Does any one know thier history?

[Jared Haehnel]

So I'm typing up my research paper and my english teacher wants me to include a section on the history of "spud guns"
I'm looking into it but I was wondering if any one knew where abouts I might find it? Since I have to source it....any feel my pian?

Any suggestions would be great thanks... 8)

[MrCrowley]

Well you could start <A HREF="http://www.spudfiles.com/forums/so-who- ... l">Here</a>

[biggsauce]

Did you check Spudtech? I think Joel has something about the history... I think.

I doubt that there is a specific person that started spud guns. Like starman's retro cannon, as long as the materials have been around, I would imagine that the male mind has ventured to make something to shoot something.


I hope this helps...

[Jared Haehnel]

Nope I haven't looked at spud tech yet that was going to be my next stop... Imagine if some one asked you that question...I looked like a deer in headlights...

I tried to explian that it was some where some time probably before I was born a some guy had extra pipe laying around one thing led to another...you and I know what happen next... but then agian try sourcing it and sticking it in a reasearch paper....

Thanks for the link Mr Crowley

[TurboSuper]

The first spudgun was made out of beer cans stacked together, apparently.

[MrCrowley]

Thanks for the link Mc Crowley

MrCrowley, and glad I could help

I'd say it evolved from the beer cans, to a tube, to the stage where people figured out plastic pipes could do the trick. I wonder who invented the piston valve for spudguns and who introduced QEV's and sprinkler valves. I'd say sprinkler valved spudguns go back to the early 90's.

[SpudUke5]

IIRC, there is a history of spudguns in the wiki so go check that.

[Jared Haehnel]

Hey thanks I missed it the first time.... not exactly credible though....

@ Mr Crowley: noted and fix ...sorry...

[SpudUke5]

Wait so are you asking about the history of spudguns in general, or how people get into spudguns?

[Ragnarok]

It depends on what you consider history.

Well, the original "spudgun" must have been Volta's "phlogopneumatic pistol", which he made in 1776.
Basically, it was a very simple combustion. Accounts vary on whether it used methane or hydrogen, and it really only fired a cork, but it was a start.

If you come forward nearly two centuries, the Holman Projector (designed 1940 -1941) was a spudgun of sorts.
Although it was truly designed for firing grenades, there are many reports of troops having fired potatoes from them.

The true spudgun itself was probably created by someone cutting the ends of empty bean or beer cans, then taping them together. Squirt of lighter fluid, drop a tennis ball or spud in, hold a lighter to a primitive touch hole... hey presto.

This eventually got more scientific, with a few lengths of PVC pipe glued into shape.
Where this developed into the huge array of options we have today, I can't say for certain, but what I can make out is mostly below.

- DR from Spudtech is typically quoted as the inventor of the hybrid.
I did recently meet someone who had a 7" bore hybrid (of roughly 15x) they had built back in the 1970's - it was originally used for impact testing of metals. D_Hall also recently talked about a hybrid created at a similar time by another branch of the company that he works at.

So although DR might have introduced the hybrid to the amateur community, he wasn't the original inventor.

- The Vortex BBMG was created by Spudsonfire, at a vaguely similar time to DR's "invention" of the hybrid - through reverse engineering of a "Piper" strafer.

- The coilgun was originally made by Kristian Birkeland, at around 1901.

[potatoflinger]

I don't know if it was actually one of the first spudguns, but I have heard some stories from my relatives about how when plumbers had finished plumbing a house, they used to take some of the left over pvc pipe and put some of the left over primer/cement in the pipe, then launch the primer/cement cans.

[Jared Haehnel]

Thanks for the info Rag...you guys should know that the Wiki has just been officialy referance in my paper...not that it will ever be published but I thought it might be somethign to smile about

On a different note I seem to remember in some battle in the pacific or more proably in the alantic during WW2 a bunch of american sialors captured an enemy vessel by throwing spuds, of all things, the other guys thought they were grenades and surrendered. It sounds crazy i know and I can't even remeber where i read it but Rag's telling to the Holman Projector reminded me of it.

[bluerussetboy]

Jared, I 'm not familiar with all the colleges in your area, the only ones I can think of are Dartmouth, VTC(Vermont Technical College) in Randolph Center and Colby-Sawyer in New London(I'm guessing your not trying to become a secratary). Where exactly are you attending. I've spent plenty of time at each one but never in class. Dartmouth(rumor has it, it was the base for Animal House) was overly zealous in it's political views. I vaguely remember shanty town protest in the 80's. Not really conducive to firearms or spud guns. VTC was mostly aimed towards electronics. Just a bunch of dorks that wanted a better lightbulb. And Colby was where you went to learn how to type. A whole lot of hot chicas wanting to be office managers. Those girls could party, most would go to the Old King's Highway Lounge or the Floppin Dead Tuna(Dancing Red Whale).

So where do you go?

[THUNDERLORD]

I think you should do a paper stating that the Earth is not moving at all.

And write that it is the center of the entire universe and state that the universe/galaxies are revolving on lobes with only the other planets,sun and galaxies moving.

I bet they will find it impossible to prove you wrong.

It's kind of like if you put a video camera in a room and spin the whole room and then put a camera in same room and spin the camera.
When you saw the film you would not be able to determine any difference.

If I was in college I'd do that then name the philosophy after yourself and some text books would have to refer to your name when they discuss it!!!