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02/23/2007 11:17:09 PM · #26 |
A few years back a guy who worked in the shop at a company I worked for made one. He took it outside during break and fired a few shots up in the air, but in the general direction of the company nearest to us, about 100 yards (or more) away.
The potatoes landed on, and around the picnic table that was in use by the other companies employees. Not good!
The person was fired, of course. Our company President had to go to the neighbor and apologize to the employees for putting them in danger.
But did I mention it was pretty cool?
Message edited by author 2007-02-23 23:17:48. |
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02/23/2007 11:58:15 PM · #27 |
| lol i live in the country pretty much so lots of room to fire it :P |
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02/24/2007 01:13:48 AM · #28 |
Wrap a rag around a piece of pvc pipe, and break it with a hammer, then look at the pieces you get and think what they must feel like hitting you at 100mph plus. That stuff will explode sometimes, and it don't show up on x rays very well. We have blown up 2 eight inch barrels. It isn't the pressure so much as side loading from the shock of firing.
Be halfway careful with whatever you build.
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02/24/2007 01:17:00 AM · #29 |
Originally posted by MelonMusketeer:
Wrap a rag around a piece of pvc pipe, and break it with a hammer, then look at the pieces you get and think what they must feel like hitting you at 100mph plus. That stuff will explode sometimes, and it don't show up on x rays very well. We have blown up 2 eight inch barrels. It isn't the pressure so much as side loading from the shock of firing.
Be halfway careful with whatever you build. |
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thanks for the concern, im concidering making a remove firing thing, just a long cable. But i suppose it wouldn't do much good if there flying that fast. Another option is that other pipe stuff that doesn't shatter but stretches, might be the better idea. |
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02/24/2007 01:36:36 AM · #30 |
Originally posted by kawana:
Originally posted by MelonMusketeer:
Wrap a rag around a piece of pvc pipe, and break it with a hammer, then look at the pieces you get and think what they must feel like hitting you at 100mph plus. That stuff will explode sometimes, and it don't show up on x rays very well. We have blown up 2 eight inch barrels. It isn't the pressure so much as side loading from the shock of firing.
Be halfway careful with whatever you build. |
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thanks for the concern, im concidering making a remove firing thing, just a long cable. But i suppose it wouldn't do much good if there flying that fast. Another option is that other pipe stuff that doesn't shatter but stretches, might be the better idea. |
Oh where is your sense of adventure!!! lol. I had one made out of 4 inch PVC necked down to 1 1/2 inch for the barrel...very impressive!!! It would completely vaporize a potato fired at a cinder block wall!! be mindful of the amount of hairspray you use...and the fire ball at night is very cool!!!
have fun!! be safe....is that not an oxymoran??? LOL... |
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02/24/2007 01:38:32 PM · #31 |
You can feel half way safer if you wrap a piece of net around the barrell near the back end. That way if it blows out, the netting will let the air out and contain the pieces.
We use a 27 ft long 8 inch dia. fiberglass sleeve inside 15 ft of D R 18 underground water main, which is rated for 600 psi, and has 7/8 inch wall thickness. If we take out the sleeve, we can launch bowling balls with it. We quit doing that though, as they go out of sight, and can bounce and roll after they land.
This thread needs to get back to photography, so post some pics of what you are doing as you go along.
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02/24/2007 03:03:41 PM · #32 |
Originally posted by MelonMusketeer:
You can feel half way safer if you wrap a piece of net around the barrell near the back end. That way if it blows out, the netting will let the air out and contain the pieces.
We use a 27 ft long 8 inch dia. fiberglass sleeve inside 15 ft of D R 18 underground water main, which is rated for 600 psi, and has 7/8 inch wall thickness. If we take out the sleeve, we can launch bowling balls with it. We quit doing that though, as they go out of sight, and can bounce and roll after they land.
This thread needs to get back to photography, so post some pics of what you are doing as you go along. |
lol i might just do that, if it does blow out where does it do so? Im guessing the combustion chamber right? Would wrapping like 4 rolls of packing tape do anything to contain the blast lol? |
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02/24/2007 03:16:46 PM · #33 |
Duct tape may help some. Net is best because the explosion can get out. The side loading is greatest where the barrell meets the chamber, and that is where breaks seem to occur most often.
PVC has been banned from the WCPC because it is too dangerous. Here are a couple of links.
WCPC Official Site
Results of the WCPC
We took 2 air cannons in 2,000, Spooky Bazookey, and Melon Molequlizer.
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02/24/2007 03:19:58 PM · #34 |
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02/24/2007 04:10:58 PM · #35 |
| Friend of mine who lives on Lake Chelan (WA, USA) has one. He favors "Miss Clairol" as his propellant of choice. Shoots potatoes (Idaho potatoes are the best) at passing boats. Fortunately, he drinks and usually misses. |
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02/25/2007 01:31:01 AM · #36 |
I had one as a kid that was perfectly sized for golf balls. We would go to the driving range and "buy" a bucket of balls and then sneak them into the car and go home to shoot the golf ball cannon. The golf balls would go out of site. If you were to be shot with one, it would most certainly kill you or remove a limb. They frequently would blow holes in the side of barn walls and I shot one through an igloo ice chest once too. The down side, it was my dads ice chest.
I have the itch to build one again. :) |
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