Funding

[MaxuS the 2nd]

Maxus, are you retarded? Go back and read my post. You completely missed the point.

I referenced Nitro cars because despite their relatively low expense compared to most hobbies, spudding is FAR less expensive.

I am NOT willing to spend large sums of money on launchers. The most expensive launcher I have ever built cost less than $100 for parts. $100 will build you one hell of a launcher if you have a functioning neurological system, but will buy a minuscule amount in most other areas.

I only wish that I had enough money to buy whatever I want, but if you were able to comprehend my posts in this thread, you would realize that I actually make very little money compared to everyone with a job. Despite this, spudding really isn't that hard on my wallet, because it doesn't have to be.

No, you seem to have missed the point, again.

I don't think you realise that I'm saying spudding costs more when you are outside the US, due to the fact that your economy is completely collapsing. If you managed to build a launcher for $100, good for you. The shipping for importing from the US would cost $80, then there's the customs tax you have to pay. By the end of all this, if I sourced my parts from the same places that you do, it would esily cost $200, not $100.
Now, I understand that you say spudding doesn't have to be expensive. But it's quite difficult sourcing parts to make an awesome cannon when all of these parts cost a shit load more outside the US. Now yes, I could scavange parts, but why would I want to make a ghetto-P.O.S when I could be building something awesome.

For example: I recently started building a 140mm combustion cannon (just under 5"), 1m of 140mm alone cost $50. If I were to carry on with this project, to be in the sme league as the launchers that americans can build, I would have to shell out a further $200, or $300 for all the components. Due to that fact, I gave it up.

Spudding doesn't have to be expensive, no. But it's going to be if you're going to make large bore, high powered launchers. Let's face it, that's the main type of cannon you get on here.

I'd prefer it if you didn't question my mental state, it's quite insulting and I'm sure that wasn't your intention.

[Ragnarok]

Although I beleive I heard that one on mythbusters before I saw it on you.

Really? If that is the case, it's news to me. I like to watch Mythbusters, but it's seldom on the channels I have, and when it is, it's a cut down version, so there's a lot I've never seen. Oddly enough, although there are matches between that phrase and the Mythbusters, those are all related to my posting.

And when a site is called Marijuanagrowing.eu - you'll have to forgive me mistaking it for a Marijuana site.

@Everyone else: Calm down!!! We're just going to get into a mess if you continue with this semi-aggressive posting.

@Spudblaster: Would you want to import a load of parts, which could easily take weeks or months to arrive, only to discover you failed to buy something, and can't get a substitute in your country? I assume not.
As a general rule of thumb, after shipping, exchange rates, and customs, what costs $1 in America will cost £1 ($2) in the UK, so that hikes up prices so that there's little advantage importing.

Now, spudding can be relatively cheap, but only if you're prepared to settle for less.
I'm not that kind of person. To date, HEAL alone has cost me the equivalent of about $750 USD for the launcher & pump together- that's mostly likely going to increase further. It is a copper launcher, granted - but it is as launchers go, rather small.

Now that does include the costs of some parts that were later replaced, so from scratch a little money could be saved, but I still wouldn't exactly call it cheap.

The comparison is not between spudding and Nitro R/C cars. The comparison is the cost between American costs, and those costs in other countries - where costs are usually at least twice what you might expect in the US for a similar launcher.

[SNDM]

You can scavenge.

But if you want to be here in a few months time, I wouldnt use scavenged parts on any launcher above 80 psi.

Therefore you have to buy most parts.
In Britain either they dont sell what you want, or they do, but its outrageously expensive.

[scottcrete]

NICE TO SEE!!!! you guys bash each other and not just always towards me...

KET THE HEADS ROLL baby!

[MaxuS the 2nd]

There's always turf wars on Spudfiles.

[Blitz]

There's always turf wars on Spudfiles.

I'm noticing that now...

Next on the Discovery Channel, when elitists collide!

[Jared Haehnel]

if its not one thing....its another....

Perhaps we just need to be more creative on how we make our spud guns. If its really that expensive of an hobby...

Card board tubes from spent paper towel rolls and we can used Mc Donald straws for a barrel!

[MaxuS the 2nd]

Yes but what if you don't want a ghetto gun?

What if you want a bonified, high powered launcher? You have to pay the price.

[Blitz]

That's it! Nobel peace prize awarded to Jared.

Now if you use a cardboard tube in place of the straw, you now have a fully biodegradable gun.

[Jared Haehnel]

Yep, you do...power cost money you can see the relation through the ages...heck its practically a Law...

Spudding doesn't have to be expensive...you don't need to have a 10x hybrid that sends marble to the moon at the age of 15...build according to your budget...and be creative...


Edit : Blitz I'm flattered...I would like to thank all those who made this possible...PCGUY, and Mc Crowley, and of course all my other fellow spudders, with out them I'd be a bored lost hardware store clerk...

[Blitz]

Well, some people do have certain expections and aspirations, seems MaxuS's is rather high, and that's cool. Like I said before, it's all in what you wanna get out of the hobby.

[DYI]

Spudblaster's got it right: you can do a lot for very little if you know where to look.

Case in point: my prototype hybrid.
-12" of 4" SCH 40 steel pipe - free from my school
-60 pounds of 1.75" normalized steel plate - free from my school
-2" steel pipe nipple - $3 from surplus at a hardware store
-2" steel union - $8 from same surplus
-welding and tapped threads on all of this - $20, because i told the welder that i'd send him the videos of it firing
-capacitor based ignition system - free from disposable camera and friend with relay and ignition coil
-current barrel for 5x and under - leftover from a previous project
-meter - $130 (but could have been done conventionally for under $30)

Total cost for a 150ci, 10x hybrid, without the fancy meter: less than $70

Its only expensive for me because I make it expensive.

[rcman50166]

Anyway...

I've been running my projects off of money I've accumulatedd by working 24 hours a week at $7.75 for 5 months at a movie theater. I still have $1700 in the bank for whatever but all this extra money comes at a price. I'm 18 and don't have a car. I'm usually on my bike most of the time. Bethel, CT is seriously only about 3 miles across. I can reach most places in the town.

[Blitz]

You're doing yourself a favor at that point. I'm sure you have friends who drive, anyway, right? Especially with today's gas prices.

I remember when I was in high school, I didn't want to take driver's ed, and I had enough friends who already drove. So I just bummed rides from them 'till I was 18, then I was only required 6hr with an instructor before taking the test to get my license.

EDIT: corrected comma splices of epic proportions!

[MaxuS the 2nd]

seems MaxuS's is rather high

Indeed it is, I wouldn't build a crappy launcher, simple as.

When you don't have the money or the luck to have friends or a school that will give you materials, then cheap = crap. Now I know that somebody will mention Ebay, or say "you're not looking hard enough", or that spudding still doesn't have to be expensive. It's expensive if you live outside the US due to the ridiculously overpriced materials, some are not as fortunate as others when it comes to running into materials that just happen to be lying by the side of a house etc..

I'm no longer going to contribute anything to this thread, spudding is expensive if you want to build something awesome. End of.

In spudding, I suppose you get out what you put into it.