Fuel/Air Hybrid Potato Gun

This is for seasoned cannon builders only, as it is complicated for me, a proud builder of over 10. This cannon uses gas or air, whichever is handy, but NOT AT THE SAME TIME. That is a recipe for disaster. This is not an exact plan for one, but the instructions to build one. The dimensions are up to you. It will take a weekend to properly build, and around $40-80 dollars, depending on how expensive your hardware store is. I have a friend with a parent owning an irrigation company, so I didn't have to skimp on anything.

I am not liable for any problems whatsoever occuring while either firing, building, or transporting this machine. It is strictly for fun, and nothing else. Aiming or shooting at anything valuable (Yes rednecks, that includes animals and people) is not a good idea. Thanks!. This design requires some valves to be open and some to be closed at different times. If you get confused, you may have just built a pipe bomb. Careful Please!!!!

Step 1 Parts List

These are the dimensions that I used, but they can be changed to whatever specifications you desire.

2 3+ feet sections of 3 inch diameter schedule 50 PVC pipe. Any thickness will do, I just prefer something a little stronger.

1 3x3x2 connector, with the 2 inch port facing up.

1 4 foot section of 2 inch PVC

1 1.5 foot section of 2 inch PVC

1 Can of PVC primer

1 Can of PVC glue

3 1 inch female threaded ball valves.

8 1 inch male threaded PVC couplings. (2 extra, in case of stripping)

4 3-1 inch PVC bushings.

2 2-1 inch PVC bushings.

Anything else you find in the PVC aisle that could be of use.

1 3 inch diameter end cap

1 PSI gage (optional)

1 3 inch end cap with threads and cap

1 Barbeque Sparker

1 Bike Tire Valve (Schraeder)

Thats it!


Make sure to securely glue and loctite tape and glue every joint possible very heavily. It is a little unsightly, but it wil save you lots of time patching leaks and going to the emergency room.

Comments

[Thelonelysandwitch]

this is more of a mortar, but good job. I think that you should put the 2 tanks in a line, like in the shape of a rocket launcher. nice job.

[blugyblug]

Hey this is nice, pretty cool how its Pneumatic AND Combustion, but not really a Hybrid either. You should put this on SpudFiles, people will love it because of its über unique-ness. While your there, go look in the Hybrid cannon showcase. PROPER Hybrids are cannons that use a pressurized, fuel/air mixture. You release the pressurised air at the same time the fuel explodes. Its not a recipe for disaster, as long as you use steel. More on the actual cannon, its not that portable though lol. Dont use that T shape, it looks weird and u cant carry it. make one inline.

[bigbob12345]

I fail to understand what makes this a hybrid Is it just a pneumatic or do you put fuel in their too. Eighther way 200psi is wayyy to much for sch40pvc. And if it was a hybrid then it would go over that pressure and would likely blow up at above a 3x mix. But if you ignore all that then nice gun.

[cannonsaercool]

i'm probably missing something but i didn't see how you coordinate the valve with the ignitor so they both go off at the same time

[yoyo123aj]

Sweet gun dude, Maybe you should put bigger valves on it like the other guy said.

[marc92]

Wow, thats a pretty impressive gun. You might want to use larger valves so the small size of them does not restrict the flow of the compressed air/exploded gases. (+1)