Howdy from Wenatchee Valley (the snowy end)

Build a homemade water gun or water balloon launcher and tell us about it.
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fradzap
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Howdy from Wenatchee Valley (the snowy end)

Post by fradzap » Thu Jan 04, 2007 2:02 pm

Hi All...I'm looking to build a PVC water cannon. Any suggestions? Thank You ! :)

"Stay Cool...... Super Soak!!!"

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C-A_99
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Post by C-A_99 » Thu Jan 04, 2007 8:12 pm

Anything specific? Are you doing a CPH (constant pressure homemade) or APH (air pressure homemade)? Do you want a large, more powerful weapon or a simpler, compact (but nonetheless still powerful) gun?

I am currently on a project of my own, a CPH and a water balloon launcher. To get started, familiarize yourself with how the PVC stuff works, and read some of the articles under the tech section of the site.

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Silence
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Post by Silence » Thu Jan 04, 2007 9:21 pm

C-A_99 is referring to what we call homemade water guns. Water cannons are different, much simpler but more powerful in a sense. Water cannons are essentially huge chambers with huge firing valves. You fill them with water through the trigger valve and add air using a footpump. They're single shot, but unleash a tremendous amount of water.

There are also water balloon launcher (water balloon launchers), similar to water cannons. They have a long barrel, and shoot water balloons hundreds of feet.

EDIT: Forgot to say, welcome to the forums!
Last edited by Silence on Thu Jan 04, 2007 9:48 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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joannaardway
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Post by joannaardway » Thu Jan 04, 2007 9:52 pm

Hi from me too.

I suggest you start by reading the "homemade" section of the main site, then work out what type of soaker you want to build.

There are several options....
"Over the hills and far away, she prays he will return one day. As sure as the rivers reach the seas, back in his arms again she'll be." - Over the Hills and far away, Gary Moore

"So many people have come and gone, their faces fade as the years go by. Yet I still recall as I wander on, as clear as the sun in the summer sky" - More than a feeling, Boston

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fradzap
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This is all new to me

Post by fradzap » Fri Jan 05, 2007 4:12 am

I just kinda stumbled onto this forum... I didn't even know there were such things as water cannons or water balloon cannons!

I used to make my own rockets fueled by stuff found in most households. But I found out the materials were highly unstable and could cause some serious bodily injury (though all my launches were successful, though quite unpredictable).

I'm interested in making a simple air powered (pump or compressor) water balloon (or other safe projectlle) cannon and maybe an air powered rocket launcher.

I'm 60 and retired..but still a kid @ heart...

Thanks for your info

Fradzap

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joannaardway
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Post by joannaardway » Fri Jan 05, 2007 9:49 am

Hmm...

For all your launching needs, I'd suggest reading these sites and perhaps joining their forums:

http://www.spudtech.com
http://www.spudfiles.com (look over the "spudding handbook" - lots of information).

I don't recommend ordering anything from Spudtech, as it can take many many months for it to arrive.

If you read the sites, then you'll gain a good bit of knowledge to start off with.

With most spudcannons, you can load any ammo as long as the barrel is the right bore. Water balloons, potatos, tennis balls, plastic pellets... Choose your ammo, then build your cannon to fire it.
"Over the hills and far away, she prays he will return one day. As sure as the rivers reach the seas, back in his arms again she'll be." - Over the Hills and far away, Gary Moore

"So many people have come and gone, their faces fade as the years go by. Yet I still recall as I wander on, as clear as the sun in the summer sky" - More than a feeling, Boston

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Silence
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Post by Silence » Fri Jan 05, 2007 8:55 pm

Nice to have you here! Got some links this time...

Water balloon launcher

Air pressure homemade

Water cannon and the next thread

There are also alternate designs for constant air pressure systems, which are expensive and powerful with an air pressure regulator. Constant pressure homemades, which are alternates to air pressure homemades but use rubber, are also good choices.

Feel free to ask any questions!

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fradzap
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Thanks for the great info

Post by fradzap » Sat Jan 06, 2007 3:39 am

I'm getting so much great info from all you guys (and gal). Thank you for some really usefull ideas.

The rockets I used to make were extremely dangerous both to make & to launch. It's a wonder I didn't kill myself playing around with such unpredicable explosive materials. Anybody can buy what I used for fuel at any grocery store and so it seemed to be quite harmless. That was about 40 years ago.
About 30 years ago my younger brother & a few of his buddies made miniature bombs using the same thing I used to use for my rocket fuel.........
they weren't as fortunate as I was and had their "bombs" go off while they were making them. Fortunately all they lost was a little of their skin and maybe a little pride!!!

These water & air powered cannons look like a much safer way to express my experimental tendencies.

