Heavy APH

Build a homemade water gun or water balloon launcher and tell us about it.
User avatar
Comrade117
Posts: 20
Joined: Wed Jun 02, 2010 6:36 pm

Heavy APH

Post by Comrade117 » Sat Jun 19, 2010 7:49 pm

I made some virtual models of heavy APH with small water balloon launcher mounted on it. I was wondering if this could work well:

Colored picture:
red: water balloon launcher (sling)
light blue: canister
blue: pump
yellow: connections, nozle...
gray: PC
green: trigger
Attachments
H APH 2.JPG
H APH.JPG
No escape. No mercy.

User avatar
C-A_99
Posts: 1502
Joined: Tue Aug 01, 2006 11:09 pm

Re: Heavy APH

Post by C-A_99 » Sat Jun 19, 2010 8:13 pm

Nice 3D work. I'm not liking the concept that much though.

First, while APH's already must have a 90° bend (unless of course, they use pistons or otherwise seperate the water from air), adding more bends will make this issue worse. It's best to get straight to the nozzle after the PC's.

Second, it has been shown again and again that elastic launchers on a small scale simply aren't powerful enough to launch water balloons. You will get no more than 15ft of range with that, I can guarantee it after my own tests with a similar launching mechanism. You may still think accuracy benefits, but the projectile not only gets lousy range but travels very slowly, making it very easy to dodge and chances are that it won't detonate on your target upon impact unless you are well within point blank range. (Which, for such a low range launcher, point blank range would likely be less than one or two feet.)

User avatar
Comrade117
Posts: 20
Joined: Wed Jun 02, 2010 6:36 pm

Re: Heavy APH

Post by Comrade117 » Sat Jun 19, 2010 8:29 pm

I will try to do some changes...
How big are small pneumatic water balloon launchers?
No escape. No mercy.

Fredcompany
Posts: 198
Joined: Thu May 13, 2010 7:09 pm

Re: Heavy APH

Post by Fredcompany » Sat Jun 19, 2010 8:39 pm

The problem with small WBLs is that there is less time to accelerate the water balloon.
This means that the valve needs to open quicker.
The valve opening quicker means that the water balloon is more likely to pop, due to the force of the quick acceleration.

PS: I hope you realise that the cardboard WBL video you sent me a link to was fake.
I'm a dude

User avatar
cantab
Posts: 1492
Joined: Fri Oct 19, 2007 1:35 pm

Re: Heavy APH

Post by cantab » Sat Jun 19, 2010 8:42 pm

Errr, where's the handle?

Also, as mentioned the WBL is unlikely to be successful, it's too short. At the very least, test the WBL component separately first.

On a more positive note, if you can put together a 'tight' blaster like that, that's good. Most homemades are a bit 'spaced out' by virtue of the pipework used.
I work on Windows. My toolbox is Linux.
Arsenal:
Super Soaker: XP215, 2xXP220, Liquidator, Aquashock Secret Strike M(odded), Arctic Blast M, CPS1200, CPS2100, SC Power Pak, 3l aquapack, 1.5l aquapack
Water Warriors: Jet, Sting Ray M, Shark, Argon M, Tiger Shark, PulseMaster
Others: Waterbolt, The Blaster, Storm 500, Shield Blaster 2000, generic PR gun, generic backpack piston pumper (broken), 3l garden sprayer M, 10l water carrier:

User avatar
Comrade117
Posts: 20
Joined: Wed Jun 02, 2010 6:36 pm

Re: Heavy APH

Post by Comrade117 » Sat Jun 19, 2010 9:04 pm

Yes, cardboard one was fake, but same system with lot of modifications could work.
No handle yet, this is alpha version...

Seem I have to examine other possibilities and improve design. My primary idea was to improve ergonomics of APH.
I will upload new improved design soon.

Do you see any other problems with this gun?
No escape. No mercy.

User avatar
martianshark
Posts: 689
Joined: Mon Jul 06, 2009 10:24 pm

Re: Heavy APH

Post by martianshark » Sat Jun 19, 2010 9:14 pm

I think the resevoir looks too small for the PC capacity. You may want to use a backpack instead. The launcher is pretty much useless since it would be better to throw them, but it would be practical to have a tube that stores water balloons on it.

User avatar
C-A_99
Posts: 1502
Joined: Tue Aug 01, 2006 11:09 pm

Re: Heavy APH

Post by C-A_99 » Sat Jun 19, 2010 10:12 pm

It might be possible to get a pneumatic launcher to fit onboard by trimming it down extensively. You will need a modified sprinkler valve and a 2" barrel no longer than 1-2ft is suggested. Pressure chamber must be at least 3" and you'll want it to be at least half a foot long. 4" pipe for the PC will be better if you can get a hold of it, though is costly. In the end, you can size down the launcher to about the size of a Max-D 6k and even use flexible (but large diameter) air tubes to get air around tricky points, but don't expect reasonable performance from anything smaller, and don't expect to be able to make bomboardments from insane distances. On the other hand, the launcher will still power up faster due to the smaller PC, but you'll want it to be loaded via muzzle or endcap. (Muzzle-loading may be your only choice.)

