Super Soaker Central

I live in a third-world country with limited access to all the "fancy" parts and supplies mentioned in many of these posts (although some PVC items are available). In addition, I have absolutely no experience with Super Soakers, et al.

That said, my reasons for considering such a homemade device are strictly utilitarian: I am looking for a safe, humane way to chase pigeons (by day) and cats (by night) away from my roof.

Thus, what I seek may be summarized as follows:

• Simple design - including diagrams: I am completely new to this.
• Compact design - not tied down to a backpack or garden hose.
• Inexpensive, more common parts.
• No need for an impressive, infinite range - about 20 feet will suffice.

There have been some posts about using a 2-litre bottle and balloons, but no diagrams and, to my inexperience, the idea of using "more balloons" doesn't make any sense (how are they all connected, especially in a 2-litre bottle?). Perhaps that might suffice for my needs, but I need a complete how-to, and not just general concepts.

Any ideas?
Thanks!

I'm not sure if a water gun is what you're looking for. I think that perhaps smearing some foul smelling oil or non-corrosive chemical on your roof would serve equally well at keeping these animals away, however if a water gun is what you're looking for, I would suggest an APH. A very simple one, with one pressure chamber, and a plastic valve. Check out the article on my site Downpour: http://www.geocities.com/waterwarrior49 ... t/article5 .
This will explain the parts neccessary to build a good APH, however I am uncertain whether some of them would be available in your area. More information about the variety of parts available to you will give us a better idea of how to help you.

cats

Don't shoot cats.

Anyways, I think it would be cheaper for you to just buy a stock soaker. If 20 feet will suffice, then that's really what you should do.

Welcome to Super Soaker Central!

What sort of parts do you have access to? If you can list the PVC parts you have access to, that would be best. Anything else you think might be good could also help. Let me know so I can tell you what you can do if the other options I mention don't sound good.

PVC is available most everywhere from what I know, so you should have access to at least enough parts to make something good. A few other people from third-world countries have had success finding a good PVC stock, as reported to me by email. PVC would make the best water gun for this purpose, but there are other options.

Homemade water guns can easily be made from two liter bottles, and there's loads of ways you can accomplish that. Some people have tried stupid things like putting balloons inside of two liters bottles... that is a bad idea and I would not recommend it. There's a basic two plastic bottle homemade water gun on our website: http://www.sscentral.org/tech/homemades/2l.php

Please note that I did not use a two liter bottle. Also, the tee (shaped like the letter T) used is completely optional. I used that mainly out of personal preference.

You shouldn't have any trouble duplicating what is shown in the pictures. Charging was done with a simple hose attachment. Let me know if you have any other questions on that water gun if you decide to go the way of the bottle.

Piston water gun also are easy to create and obtain. Look for a few water guns that operate through pistons at any toy stores you have access to. You also could make a simple piston water gun with just PVC pipe and endcaps, the most simple water gun around.

wetmonkey442 wrote:... I think that perhaps smearing some foul smelling oil or non-corrosive chemical on your roof would serve equally well at keeping these animals away,

Thanks for your reply. Unfortunately, with the way the houses are designed here, such things would be very offensive to both the occupants and the neighbours. In addition, when it rains here, that kind of stuff would be washed away, and would require very frequent reapplication.

wetmonkey442 wrote:... This will explain the parts neccessary to build a good APH, however I am uncertain whether some of them would be available in your area. More information about the variety of parts available to you will give us a better idea of how to help you.

Not sure. I'll have to check the ferreterias (hardware stores). It's surprising, what they have or don't have. Sometimes, the simplest things are the most difficult (e.g S-hooks and U-bolts), but other times, they have things one would not expect.

On the other hand, Coke and Pepsi are plentiful here, and balloons are no difficulty.

m15399 wrote: Don't shoot cats.

Please note: I intend no actual harm, only chasing them off. Hence my original statement that I wanted something "safe and humane." Otherwise, poisons and fireworks are quite plentiful, but not what I want to do.

m15399 wrote:Anyways, I think it would be cheaper for you to just buy a stock soaker. If 20 feet will suffice, then that's really what you should do.

Those are not that easily available and, when they are, they are priced much higher than in the States (unless $50 is how much they usually cost in the States).

Please note: I intend no actual harm, only chasing them off.

Ya, I knew you weren't meaning to hurt them, but cats don't like water, and I'm a cat lover.

unless $50 is how much they usually cost in the States

Wow. Do you have tools already? If you don't, you might have to buy a hack saw, drill, and other things to properly construct a homemade.

