Metal Combustion

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.
User avatar
drac
Corporal 4
Corporal 4
United States of America
Posts: 899
Joined: Sun Apr 24, 2005 8:56 am
Location: Avon, NY
Been thanked: 2 times

Fri Jan 20, 2006 6:43 am

Since I really don't have any good tools for my lathe yet (i.e. o-ring cutters aka parting tool or a boring bit) I decided to use it to drill some nice centered holes.

The chamber, seen below, is a 2 by 8in pipe nipple, reduced down to 1/2 inch for the barrel.

Image

The ignition source is a bolt, drilled through, with a wire superglued into place, somewhat like a sparkplug.

Image


More pics are at http://metalcannon.mypicgallery.com/
I've had this gun for about a month now, I was just a tiny bit afraid to post it, seeing how huge the Orange Bomber was. Makes this gun look a weeee bit pathetic. :P
User avatar
Urban Ninja
Specialist 2
Specialist 2
Posts: 297
Joined: Sun Jan 01, 2006 5:35 am
Location: Sydney Australia.
Contact:

Fri Jan 20, 2006 6:57 am

Looks nice 8) ! What propellant do you use? What is your longest shot? I wish I could make one like that but A) I cant afford a lathe C) Im only 14 and my mum probrably would not let me get one and C) I cant find any places that sell metal tubing that big! Nice gun though :P !
User avatar
drac
Corporal 4
Corporal 4
United States of America
Posts: 899
Joined: Sun Apr 24, 2005 8:56 am
Location: Avon, NY
Been thanked: 2 times

Fri Jan 20, 2006 7:21 am

I use regular Right Guard Deodarant, but I recently installed a propane injection system, which I have yet to get pictures of. My farthest shot was about 150 feet with a AA battery.

Being my first metal gun, this one turned out pretty ell, but there are some things that I am not please with. It's hard to get a good fuel mix in the chamber, which most of the time gives less than mediocre performance. I think the next metal combustion I make is going to be a bit smaller.
taterjim
Specialist
Specialist
Posts: 123
Joined: Sat Jul 23, 2005 10:14 am

Fri Jan 20, 2006 9:47 pm

I would like to see a cannon like you have built out of metal in a 4" or bigger chamber ,with a 1.5 o r 2" barrel ,say 4 to 5' in lenght.has anyone ever done that? you could outfit it with a shrader valve and pump in a little air to beef up the power a little,not too much though or you would be better off having a remote ignition device like I have on one of my cannons, so I can be 15' away when it fires.
User avatar
annyonghaseyo90
Private
Private
Posts: 4
Joined: Tue Aug 08, 2006 12:31 pm

Tue Aug 08, 2006 1:03 pm

wow thats cool.what do you use as ammo. :D
User avatar
drac
Corporal 4
Corporal 4
United States of America
Posts: 899
Joined: Sun Apr 24, 2005 8:56 am
Location: Avon, NY
Been thanked: 2 times

Tue Aug 08, 2006 1:17 pm

AA batteries are my ammo of choice.
User avatar
frankrede
Sergeant Major 2
Sergeant Major 2
Posts: 3220
Joined: Thu Jul 20, 2006 9:47 pm
Has thanked: 1 time
Been thanked: 1 time

Tue Aug 08, 2006 1:18 pm

He said AA batteries. Please read before you post.
Post Reply