1/2" QEV Copper Pneumatic with Pictures

[MaxuS]

Hey everyone, this is my first post. Id thought id save it for something good, and here it is; the MKIII: Pigeon Bane. Two detachable barrels, one is 15mm x 90cm and the other is 22mm x 50cm. Ive been a member of the uksgc.co.uk for over a year and decided that it was time to give it a go on spudfiles.

15mm barrel


22mm barrel


The 22mm barrel definately out performs the 15mm barrel for power at a short distance, but the same cannot be said for accuracy at longer ranges..
I will upload a video at some point in the near future, its difficult to hold this beast and a camera at the same time, i'll get my mum to do it.

M

[ALIHISGREAT]

cool gun, i have seen it on uksgc but not commented. i was wondering how much it cost to make, compared to my pvc gun i am planning which will cost between £80-100

[phonut]

Hi Maxus. The copper looks nice. What are the performance so far? And how much pressure can the copper chamber take? Your gun is motivating me to design my next gun out of copper.

[thespeedycicada]

sharp looking gun what kind of damage will it do? Also where did you get the qev? i want one because i dont know how to make a piston valve unless i can make it co axial i know how to make those but i dont remember seeing a coaxial copper gun.

[jackssmirkingrevenge]

looks good, I'm sure Copperhead Prime was of some inspiration

[homedepotpro]

no solder? I've been wanting to make a copper gun but i not too sure about my soldering ability. did you just use compression fittings.

[jackssmirkingrevenge]

its difficult to hold this beast and a camera at the same time

Tape the camera to the barrel and/or mount it in a safe location zoomed on the target.

[spud yeti]

Great looking gun, all shiny and stuff

no solder? I've been wanting to make a copper gun but i not too sure about my soldering ability. did you just use compression fittings.

Copper epoxy also works

[MaxuS]

Yup, it's all compression fittings, not one soldered joint in there.

I would tape the camera to my barrel, but shots always look cooler from the side.

I got the QEV and Check Valve from http://www.uksgc.co.uk/shop. It came in two days.

Indeed, i loved the look of Copperhead prime, and who doesn't. So with the inspiration i had recieved, i thought id press ahead with Pigeon Bane. I do give credit to Hotwired where appropriate

I can pump it to 140psi, the QEV will go to 300psi, but im only limited by the blowgun, which has a maximum pressure of 10 bar, i did once take it to 150psi and the blowgun kept leaking until the pressure was about 140 again. Maybe for my next QEV spudgun i'll use a ball valve as the pilot.

I know for a fact that the copper can take more pressure than you're likely to find as a max. pressure of regular air compressor. My MKII spudgun can be pumped to 220psi with great ease, that is also just made from compression fittings, no solder. The compression fittings seem to take it fine as long as you don't under-tighten or over-tighten them as they will warp the copper pipe too much.

I think this spudgun must have cost about £40 or £50, theres a parts list here > http://www.uksgc.co.uk/forums/index.php?showtopic=1396 this is the topic of the MKIII on the Uksgc.

If you would like to build something similar, and use 8mm copper pipe...As many of you may already know, 8mm copper pipe is one of the hardest things to work with if you dont have a bonified pipe bender.
Also, there were roughly 10 hours that went into finding and stopping leaks and getting the 8mm pipe to bend properly. Blowguns leak like shit, the way i fixed mine was to put small rubber washers into the neck, put around 5 miles of PTFE tape on the male threads of the 8mm compression fitting of which the thread size is 1/4" and then proceed to epoxy the tee into place.

And finally, range on this lil' beasty with the 15mm barrel is around 150 - 200m and with the 22mm barrel, approximately 75m at most. I use the 22mm barrel for larger pieces of spud, or sweet potatoe, and the 15mm barrel for accuracy at greater ranges. Accuracy isnt too bad either, it buggers off after about 30 or 40 meters though.

I think ive answered everyones questions, correct me if i havn't.

M

[ALIHISGREAT]

£40-50 is way cheaper than the pvc cannon i am planning! imay try a copper gun for my second pnuematic.

[jackssmirkingrevenge]

I can pump it to 140psi, the QEV will go to 300psi, but im only limited by the blowgun, which has a maximum pressure of 10 bar, i did once take it to 150psi and the blowgun kept leaking until the pressure was about 140 again.

Blowguns are normally held shut by the pressure, did you mount it inverted?

[MaxuS]

These blowguns use a spring to keep the opening shut, 10 bar is enough to slightly open it.

[jackssmirkingrevenge]

These blowguns use a spring to keep the opening shut, 10 bar is enough to slightly open it.

My point was that the pressurised area of the blowgun in your current setup appears to be the area where air normally flows through when you open the valve. In theory if you mount it "properly" the more pressure you pile onto it the better it will seal.

[MaxuS]

Well that is not the case. It is rated to 10 bar, when the pressure exceeds 10 bar, the blowgun begins to exhaust....

[Redcoat]

That's nice, I'm about to make a copper gun and tis has inspired a bit of my design *runs off and changes*.
It's an awesome gun and Welcome to the Forums.