High Power Steel Pipe Air Cannon

by RiceFlavoredGum

5000

Intro: High Power Steel Pipe Air Cannon

I had a lot of galvanized steel pipe and fittings lying around so I decided to build a high power steel pipe air cannon. This cannon is a lot safer than PVC ones because steel pipe is rated for compressed air, unlike PVC. This design also allows for interchangeable barrels.

STEP 1: Air Tank

The air tank consists of two 1.5" x 12" steel pipe nipples connected by a coupling and sealed at one end with an end cap.

STEP 2: Barrel

The barrel consists of 48" of 3/4" PVC pipe connected to a bushing and 1" male adapter. It is okay to use PVC pipe for the barrel because it is not under constant pressure. I added a self tapping screw to prevent ammunition from being pressed too far.

STEP 3: Fill Valve

The fill valve is a gas line pressure test tool. I replaced the included 15 psi gauge with a 160 psi gauge. This allows the air cannon to be filled using a bike pump or air compressor.

STEP 4: Strapping

To strap the air tank to the barrel, I used a piece of plastic pipe and added a hose clamp for stability.