I need help - first air cannon

[fpshutch74]

Hey,
Im planning to make a pvc air cannon for paintball. I already have a female paintball regulator that i use for my bb machine gun that i made a while back. At first i was going to use 3 9volts wired together to power the valve but i am wondering how to rig the valve witha blowgun so i dont have too. I also am wondering about the pvc vs. metal vs. abs. I want to use this cannon for snowballs too in the cold weather and i dont want to loose an arm. I already know the chamber will be metal but i am wontering if the barrel must be too. I know it isnt holding the pressure continuously but it has to be strong enough to handle the pressure when firing, which might be worse since its a sudden high pressure. So if anyone could help me out it would be great. thanks

[Killjoy]

check the how to page on how to mod the valve, And if your going to make the chamber metal, you might as well make the barrel cause (in my opinion), will look better and plastics don't do to well at cold temperatures, so metal would be the best and safest choice.

[noname]

A barrel made of PVC will be fine, you can use metal if you want. Make sure your chamber is metal. Never use ABS for a pneumatic.

[fpshutch74]

thanks, i got another question tho, is there high pressure valves that arnt too expencive becuase if the guns metal, why not get a better valve for higher pressures?

[judgment_arms]

Don’t know about the valve, but I’d like to know where you got your regulator and how much it was. Also read the safety rules posted by me and a few other members, my signature is a link to the topic. Oh and welcome to the forums

[Killjoy]

mcmasters got them. What kinda pressure are you talking about?

[frankrede]

Abs for a barrel would be fine, its really light weight too. For the chamber you should use metal, especially in the snow.

[fpshutch74]

im thinking around 300 psi mabey, like i said before i intend to use this cannon for multiple things, including paintball, in which i would old use 75-100 psi for a multishot load to "rain" paintballs onto a group of players or use a nerf football for am "anti-tank" rocket at senario games. I was wondering about the higher pressures in terms of non paintball terms only.
As for the guy who asked abou the reg, i bought a palmer female reg. it s normally $80 but i bought it with the mounting kit for a 98 custom for 100. i got the standard output range of 0-800 psi, you can get a 0-300psi but i wanted more options. trust me, safety is not an issue, it stays at the pressure you set it at. you also have the option of a pressure gauge on the side of the reg but i did research and the one they provided is not very accuarate and breaks easy, so i got my own. i use my reg for my bb gun and its really sweet.
And as for the safety i appreciate that you promote the safety, i got alot of idiot friend who i dont trust with any of my guns whether it be my bb, airsoft, paintball, or my potato guns.

[jrrdw]

Everybody else answered your questions nicely, what i've quoted from your post, live by it, 8) , smart thinking

And as for the safety i appreciate that you promote the safety, i got alot of idiot friend who i dont trust with any of my guns whether it be my bb, airsoft, paintball, or my potato guns.

[Killjoy]

you should be able to get some brass balll valves at home depot (or any home improvment/plumbing supply) for 7 or 8 bucks that are rated to 450 psi.

[fpshutch74]

thanks but i need a fast opening valve, im accually thinking of making two guns a low pressure paintball cannon w/ a breech load so i can reload quick and a metal chamber and a high pressure piston cannon. First i will make the paintball cannon tho

i actually was watching the mythbusters where they shot frozen chickens out of a hugh air cannon. they used this liquid foam material that expanded similar to the chemical "right stuff" to create air tight cartriges. i just wanted to throw that out there becasue it would great to find out that chemical or something similar cuz it forms a mold around your projectile and seals perfectly

[frankrede]

Thye have this stuff at hardware stores and its called expanding foam or something, I think its used for house insulation or something.