PVC PIPES and POTATOES...!!! My story.....

[Car Guy]

Well if you haven't figured it out by now I'm referring to a spud gun, also known as a potato cannon. I just came across mine which I built about ten years ago and it brought back MANY fond memories.....:headbang It's been sitting in my garage for the past 8 years and I wouldn't even think about firing it now because of safety reasons from sitting. But even if it was newly built I wouldn't fire it now at the age of 27. I guess that shows how much less 'risky' (a.k.a smarter!) I've become in the last ten years or so, and here's why.....

When our group of friends starting building these they were all using Aqua Net hairspray for 'fuel'. I didn't like that because in NO time the inside was caked with the leftover 'crap', and I knew there had to be something stronger to propel the potato. So I started experimenting with %100 propane (reason for brass valve - see pic) and then went to a propane/oxygen mix.....

Well as time went on I got closer and closer to getting the perfect mixture. The explosion was getting so strong that I could feel the combustion chamber expand like a balloon WHILE UNDER MY ARM :wooo ...!!! I'm now amazed that I actually fired the thing numerous times like that. I guess that's the whole 'young and dumb' thing because it never fazed me one bit.....:goof I can only imagine what would of happened if it would have 'grenaded' on me.....:chair:

In addition to the barrel you see in the picture I also had a 6 footer, and it was extremely accurate. I liked the ‘shorty’ barrel more because the flame following the potato as it came out at 125+ MPH was unbelievable at night...!!! But as AWESOME as it was it wasn't 100% reliable with firing and I wanted something better all around. My brother Brad (awesomears) was there on many firings and can tell you how wicked it was. However, 'life' was starting to take all of my free time and I never got around to building an air powered one, which is the way to go for safety and reliability.....

Feel free to post up a response if you 'toyed' around with one back in the day or currently. Back when I built mine they were all over the place with the endless information being discovered on the somewhat new (at the time) 'internet'. Just reminiscing about it is giving me the motivation to build the air powered one.....:devil :devil :devil





http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f3/KarGuy/MiscPics136.jpg







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[Heat Seeker WS6]

Haha thats awesome!! :thumbsup
'Tater tracers coming out of the sawed-off :rolf

[88Nightmare]

I got one. I use the aqua net method with a $2 lantern ignitor from wally world. Ill try to post a picture later

[michelle]

We used to use my uncle's and shoot beanie babies into the golf course that was next door. Figured the golfer's would laugh when they saw them in the morning. (:

[juicedimpss]

I can remember one that someone had which was built from steel pipe and had a cast iron expansion chamber. that was run with oxy/acetelene and had a car spark plug to fire it.it was a good thing it had long leads on it,someone would have surely gotten hurt badly when it finally exploded.

[70 cutlass 442]

bad ass, ive been using aqua net for years, id just spray the inside down with brake clean to clean the sticky stuff out

[Car Guy]

We used to use my uncle's and shoot beanie babies into the golf course that was next door. Figured the golfer's would laugh when they saw them in the morning. (:

Never thought of using beanies but we shot eggs supported by paper towels out of a friends setup. But when one broke upon firing it turned into an egg 'mist' and was quite gross.....



I can remember one that someone had which was built from steel pipe and had a cast iron expansion chamber. that was run with oxy/acetelene and had a car spark plug to fire it.it was a good thing it had long leads on it,someone would have surely gotten hurt badly when it finally exploded.

I thought about using that gas combination but in my opinion you are asking to be injured, however I'm sure it was something to see. To me cast iron would be too brittle but I did ponder using steel for the entire thing, except it would weigh a LOT more than the PVC version.....



bad ass, ive been using aqua net for years, id just spray the inside down with brake clean to clean the sticky stuff out

Never thought of brake clean but that's a good idea.....






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[pOrk]

Air powered is the way to go. We built one that was about 4 ft long, originally used PVC but had a near BAD accident and switched over to galvanized pipe. No expansion = WAY more distance. We used a brass flapper valve hooked up to an air release so our setup required two air lines, but it allowed the valve to be flung open hence releasing the air that much faster. We could launch a full size tater clear across the pond over the road and into the woods at greenfield park. I'll have to dig around and see if I still have it.

[Flight_740]

I had one that I just used compressed air to fire. We shot those kids toys called "weeble wobbles". Till the thing blew up on me.

[Car Guy]

Both of those posts ^^^ make me appreciate my arms right now, or anything else I would have lost.....:shades






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[Al]

One of my favorites was to take a soda can and wrap it with duct tape till it fit loosely in the barrel, then wrap paper towel for a tight fit. If you want to talk about kickback!!!

There is no sight similar to that of a 100 mph pepsi hitting a car. A sledgehammer makes a smaller dent and does not explode.

20 0z bottles are nice too.

[stowsea]

i just built one a couple of months ago, btu mine is about 7-8ft long

[Car Guy]

I forgot to mention that if you have one currently I'd like to see pictures of it, so.....

:pics







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[awsomeears]

Justin you forgot about the story of you and john smith in the park at the bow range, cops thought you were shooting guns........

[UnderPSI]

We had a pretty nice one, Threaded barrels to change length, we had a silencer for it too. We used to have wars from paddle boat to paddle boat, or paddle boat to shore up in eagle river. I don't think I have ever seen my Grandpa laugh so hard.

Black powder golf ball cannon was more fun!

[Car Guy]

Justin you forgot about the story of you and john smith in the park at the bow range, cops thought you were shooting guns........

I'll post something about that small 'misunderstanding' later tonight.....:rolf






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[flyin_blue_egg]

how easy is it to make a shooter that shoots using air???

[UnderPSI]

Easy, Shrader valve in the end cap, pressure guage, 1/4 turn valve, or like i use, air selinoid or lawn sprinlker valve. Then you can put it on a tripod and run some wire out and be far away when you launch

[Reverend Cooper]

crank that ***** up I'll fire it

[flyin_blue_egg]

sweet makes me want to make one

[07ROUSHSTG3]

knew someone who got their face blown apart when their air one blew up, ouch!

me and my friends stuck to the aquanet or butane models, LOL!

[sidewayzbimmer]

My dad has made pretty many of them. He even gave them out as christmas presents to the uncles in the family one year. Used to put a milk cap in them and then fill with skittles or kix cereal.

[HY35F2T]

I had one that I just used compressed air to fire. We shot those kids toys called "weeble wobbles". Till the thing blew up on me.

lmfao weeble wobbles lmfao just spit water all over my keyboard.lol.