dollars more.

One port is the inlet, one is the outlet, and one is the piolot(sp). You fill and exhaust from the pilot.

McMaster-Carr is very reliable and has cheap, fast shipping.

[patatoSteve]

Where do you buy blowguns???????????

[MrCrowley]

either at a hardware store in the air tools isle or of www.mcmaster.com

[patatoSteve]

Thanks for the help. Really needed it.