High Powered Spud Gun Ignition/Thick blue spark creator

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.

Comments

[-KungPow-]

 how do you make one with a lighter?

cant you make one with a battery and two wires?

[Ballistaman]

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...

[mistahmaxi]

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.

[kollijolbein]

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.

[Laxdan37]

Chuck norrises beard is steel wool

[SaNjA2659]

Is there 250 volts powering 12 volt coil?!

[gunguru94]

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

[NIJU!]

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

[NIJU!]

yea you can use anything even crapy lighter igniters

[kalapana]

what is that black box in the middle?

[microman171]

That would be the trigger switch

[voltagedude]

on the diagram what is the blue thingy!!

[microman171]

A car ignition coil

[master lurtz]

What part of new zealand are you from?

[Orro]

I am from napier :)

[Killa-X]

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

[Bando_Red]

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.

[microman171]

Nah, its the little one. About 20in long

[microman171]

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

[Beans]

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

[deejay1992]

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

[microman171]

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

[deejay1992]

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

[microman171]

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

[mattccc]

SWEET

[microman171]

thanks :D. Make sure you use a new igniotion coil to get the best performance

[mattccc]

ty