PVC Pipe Compressed Air Cannon

by freeza36

10K2913

Intro: PVC Pipe Compressed Air Cannon

I made a pvc pipe cannon about a month ago. The pvc only cost about $18 at Home Depot. The tire valves cost about $4 for a set of two. All you need is two pieces of pvc of the same diameter, an end-cap for one of them, a ball valve that will connect the two pipes, and a car tire valve. You need pvc primer cement to put it together. Constructing is really straight forward. The two pipes fit into either side of the ball valve. You need to drill a hole in the end-cap, and secure the tire valve there. Then secure the end-cap to one of the ends, and you're done. Mine pumps up to 70 psi with the help of an air compressor. Make sure to close the ball valve before pressurizing.

13 Comments

Masher007 10 years ago

This is not spam, but a warning. PVC will fail suddenly after a while. This was band member that hurt badly by a T-Shirt launcher explosion.

See the pictures and never use PVC to hold air, Please.

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sirlogansa 11 years ago

Can you use PVC cement on the tire valve/end cap?

freeza36 11 years ago

I am not sure how well it would bond to the rubber.

sirlogansa 11 years ago

Does it have to still be attached to the compressor when u shoot it?

freeza36 11 years ago

It helps if it is. You can lose some or all of the pressure taking it off

ilpug 12 years ago

What diameter of pipe are you using there?

freeza36 12 years ago

I believe it is 2 inches

airsoftbeast40 12 years ago

I made one like 6 months ago that was the exact same design as yours. it looks the same and everything. Me and my friends had fun with this. try shooting darts, batteries, and duck tape balls, they are fun =) we got a duck tape with a piece of metal inside it to go about 150 yards.

freeza36 12 years ago

How much air pressure can yours hold?

airsoftbeast40 12 years ago

The pvc pipe i used was rated for 480 psi but the ball valve was only rated for 150 psi so i dont think we ever went above 90.

freeza36 12 years ago

Mine will only go up to 80 with the air compressor that i have. I tried using paper as wadding to shoot smaller items, but it failed. Ammo that fits tightly in the barrel works well.

airsoftbeast40 12 years ago

if i remember right we used paper towel as wadding