Thanks again.........................................................................Fradzap

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joannaardway
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Post by joannaardway » Sat Jan 06, 2007 8:02 pm

I wouldn't go so far as to say they're entirely safe.

My brother has a 9-gauge pneumatic cannon (but the word "shotgun" wouldn't be far off) that will punch holes clean through 2mm thick steel plate (not with water balloons though). I wouldn't want to get in the way!
"Over the hills and far away, she prays he will return one day. As sure as the rivers reach the seas, back in his arms again she'll be." - Over the Hills and far away, Gary Moore

"So many people have come and gone, their faces fade as the years go by. Yet I still recall as I wander on, as clear as the sun in the summer sky" - More than a feeling, Boston

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fradzap
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Post by fradzap » Sun Jan 07, 2007 2:37 pm

Entirely safe would be no fun at all. There has to a certain element of risk to keep the old adrenaline pumping!!

Has anybody tried launching a wet sponge? I'll bet it looks like a comet, for a short time anyway.

Ta Ta for now.........................................Fradzap :)
"I don't think so..but maybe not".. K. Adams

"...There's no insult like the truth".. Charlie Peacock

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Silence
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Post by Silence » Sun Jan 07, 2007 3:21 pm

Yup, gotta love that adrenaline!

People have considered using a pneumatic system to launch wet sponges, simply to get more range while keeping a soaking capability, but the air usually goes straight through and dries out the sponge. Plus, the sponged doesn't carry too much water.

But it might look really neat as it fire, like a comet, as you say. Interesting...

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fradzap
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Post by fradzap » Tue Jan 09, 2007 3:11 pm

How does 9-gauge compare in size to USA type PVC pipe size?

That air cannon sounds impressive!!!

On the air powered angle....we had 120+ MPH winds on 1/07/07 in higher areas near Wenatchee, WA, USA(about 20 miles down-valley from our home).

One of our city parks had 15 large trees down.

Lots of roof damage in private homes as well as business buildings.

Trees & power lines down all over town...19,000 without elec. power.

Now that's some real air power!!!

Later, Fradzap :)
"I don't think so..but maybe not".. K. Adams

"...There's no insult like the truth".. Charlie Peacock

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SSCBen
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Post by SSCBen » Tue Jan 09, 2007 10:05 pm

Hadn't had the opportunity to welcome you due to my schedule... so welcome to SSC!

Don't have much time to post here, but from what I can see on Wikipedia, 9 gauge would be between .835 and .775 caliber. 3/4 inch schedule 40 PVC pipe is 0.824 caliber, which is closer to 8 gauge, but the closest you can get with PVC.

Also, if you intend to launch a sponge, you must realize that the rapidly expanding air would much rather push the water out of the sponge than launch it. It will launch, but not very energetically (I've tried). You have to put a seal on one end if you intend for the sponge to be launched. I would not recommend launching sponges for that reason... you can't simply use a regular sponge and a sponge doesn't hold as much water as a balloon.

:)

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fradzap
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Thanks for the great info

Post by fradzap » Wed Jan 10, 2007 3:18 pm

Ben....Thanks for the info on gauge/PVC pipe comparison. That gives me a good idea on what a "big game hunter" home-made air powered blunderbuss
might look like. Though PVC might be a bit light for that project.
It seems like PVC could shatter if something went wrong.

The Europeans used to hunt wild boar with pump-up pneumatic large bore air rifles! That first shot had better count, huh? I wonder how many times the score was.....

Boar=1

Hunter=Zero

Later, Fradzap :)
"I don't think so..but maybe not".. K. Adams

"...There's no insult like the truth".. Charlie Peacock

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joannaardway
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Post by joannaardway » Wed Jan 10, 2007 5:29 pm

fradzap wrote:How does 9-gauge compare in size to USA type PVC pipe size?

That air cannon sounds impressive!!!

As Ben said, 9-gauge roughly translates to 3/4" SCH 40 pipe.

To be entirely accurate, my brother used 22mm copper pipe in the construction of his air cannon. (22mm being the outer diameter of the copper pipe, with an internal diameter of a hair over 20mm.)

He's got recorded ranges of in excess of 500 yards with a steel ball bearing, so it is quite powerful. It's also fairly accurate.

I would link you to a detailed topic about the cannon, but at the moment, the forum that the topic is on is temporarily off-line, so I'll give a link as soon as I hear it's on-line again.

His next project will be a pump-action rapid fire cannon on a similar basic design - that should be fun...
"Over the hills and far away, she prays he will return one day. As sure as the rivers reach the seas, back in his arms again she'll be." - Over the Hills and far away, Gary Moore

"So many people have come and gone, their faces fade as the years go by. Yet I still recall as I wander on, as clear as the sun in the summer sky" - More than a feeling, Boston

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