Super Soaker Central forums

Dare3219 · 08-10-2006, 07:44 PM

Hey I just wanted to say this I'm glad someone made a website like this because I'm sick and tired of all the weak water guns on the market. I followed one of those sets of instructions on your homemade list and it worked out pretty well

http://www.fatdarren.com/gun1.jpg
http://www.fatdarren.com/gun2.jpg

Only problem is the pump isn't perfect, it starts leaking air at high pressure. There are also small leaks in the pressure chambers at high pressure but the gun still fires with a good range. Not bad for my first time

-d

Ben · 08-10-2006, 08:23 PM

Welcome to Super Soaker Central! Glad to see someone who liked our guides.

Nice water gun. I like the use of the PVC pieces to make a separator. That probably is something I should try instead of blocks of wood or foam.

The pump problems you will be able to fix by changing the seals on the end. I've found that which seals work for which people really depends on who you are. Right now what I think works best is a single O-ring on a wodden dowel rod with a knotch cut in the end to hold the O-ring... works perfectly for me. No leaking at all.

Leaking from the pressure chamber can be fixed if you have access to a small torch. It's called fillet welding. If you'd be interested, I can scan in a few pages from a plumbing book I have that will explain how to do it to PVC.

Second water guns usually turn out better though, so good luck with whatever else you make!

Silence · 08-10-2006, 08:31 PM

Welcome to Super Soaker Central! Hopefully you can continue building homemades, perhaps even a CPH.

I also like how you used PVC to stabilize all the parts. I'm using duct tape to hold together the pump and barrel of my homemade, and I'd recommend that unless you can and want to recycle some of the parts in the future. Of course, if it can be applied cleanly, PVC cement would be even more solid...

Anyway, you built a very nice gun! Are its stats very different from what the standard APH got? Also, why is there blue writing on the side of some of the PVC--in other words, what are the PVC specifications?

DX · 08-10-2006, 10:30 PM

The blue is just that company's style for the specifications. Most likely Bristol Pipe. Charlotte Pipe uses red, others use plain black. No difference though, PVC is PVC.

Nice first homemade. It is quite tall, but if it's comfortable to use then that doesn't really matter. Definately get an O-ring for the pump, they are very cheap and do allow for perfect seals.

Dare3219 · 08-13-2006, 10:14 PM

Hey thanks for all the advice guys...ben that would be awesome if you could send me that info on fillet welding. If I could just get a little more pressure out of the pump that would be perfect. And yeah that blue writing on the PVC is just a bunch of specs, I don't think it's too significant. A friend of mine works at home depot so he seemed to know what he was picking out hehe.

I'll do a little fine tuning and try and post the results later.

Silence · 08-14-2006, 09:23 AM

Ben and the Drenchenator are camping this week, so I'll just guide you to the recent thread entitled "Dry Ice." Post #6, by the Drenchenator, pretty much includes links to all the pages on fillet welding, with the last one as one large compiled photo.

Hmm...nice to know that The Home Depot does carry pressure-rated Schedule 40 PVC. Lowes doesn't have it (not for me and not for others who have talked about it), and I had heard that The Home Depot doesn't have it either. Maybe I'll go there once it finishes getting built north of the city. Anyway, thanks for the tip!

DX · 08-14-2006, 01:20 PM

Quote:

Hmm...nice to know that The Home Depot does carry pressure-rated Schedule 40 PVC. Lowes doesn't have it (not for me and not for others who have talked about it), and I had heard that The Home Depot doesn't have it either. Maybe I'll go there once it finishes getting built north of the city. Anyway, thanks for the tip!

Really? I have never seen any hardware store, local or large chain, which doesn't carry pressure-rated pipe. In fact, I've only seen drain pipe at a few stores and Home Depot's PVC selection was all rated, at least the last time I was there.

Maybe the pressure rated pipe disappears once you leave metropolitan areas? Cause I personally would be totally shocked to walk into a hardware store and not see any.

Silence · 08-14-2006, 08:25 PM

Ahaha...sorry for the confusion. What I meant was pressure-rated pipe in diameters of 3" (industrial measurement, not the actual size--for Schedule 40 PVC, it's actually a bit larger than marked) or larger. So far I have only seen it in plumbing stores, although that's not always a bad thing--especially since both Lowes and The Home Depot are inconveniently far. Fortunately, I live in the northern part of the city, so that part of the county is a bit closer than it might be.

Then again, another assumption I made was that the backpack was built using 3" PVC. And yet another assumption was that the piping was pressure rated, although I have cause to believe that this assumption was correct--and I hope so for Dare3219's sake.

