What is wrong!!!

Boom! The classic potato gun harnesses the combustion of flammable vapor. Show us your combustion spud gun and discuss fuels, ratios, safety, ignition systems, tools, and more.
comp_nerd4
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Tue Sep 12, 2006 5:36 pm

ok so i have built the basic spudgun and i stick the potato in push it down then spray in some hair spray of propane then screw it close and start click ing the bbq starter but no combustion! so i open it up click it and im getting spark and if i keep clicking it (wile it is open) some times i huge burst of fire comes out. so what is wrong!


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screw location for bbq starter!
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Shrimphead
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Tue Sep 12, 2006 6:35 pm

You have probably been putting too much fuel in. Try less fuel.
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SpudStuff
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Tue Sep 12, 2006 6:50 pm

dont use hair spray it is the WORST fuel ever it is not powerful and gums up a chamber. use ether or starting fluid for cars. Remember less is more. Mabae 1/2 to 3/4 of a second of fuel.
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jrrdw
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Tue Sep 12, 2006 9:14 pm

What ever you decide to use, after you fuel it up, shake it like nuts to mix the fuel and air better. A more even mix will light better then the heavy load, LESS can be MORE.
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MrCrowley
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Tue Sep 12, 2006 10:49 pm

the reason why it fires when you take the cap of is because there wasnt enough oxygen/air so you put oo much in,if you accidently put too much in just wave it around for a second and then screw on the cap and fire.
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Tue Sep 12, 2006 11:00 pm

SpudStuff wrote:...use ether or starting fluid for cars...
That is going to gum up his chamber alot worse than hair spray will.
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carlbelcher
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Tue Sep 12, 2006 11:35 pm

Why would starter fluid gum up his chamber worse then hairspray?!

Last time I checked starter fluid is pure Ether...
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MrCrowley
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Wed Sep 13, 2006 12:01 am

my starter fluid just turns the chamber white but easily comes off.
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jrrdw
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Wed Sep 13, 2006 5:48 am

Starting fluid has oil's in it, i think to help protect parts. The bad thing about ether is it's real hard to get consistent effects, even when metered the same every time. If you can create a controlled injection like hybrds do, it would produce better results. I think you would get better results with a cheep can of carburator cleaner, i allways use that to prime engines instead of ether/starter fluid. Lessing the chance of blowing a cylinder head off the block.
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carlbelcher
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Wed Sep 13, 2006 2:25 pm

I don't think carb cleaner is a good idea...

I don't like the idea of spraying a harsh chemical degreaser on my plastic cannon.
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