Egg Cannon

Intro: Egg Cannon

Get ready for something cool. Are you ready? Are you sure? If your not, oh well because Im going to show you how to make a cannon that fires eggs at a high rate of speed and launches them to great distances. You can shoot either raw eggs or hard boiled eggs, I like the "explosion" that the raw make when they hit something. This is a fairly simple/ inexpensive project that can easily be done in a day. I hope you enjoy it!

Since I have published this Instructable, I have made the barrel 5 feet long, and it is awesome. It fires the eggs further and faster.

PLEASE DONT SHOOT ANYONE! This is a dangerous project, please be responsable with this cannon.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yu_xe0sWIAI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5iStEvBKfKQ

STEP 1: Materials

Parts:
-2' of 2" diameter PVC
-2' of 3" diameter PVC
-3" to 2" reducer joint PVC
-3" to 2" tee joint PVC
-3" male and female screw parts PVC
-2" to 3/4" female part PVC
-3/4" male part PVC
-PVC Primer and Cement
-Salvaged Grill starter+wires
-1/4" threaded rod
-(6) 1/4" nuts
-Empty toilet paper roll
-Wire
-Foam Sheet
-EGGS

Tools:
-Drill+drill bits
-Wire stripper
-Razor blade
-Sandpaper
-Dremel
-Double-sided tape
-Electrical tape
-Hammer
-Hacksaw
-Vice
-Epoxy
-Caulk

STEP 2: Cut 'n' Drill

First we're going to cut the chamber (aka the 3" diameter PVC).
I cut the chamber down to 7".

Next, drill the hole in the 3" to 2" tee joint that allows the Grill starter to fit in. I used a 7/8" bit.

Okay, now, drill two holes that are arcoss from eachother in the chamber. Then put the rod and the nuts in them. You may need to adjust the distance of the two spark rods, I made it so mine are about 1/4" apart.

Finally, drill a hole (1/4") for the wires in the 2" to 3/4" reducer part.

STEP 3: Trigger Time

Okay, now its time to work on the trigger (igniter) part. First make sure that the hole you drill is big enough for your grill starter. Then put it in the hole.

Now comes the long and messy part. I first used epoxy to hold the grill starter in place and let it set for a couple of hours, then I put some caulk over that, making sure that there are no leaks. Then after letting that dry/set for a day, I came back with some more epoxy.


There are easier ways to do this.. 

STEP 4: Spark Rod

Since the holes were already drilled, all that you need to do is add the spark rod and bolts. I first started out by cutting the threaded rod down to size. Then I put one of the spark rods in one of the holes and added the inside nut and the nut on the outside that is in contact with the PVC. Now you need to attach the wires from the grill starter to the spark rod. To do this, strip enough of the wire so you can wrap the bare part around the spark rod. Then put the other nut on the rod, to hold the wire in place.

Then repeat for the other spark rod.

STEP 5: Assemble

This step is simple, just connect the pieces together using the PVC primer and cement. You may need to use a hammer to push them together better.

Put the PVC primer on first(this is the purple stuff) on both of the parts you want to connect. Then put the cement over the top of the primer. As you are pushing them together, if you twist about a 1/4" it "locks" them in place.

STEP 6: The Sabot

First you need to cut a rectangle out of the foam, the size of 10.5cm by 14.5cm. Then using the double-sided tape, attach the foam to the empty toilet paper roll. Now for the "hard" part. Like hockey players, first attach part of the electrical tape to the roll, then twist it up. Once it is twist enough, wrap it around the roll a couple of times. Then wrap the electrical tape around the roll, ontop of the twisted tape. do this until the sabot fits snuggly into the 2" diameter barrel.

-You may want to make a few of these, because they tend to get messy.

STEP 7: Extra Touches Materials

Paint:
-Painters Tape
-Stencils
-Spray Paint
              +Black
              +Yellow
              +Brown
              +Dark Olive Green

Accessories:
-2" to 1 1/2" tee joint PVC
-Velcro Strips
-2' of 2" diameter PVC
-(2) metal rods
-1 1/2" end cap
-2' of 1 1/2" diameter PVC 
-2" PVC Coupler
-(4) small bolts
-(8) small nuts
-Duct Tape
-PVC Primer and Cement

STEP 8: Paint

I decided to add the radiation symbol to my cannon, no reason, I just wanted to. So I first painted the section where I wanted to place the symbol yellow. Then I added the pattern that I made on painters tape to the section. Then I used some more painters tape to cover the threads of the threaded pieces, the spark bolts, and the trigger. Then I hit the cannon and all of its pieces with olive green paint. Then once that was dry I hit it with some brown paint to make the paint scheme look like camo.

Once this was completed I removed the painters tape.

STEP 9: Barrel Extension

This might just be one of the easiest pieces to do. All you to do is connect the 2" diameter PVC to the 2" coupler with PVC primer and cement. Then paint it the same as the cannon.

STEP 10: Handle

Now onto the additional handle. First you need to cut the 2" to 1 1/2" tee joint in half. The half with the 1 1/2" is the part that is going to be  the handle. Ignore the other half for now.

Then I used a Dremel tool to remove sand down the sides on the part. Then drill 2 small holes (big enough for the small bolts to fit)  that are across from eachother in the part. Along with drill the PVC you need to drill the same size holes in the velcro strips.

Now you need to attach the velcro straps to the PVC using the nuts and bolts.

STEP 11: Tripod Attachment

Just one more part to go (if you want to). Now we are going to use the other half of the tee joint.

Then drill to holes that are across from each other that are also big enough for the metal rods(legs). Next your going to need to stir up some epoxy, to hold the legs in place. Do one at time, let it dry, then do the other one.

STEP 12: Load, Aim, FIRE!

Okay so lets round up some eggs. Put the egg into the sabot, then put that package(egg + sabot) into the barrel, then using something long enough, push the package down to the bottom of the barrel.

Next, spray some hair spray into the chamber (I like to do 10 squirts of it), then shut the chamber with the screw parts. You may need to fine tune the concentration.

Then aim, and FIRE.

You may notice that after a few shots, that the barrel and chamber get a little wet. Just take a few paper towels and dry them out.

STEP 13: Over Achievers

For an even cooler egg cannon, you could rifle the barrel! How cool would that be? Just think about it. Or even and egg ammo belt.

Comments

[narendra500]

how do you make the trigger, or what do you use to make it? btw awesome work bro!!

[jimgwin1]

Bbq igniter.

[meraki]

Thank you for this very interesting project.
I would like to build it, but didn't quite understand the trigger mechanism and how it works. Can you please explain it further?

[jimgwin1]

It ignites the hairspray and boom, of it goes. I have made something similar using a film tube and a shot of butain from a bicycle lighter.

[cainsworth0913]

Can you put a list of components with pictures? Some of the terms you used for the fittings were incorrect, so if either names or pictures I'd be extremely grateful, also for others making the cannon that don't know anything about pvc fitting I'm sure would be equally happy

[broylesw82]

how far does it go

[donrii]

Can i buy one if you make it

[Matthew McDonald]

Is there a way to make it go slower than how fast it is going?

I am making this for a school engineering project and it needs to be slower..

[gemoney]

is it possible to make. A full metal egg cannon. And if so how much would it cost me

[Canadian12]

Brilliant!!! XP

[c3ralki1l3r]

i think pressure rated pvc would be better just in case something goes wrong......