Ben wrote:Welcome to Super Soaker Central!

What sort of parts do you have access to? If you can list the PVC parts you have access to, that would be best. Anything else you think might be good could also help. Let me know so I can tell you what you can do if the other options I mention don't sound good.

I'll have to look more closely, but as I mentioned in a previous reply, it's almost impossible to tell what the stores may or may not have, nor what the prices may be.

Ben wrote:PVC is available most everywhere from what I know, so you should have access to at least enough parts to make something good. A few other people from third-world countries have had success finding a good PVC stock, as reported to me by email.

General PVC is okay, but I'm just not sure about some of the other fittings, valves, etc. One thing that is definitely plentiful is rebar: it seems as though most of the country is made from it!

Ben wrote:Homemade water guns can easily be made from two liter bottles, and there's loads of ways you can accomplish that. Some people have tried stupid things like putting balloons inside of two liters bottles... that is a bad idea and I would not recommend it. There's a basic two plastic bottle homemade water gun on our website: http://www.sscentral.org/tech/homemades/2l.php

Thanks. I'll check it out.

Ben wrote:Look for a few water guns that operate through pistons at any toy stores you have access to.

That would be limited to the one, fifty-dollar Super Soaker I mentioned in an earlier reply (don't know if that's pistons or not, but it is ALL that is available).

For now, I'll check out the link you posted, as well as the parts to which I may have access (I also have very few tools other than some electronics equipment for the shortwave radios I install in clinics that don't have access to telephone service).

m15399 wrote:Ya, I knew you weren't meaning to hurt them, but cats don't like water, and I'm a cat lover.

I'm more of a dog person, but I like cats, too. In fact, many of my friends (here, and in the States) who are cat (but not dog) lovers all use water squirt bottles to train and discipline their cats since the cats do not like it, but it won't hurt them.

m15399 wrote:Wow. Do you have tools already? If you don't, you might have to buy a hack saw, drill, and other things to properly construct a homemade.

Although most of the tools I have are for electronics, a neighbour of mine would have the things you just mentioned, so perhaps there is hope if the parts are available and affordable. Otherwise, the total of my monthly living expenses here is only $380, so you can see what the base economy is like. Still, some things are VERY expensive. When a friend's digital camera died, he had to have someone in the States buy one to bring down during a visit, since the price here for the one he bought was exactly TWICE the U.S. retail price.

It's fine to shoot a cat with a little squirt gun, but not with a high powered homemade super soaker.

Since you have all the tools, it could be quite cheap to produce a homemade.

m15399 wrote:It's fine to shoot a cat with a little squirt gun, but not with a high powered homemade super soaker.

Even at 20 feet? Remember: I don't want something that is designed to blast the paint off a target at 100 yards - just something simple and to fit the job. On the other hand, I certainly would NOT wish to make something like this if I could not make it strong enough to reach without being strong enough to injure.

m15399 wrote:Since you have all the tools, it could be quite cheap to produce a homemade.

Well, that's one good point. I just hope it's not beyond my mechanical ability (fine with electronics, but very klutzy with this kind of thing). And, again, I hope it's NOT powerful enough to hurt anything - just enough to reach them and chase them off.

P.S.: Fortunately, the cats are relatively infrequent. It's the pigeons that are not only a nuisance, but also cause damage to the house.

I think a sling shot would be the best bet. Shoot right next to the cats, and they'll learn quickly that they're not invited. Most birds are quite a bit more stupid. You can shoot at them all you want one day, and they'll be back the next. I don't know what to do about them other than a scare crow or something?

Traveller wrote:Even at 20 feet? Remember: I don't want something that is designed to blast the paint off a target at 100 yards - just something simple and to fit the job. On the other hand, I certainly would NOT wish to make something like this if I could not make it strong enough to reach without being strong enough to injure.


Well, that's one good point. I just hope it's not beyond my mechanical ability (fine with electronics, but very klutzy with this kind of thing). And, again, I hope it's NOT powerful enough to hurt anything - just enough to reach them and chase them off.

P.S.: Fortunately, the cats are relatively infrequent. It's the pigeons that are not only a nuisance, but also cause damage to the house.

Oooh, there's an idea. I should build a hand-held abrasive blasting device for paint stripping.

If you can use a hose with a little pressure, putting your thumb over the nozzle can reach 10-20 feet.

What's the point of using your thumb? You might as well use a nozzle (a conical one, if possible), which will get much more range, better lamination, greater output, etc. No offense, but this is just about the worst solution (to I don't know what) that I've ever seen. Sorry, but this doesn't seem to have too many practical uses.