SpudFiles

I would like to shoot tennis balls out of my air cannon,
But I have one problem which is, I have a female 1 1/2 adapter if i go up to 2 1/2 for my tennis ball barrel.I know it will work, but im worried about the flow restriction with it?

Please help I would like to make a move on this

Naturally the flow restriction will limit performance, but on the other hand there's more area for the air to push on.

Short of actually making it, GGDT is your best bet to have a good idea of what performance might be like.

I could never get it to work, Would you mind doing it for me and posting it on here for me?

so from your expeirence, would you do it?

also, any idea what size pipe would fit a regualr soda can?

Impossible to calculate without knowing all the data for your launcher, as well as any real world performance data with the 1.5" barrel I'm assuming it has currently fitted.

Here's some educated guesswork, as you can see you lose quite a bit of power with a tennis ball because it's got such a poor density, but for firing heavier projectiles (like a full soda can which should fit exactly in a tennis ball barrel) muzzle energy goes up considerably.

ok, data you mean, the size of my chamber and barrel and what not?

I have a 4 inch sch40 14 inch but add lil bit more with fittings so say 15 which is reduced down to 2inch down to 1 1/2 down to 1 inch with a female adapter then goes into my sprinkler valve , then on the opposite side of my valve i have 1 inch sch40 connected to a 1 1/2 female adapter which screw into my barrel with a male adapter which is 36 inches, I made that little connector so i can have many different barrels,

this is my gun, except a few changes, hose is gone,
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/854/dscf8174.jpg/
you can see the little unscrew able thing i made on the end of my barrel

Hopefully this helps jsr!!!!
hopefully once i get my piston valve i ordered, i can put soda cans really far!!!!

Roughly the data I worked with so the above results stand as a rough guide.

jsefcik wrote:i can put soda cans really far!!!!

GGDT says around 400 feet, but it doesn't know that they'll be tumbling end over end...

I imagine that will do some damage,if full!!! :wav:

if cans will go 400 feet, what about the balls?

But would my piston put them even further?

I can put a 1 /12 inch tennis ball 250 yards with ease. Yes the piston valve will put them further, probably twice as far, and I think the cans would definatly need to be full, after all, how much fun would it be to shoot a empty can!! Try shooting a door :knob: , probably good ammo!!

mattyzip77 wrote:I can put a 1 /12 inch tennis ball 250 yards with ease. Yes the piston valve will put them further, probably twice as far, and I think the cans would definatly need to be full, after all, how much fun would it be to shoot a empty can!! Try shooting a door :knob: , probably good ammo!!

that a 1 1/2 tennis ball though,

and shooting a soda can is going to have some nasty recoil!!!

Recoil with full pop cans isn't too bad if the launcher has reasonable flow restriction. With a larger valve with low restriction the recoil is impressive, but not as impressive as the impact. This can met a tree after a 20 foot flight.


For the range you may get with tennis balls and your flow restriction, this should be in the ballpark depending on your choice of valve and chamber size.

so should i invest in the parts for it?

I think i might save the money for parts for my piston valve gun im going to build as soon as i get it in the mail

jsefcik wrote:so should i invest in the parts for it?

If you make a tennis ball barrel for it now, you'll get good performance.

If you wait for your piston valve, you'll get better performance.

Simple as that.

I think ill wait, money would be better used in my piston cannon