DX · 08-14-2006, 10:23 PM

At least here, pressure rated pipe of 4" and smaller is common, although more likely to be found at Home Depot and Lowes. Even pressure rated 6" is readily available at those larger chains.

It doesn't really matter if pipe used for a backpack is rated. Backpacks aren't under any significant pressure...

Ben · 08-19-2006, 08:32 PM

Which stores have pressure rated pipe really is a lottery depending completely on where you live.

Here initially (back in 2003) I tried Home Depot and Lowes. Home Depot lacked larger diameter pipe fittings and also lacked pressure-rated larger diameter pipe. Lowes had pressure-rated pipe up to 3 inches and fittings up to 6 inches.

Now it seems that Home Depot has the better selection of pressure-rated pipe and as good of a selection of fittings. I've bought pressure rated pipe up to 4 inches there, but have not looked at the larger pipes for a pressure rating.

I've also checked other stores such as Nolands' (which I believe is a local plumbing supply store) and a definitely local one that I can't remember the name of. McMaster-Carr was also another place I tried when 4 inch pipe was more difficult to find locally.

All you can do is check around or order off the internet. I've got it marked on my organizational papers for our website update to make that especially clear. Some people seem to think that PVC is extremely difficult to find, so where to look how to be extremely obvious or else they won't figure it out. I get a lot of emails, especially from people not in the US who seem to believe that I know where to get PVC in their local area... no I don't! If I don't live where you do, I really couldn't recommend much.

Silence · 08-20-2006, 09:43 AM

I'll try The Home Depot when they finish building it...it's been in the works for a while now. Other than that, my options are limited (or is it a good thing?) to smaller plumbing supply stores and hardware stores such as Ferguson's and Ace Hardware. I'm pretty sure shipping from McMaster-Carr will increase the price excessively, especially compared to the price of PVC. PVC is extremely cheap for what you get--less than $2 for 5 feet of 1/2" PVC, perhaps with even better deals at a different time!

08-10-2006, 07:44 PM	#1
Dare3219 Junior member Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 2 UserID: 824	Made my first homemade! Hey I just wanted to say this I'm glad someone made a website like this because I'm sick and tired of all the weak water guns on the market. I followed one of those sets of instructions on your homemade list and it worked out pretty well http://www.fatdarren.com/gun1.jpg http://www.fatdarren.com/gun2.jpg Only problem is the pump isn't perfect, it starts leaking air at high pressure. There are also small leaks in the pressure chambers at high pressure but the gun still fires with a good range. Not bad for my first time -d

08-10-2006, 08:23 PM	#2
Ben Founder Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: College Park, Maryland Posts: 6,054 UserID: 1	Welcome to Super Soaker Central! Glad to see someone who liked our guides. Nice water gun. I like the use of the PVC pieces to make a separator. That probably is something I should try instead of blocks of wood or foam. The pump problems you will be able to fix by changing the seals on the end. I've found that which seals work for which people really depends on who you are. Right now what I think works best is a single O-ring on a wodden dowel rod with a knotch cut in the end to hold the O-ring... works perfectly for me. No leaking at all. Leaking from the pressure chamber can be fixed if you have access to a small torch. It's called fillet welding. If you'd be interested, I can scan in a few pages from a plumbing book I have that will explain how to do it to PVC. Second water guns usually turn out better though, so good luck with whatever else you make! __________________ email: / Forum rules / Read this page before emailing me. Do not send me a PM or email with a water gun question if someone else could answer the question. Post at the forums. You will get a response from me along with others' views or ideas.

08-10-2006, 08:31 PM	#3
Silence Administrator Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Virginia Posts: 3,293 UserID: 576	Welcome to Super Soaker Central! Hopefully you can continue building homemades, perhaps even a CPH. I also like how you used PVC to stabilize all the parts. I'm using duct tape to hold together the pump and barrel of my homemade, and I'd recommend that unless you can and want to recycle some of the parts in the future. Of course, if it can be applied cleanly, PVC cement would be even more solid... Anyway, you built a very nice gun! Are its stats very different from what the standard APH got? Also, why is there blue writing on the side of some of the PVC--in other words, what are the PVC specifications? __________________ Forum rules

08-10-2006, 10:30 PM	#4
DX Wicked Super Admin Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Easton / New London, CT Posts: 1,576 UserID: 75	The blue is just that company's style for the specifications. Most likely Bristol Pipe. Charlotte Pipe uses red, others use plain black. No difference though, PVC is PVC. Nice first homemade. It is quite tall, but if it's comfortable to use then that doesn't really matter. Definately get an O-ring for the pump, they are very cheap and do allow for perfect seals. __________________ Mess With the Best, Get Soaked Like the Rest!! 2004 Red Sox - World Series Champions 2007 RED SOX - WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONS! 2003 Patriots - Super Bowl Champions 2004 Patriots - Super Bowl Champions 2007 Patriots - God Damnit! If I change my sig, will the world end?