User avatar
cantab
Posts: 1492
Joined: Fri Oct 19, 2007 1:35 pm

Re: Heavy APH

Post by cantab » Sun Jun 20, 2010 9:25 am

I think if you want to combine a water blaster and balloon launcher in one device, you're better off using a pressurised reservoir design. That way you just need one 'store' of compressed air that powers both the blaster and the launcher components.
I work on Windows. My toolbox is Linux.
Arsenal:
Super Soaker: XP215, 2xXP220, Liquidator, Aquashock Secret Strike M(odded), Arctic Blast M, CPS1200, CPS2100, SC Power Pak, 3l aquapack, 1.5l aquapack
Water Warriors: Jet, Sting Ray M, Shark, Argon M, Tiger Shark, PulseMaster
Others: Waterbolt, The Blaster, Storm 500, Shield Blaster 2000, generic PR gun, generic backpack piston pumper (broken), 3l garden sprayer M, 10l water carrier:

User avatar
C-A_99
Posts: 1502
Joined: Tue Aug 01, 2006 11:09 pm

Re: Heavy APH

Post by C-A_99 » Sun Jun 20, 2010 6:26 pm

^ The main issue with that type of setup is that once you deplete the air from the launcher, there's no defense left possible.

Still, the idea has been thrown around particularly for the Supercannon II. After blasting the water out, a lot of leftover air remains and integrating a WBL will mean that air is not wasted, though a WBL will still make the whole homemade somewhat larger and heavier.

User avatar
cantab
Posts: 1492
Joined: Fri Oct 19, 2007 1:35 pm

Re: Heavy APH

Post by cantab » Sun Jun 20, 2010 6:51 pm

That is true, you're left defenseless. However, you shouldn't be using the WBL when the enemy is close, so the question is whether you can repump to get enough pressure to use the blaster before the enemy can reach you. WIth a decent-sized reservoir the answer is unfortunately likely to be no.

One way around the issue would be if you could find a way to make the valve deliver a measured 'dose' of air, just enough to launch the balloon without wasting loads. Besides electronics, I'm not sure how you could.
I work on Windows. My toolbox is Linux.
Arsenal:
Super Soaker: XP215, 2xXP220, Liquidator, Aquashock Secret Strike M(odded), Arctic Blast M, CPS1200, CPS2100, SC Power Pak, 3l aquapack, 1.5l aquapack
Water Warriors: Jet, Sting Ray M, Shark, Argon M, Tiger Shark, PulseMaster
Others: Waterbolt, The Blaster, Storm 500, Shield Blaster 2000, generic PR gun, generic backpack piston pumper (broken), 3l garden sprayer M, 10l water carrier:

User avatar
Comrade117
Posts: 20
Joined: Wed Jun 02, 2010 6:36 pm

Re: Heavy APH

Post by Comrade117 » Sun Jun 20, 2010 8:23 pm

What if I have 2 PCs? I mean this: you pump the air into the first PC (it would be half-filled with water), which is connected with second one (empty), and once you have finished pumping, you close pipe between first and second PC. WBL would use air from second PC, and after firing WBL you will still be able to fire main gun from first PC.
No escape. No mercy.

User avatar
C-A_99
Posts: 1502
Joined: Tue Aug 01, 2006 11:09 pm

Re: Heavy APH

Post by C-A_99 » Sun Jun 20, 2010 11:56 pm

I think seperation would still be the most effective method. WBL's require a TON of air to power up, and hand pumps will take a very long time to do so. Bike pumps can provide 1 pump per PSI and power it up much faster. On the other hand, the performance of small WBL's has not been thoroughly tested.

User avatar
zeda.beta
Posts: 683
Joined: Sun May 03, 2009 10:49 pm

Re: Heavy APH

Post by zeda.beta » Mon Jun 21, 2010 12:13 am

I know that this is impractical, but a small compressor could recharge the PC rapidly, and it would be worthwhile if you could only use a single PC.
I reject your reality and substitute my own.
Quack damn you.

User avatar
C-A_99
Posts: 1502
Joined: Tue Aug 01, 2006 11:09 pm

Re: Heavy APH

Post by C-A_99 » Mon Jun 21, 2010 2:30 am

That's one expensive compressor. There are large compressors that work slower than some of the bike pumps I have and I've had to resort to using pumps instead of compressors many times because they were too slow and would heat up way too easily. Perhaps I could find more reliable and better compressors if I looked around.

Locked