3 Simple Ways to
Share What You Make

With Instructables you can share what you make with the world — and tap into an ever-growing community of creative experts.

PhotosPhotos

Share one or more photos of a project, recipe, or whatever you've made, quickly and easily.

Get Started

Learn more & Get Tips

Step by StepStep-By-Step

Share your step-by-step photos with text instructions of what you made so others can do it too!

Get Started

Learn more & Get Tips

VideoVideo

Share your how-to video. You'll need your embed code from a video site such as YouTube.

Get Started

Learn more & Get Tips

Print PDF

Favorite

High Powered Spud Gun Ignition/Thick blue spark creator

last photo ←

Me and my cousin have just made smallish sized spud guns. Just recently the cheapo ex- lighter ignitors just stoped working (Not designed for many pushes. We tried a lot of non grill ignitor or flint methods. As in NZ I can't find either of those. I found an ignition coil in the garage and though 'Why not?' But the sparks sucked. I hooked a camera flash to pump the coil and CRACK! massive thick spark. If you look through the pictures you will see how easy this actually was.

EDIT:- Added new photo detailing the circuit

Also if you are going to use this please wrap your gun in something (Duct Tape, Fibre Re-inforced Tape, Denim...) This spark could ignite a thicker mix than a grill ignitor and we dont want any explosions. Unless you have shedule 80 - 120 please dont get excited with the propellent.

27 comments

Mar 11, 2010. 6:32 PM-KungPow- says:

how do you make one with a lighter?

cant you make one with a battery and two wires?

Oct 23, 2010. 2:30 PMBallistaman says:

If you had a capacitor hooked up to the battery then yes... if not... then no. Capacitors can kill you so be careful... Use a camera circuit like this slideshow told you to... the capacitor is very dangerous...

Jun 23, 2010. 5:44 AMmistahmaxi says:

It's really not that simple, I'm afraid. A piezo igniter is made to ignite things with it's strong and short amount of electricity. Those batteries and wires you were talking about would just keep a low but long electricity flow and therefore you wouldn't even be able to ignite gasoline. That's why we use the piezos.

Mar 8, 2009. 9:48 AMkollijolbein says:

I have always used a camera flash for my spud gun :) Because it works. I have never tried anything else. I sometimes put a little bit of steel wool on the two screws to get a better spark, that works well too.

Jul 13, 2010. 1:27 PMLaxdan37 says:

Chuck norrises beard is steel wool

Feb 16, 2010. 10:01 AMSaNjA2659 says:

Is there 250 volts powering 12 volt coil?!

Aug 6, 2009. 5:33 AMgunguru94 says:

i was wondering if u could just wire a grill igniter through the coil?

Aug 6, 2009. 5:40 AMNIJU! says:

sorry you dont even need the coil the lighter ignitors make a spark all by themselves

Aug 6, 2009. 5:39 AMNIJU! says:

yea you can use anything even crapy lighter igniters

May 29, 2009. 5:21 PMkalapana says:

what is that black box in the middle?

May 29, 2009. 6:29 PMmicroman171 (author) says:

That would be the trigger switch

May 5, 2009. 7:02 PMvoltagedude says:

on the diagram what is the blue thingy!!

May 6, 2009. 1:05 AMmicroman171 (author) says:

A car ignition coil

Apr 20, 2009. 3:52 PMmaster lurtz says:

What part of new zealand are you from?

Apr 30, 2009. 11:15 PMOrro says:

I am from napier :)

Feb 25, 2009. 4:37 PMKilla-X says:

I know this is a tad old but.... Just wanted to let you know.. a simple 555 circuit and a 12V battery would give you good power also :P I guess that way works too :D

Nov 3, 2008. 11:21 AMBando_Red says:

Is that a full size tool box? This is a great idea and all,but I don't see how it's practical for spud guns compared to spud artillery or spud AA guns ect. Then again,practical has never been something I've been good at.

Nov 5, 2008. 8:01 PMmicroman171 (author) says:

Nah, its the little one. About 20in long

Jul 31, 2008. 12:33 AMmicroman171 (author) says:

Sorry guys, I couldnt upload the photo... Maybe I can put it here:

Jul 30, 2008. 9:08 PMBeans says:

hey this looks sweet i just made a spud gun but it needs a better igniter and this looks good but could u send me block diagram and a materials list ty

Apr 16, 2008. 6:58 AMdeejay1992 says:

do u think you would be able to poat a better pic of the wiring diagram cheers

Apr 16, 2008. 11:52 AMmicroman171 (author) says:

Sure! Do you perfer a block diagram or a real electrical shematic?

Apr 17, 2008. 6:45 AMdeejay1992 says:

thanx block diagram will be fine me and mates made a marble cannon it was awesome but i almost blew my thumb off the other day planning on making an electronic ignition like yours

Apr 20, 2008. 12:40 PMmicroman171 (author) says:

Ouch! I lost my eyebrow and eylashes with these thing... pnuematic for me any day! I'm emailing the block diagram soon