How to reinforce an air cannon?

[D_Hall]

All I have at my disposal is: a power drill, a dremel, PVC, some screws/nuts/washers, and JB weld. anything else I would have to buy I am trying to keep under $30

There's another hobby that I used to partake in that I won't discuss due to forum rules. Shortly after I started the hobby I realized there were two ways to do it....

1) Expensively.
2) Dangerously.

...Once I came to this conclusion I looked at my budget and realized that option 1 was right out; that left "dangerously" as my option for the hobby. I then asked myself how attached to my eyes and fingers I was. I decided I was very attached to my eyes and fingers and thus took the only reasonable option.

I dropped the hobby.

Spud gunning is very similar. There are two different ways to do this hobby....

1) Expensively.
2) Dangerously.

Act appropriately.




NOTE: I do not mean to imply that spud gunning is inherently expensive. It's not for somebody with a budget, but it sounds like the OP doesn't really have a budget. As such, even nominal costs may be expensive to him. The point being that if somebody is making a choice between money and safety, maybe they should find another hobby... That goes for ALL hobbies.

[ThatGuy]

The point being that if somebody is making a choice between money and safety, maybe they should find another hobby

To make a PVC cannon do you need anything other than a pneumatic valve, PVC, PVC Primer, PVC Cement, and a drill to put in your air source?

What I meant before was I don't want to get into metal cannons yet because I would need a lot more equipment and knowledge to get/ make the parts needed to make one.

[Gun Freak]

Metal guns are the easiest.

[D_Hall]

To make a PVC cannon do you need anything other than a pneumatic valve, PVC, PVC Primer, PVC Cement, and a drill to put in your air source?

If all you want to do is build a spud gun and launch some potato bits through the air? You are correct. All you need is what you listed. But that's not what you want to do. You want to build a gun that will be safe to run around and play airsoft with. That is a very different proposition; one that requires a much higher level of ruggedness of the gun. You asked what it takes to achieve such a rugged design and you were told. Metal chambers. Then you complained about the cost of such. Ergo, you're putting dollars before safety.

What I meant before was I don't want to get into metal cannons yet because I would need a lot more equipment and knowledge to get/ make the parts needed to make one.

I'll say it again: You're putting dollars before safety.

[Fnord]

If you check out the local surplus stores you could probably get a lot of metal fittings for $30...

It is possible to build a cannon for very little money, but that usually requires that you have a lot of little bits and pieces of random junk from past projects laying around already. Plus the proper tools for the job. If you haven't got your tool chest in order you could be looking at a couple hundred bucks initial expenditure for basic stuff, but it's a one-time investment and you'll be set for years to come. Only when you want to really move up does it get expensive (welder, drill press, lathe, etc).

I'm just rambling at this point, but you could possibly go the fiberglass route for a $30 reinforcement job. Though I honestly wouldn't recommend it. It'll add the necessary strength, but there is a high probability of the thing looking like crap when you're done.

[ThatGuy]

would a hardware store sell all the parts for a metal cannon?
I just need the chamber to be armored so would the parts probably be able to fit into the same valve I am using?

Also How would I fit an industrial quick-release into a metal chamber? would I have to drill a hole somehow?

As for it not being safe to use PVC you guys are giving me mixed feedback so calm down please

I will look into Metal- It would work great on the smaller cannon but the decrease in volume for the mortar would require me to increase PSI

[saefroch]

would a hardware store sell all the parts for a metal cannon?

Usually, yes. They're rather common parts.

I just need the chamber to be armored so would the parts probably be able to fit into the same valve I am using?

I am so confused. What is this "armor?"

Also How would I fit an industrial quick-release into a metal chamber? would I have to drill a hole somehow?

They're threaded. Maybe you've been missing this, but all the metal pipe fittings we normally use have threads, and by putting teflon tape on them and reasonably tightening them, you can make them form an airtight seal.[/quote]

As for it not being safe to use PVC you guys are giving me mixed feedback so calm down please

I don't think so... PVC is safe for what you want to do with it, but not safe if you drop it or you're being rough on it.

[Lockednloaded]

You could make a caveman simple metal launcher with very simple parts that would blow both your current launchers out of the water in terms of power, accuracy, compactness, durability, and most importantly, safety.

[Labtecpower]

http://www.spudfiles.com/forums/viewtop ... tml#311884

Cost me €11 ($15) to make. It isn't semi or full auto however, and I think that's what you'll need for a decent match.

[ThatGuy]

I know for a 6mm rifle I will use metal for sure- the piping would probably be a good size

At Lowes the only piping I have seen is copper and that is ridiculously expensive
I will go to another hardware store today and see if they have the parts for a metal chamber

[Gun Freak]

Home depot will have the cheapest parts for the gun, hardware store or hobby shop will have cheapest barrel pipe.

[ThatGuy]

Well I went to the Ace hardware and he did not have anything bigger than 1in diameter and that didn't seem like it would work without welding it together - lowes and home depot are far away so I won't be able to go there for a while although I don't remember seeing threaded metal pipe...

The guy at Ace laughed when I told him what I needed the pipe for and told me I just needed to cover it with something like fiberglass if I REALLY wanted to... (he agreed it was ugly and I should find something similar but nicer looking)

I will use metal pipe when I find some that will work but until then I guess I will just use PVC

Thanks for all the help

[D_Hall]

I will use metal pipe when I find some that will work but until then I guess I will just use PVC

I'll say it one last time...

Expensively.
Dangerously.

...And now understand that if you come back to this forum with a tale of woe I'm going to laugh my ass off at you. It's not like you don't know any better now. You've been told.




And where are you shopping that they don't have STEEL pipe? It's dirt cheap and in every hardware store I've ever seen. And yes, it can be had in typical hardware stores up to 1.5" diameter and if you get lucky, up to 2" diameter.

[Gippeto]

...And now understand that if you come back to this forum with a tale of woe I'm going to laugh my ass off at you.

x2

[POLAND_SPUD]

And where are you shopping that they don't have STEEL pipe? It's dirt cheap and in every hardware store I've ever seen.

Yup, steel is the way to go

Even if it costs X% more it's cheaper in the long run as you can reuse it