08-13-2006, 10:14 PM	#5
Dare3219 Junior member Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 2 UserID: 824	^_^ Hey thanks for all the advice guys...ben that would be awesome if you could send me that info on fillet welding. If I could just get a little more pressure out of the pump that would be perfect. And yeah that blue writing on the PVC is just a bunch of specs, I don't think it's too significant. A friend of mine works at home depot so he seemed to know what he was picking out hehe. I'll do a little fine tuning and try and post the results later.

08-14-2006, 09:23 AM	#6
Silence Administrator Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Virginia Posts: 3,293 UserID: 576	Ben and the Drenchenator are camping this week, so I'll just guide you to the recent thread entitled "Dry Ice." Post #6, by the Drenchenator, pretty much includes links to all the pages on fillet welding, with the last one as one large compiled photo. Hmm...nice to know that The Home Depot does carry pressure-rated Schedule 40 PVC. Lowes doesn't have it (not for me and not for others who have talked about it), and I had heard that The Home Depot doesn't have it either. Maybe I'll go there once it finishes getting built north of the city. Anyway, thanks for the tip! __________________ Forum rules

08-14-2006, 08:25 PM	#8
Silence Administrator Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Virginia Posts: 3,293 UserID: 576	Ahaha...sorry for the confusion. What I meant was pressure-rated pipe in diameters of 3" (industrial measurement, not the actual size--for Schedule 40 PVC, it's actually a bit larger than marked) or larger. So far I have only seen it in plumbing stores, although that's not always a bad thing--especially since both Lowes and The Home Depot are inconveniently far. Fortunately, I live in the northern part of the city, so that part of the county is a bit closer than it might be. Then again, another assumption I made was that the backpack was built using 3" PVC. And yet another assumption was that the piping was pressure rated, although I have cause to believe that this assumption was correct--and I hope so for Dare3219's sake. __________________ Forum rules

08-14-2006, 10:23 PM	#9
DX Wicked Super Admin Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Easton / New London, CT Posts: 1,576 UserID: 75	At least here, pressure rated pipe of 4" and smaller is common, although more likely to be found at Home Depot and Lowes. Even pressure rated 6" is readily available at those larger chains. It doesn't really matter if pipe used for a backpack is rated. Backpacks aren't under any significant pressure... __________________ Mess With the Best, Get Soaked Like the Rest!! 2004 Red Sox - World Series Champions 2007 RED SOX - WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONS! 2003 Patriots - Super Bowl Champions 2004 Patriots - Super Bowl Champions 2007 Patriots - God Damnit! If I change my sig, will the world end?

08-19-2006, 08:32 PM	#10
Ben Founder Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: College Park, Maryland Posts: 6,054 UserID: 1	Which stores have pressure rated pipe really is a lottery depending completely on where you live. Here initially (back in 2003) I tried Home Depot and Lowes. Home Depot lacked larger diameter pipe fittings and also lacked pressure-rated larger diameter pipe. Lowes had pressure-rated pipe up to 3 inches and fittings up to 6 inches. Now it seems that Home Depot has the better selection of pressure-rated pipe and as good of a selection of fittings. I've bought pressure rated pipe up to 4 inches there, but have not looked at the larger pipes for a pressure rating. I've also checked other stores such as Nolands' (which I believe is a local plumbing supply store) and a definitely local one that I can't remember the name of. McMaster-Carr was also another place I tried when 4 inch pipe was more difficult to find locally. All you can do is check around or order off the internet. I've got it marked on my organizational papers for our website update to make that especially clear. Some people seem to think that PVC is extremely difficult to find, so where to look how to be extremely obvious or else they won't figure it out. I get a lot of emails, especially from people not in the US who seem to believe that I know where to get PVC in their local area... no I don't! If I don't live where you do, I really couldn't recommend much. __________________ email: / Forum rules / Read this page before emailing me. Do not send me a PM or email with a water gun question if someone else could answer the question. Post at the forums. You will get a response from me along with others' views or ideas.

08-20-2006, 09:43 AM	#11
Silence Administrator Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Virginia Posts: 3,293 UserID: 576	I'll try The Home Depot when they finish building it...it's been in the works for a while now. Other than that, my options are limited (or is it a good thing?) to smaller plumbing supply stores and hardware stores such as Ferguson's and Ace Hardware. I'm pretty sure shipping from McMaster-Carr will increase the price excessively, especially compared to the price of PVC. PVC is extremely cheap for what you get--less than $2 for 5 feet of 1/2" PVC, perhaps with even better deals at a different time! __________________ Forum rules

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