My Water Balloon Mortar and future cannons

Silence · Post by **Silence** » Wed Jun 14, 2006 3:48 pm

Nice point; but then again, a one-inch tube (large enough for the purpose of a practical WBL) would not be excessively awkward if it is to be made of the right (flexible enough to bend easily, but won't expand) material. It's just that it is rarely used...

If I do eventually decide to do the grenade launcher design, there will probably be rubber bands or something to hold the homemade's tube to that of the WBL. The WBL will attach somewhere in the space between the pump and the barrel found in most homemades; so while it won't be underneath as in real guns, it will be extremely usable and relatively realistic. Actually, upon further thought, if I use a modified solenoid as you suggested, I can put the WBL there and have the trigger in an even more convenient location. It's definitely food for thought...

guerrilla91 · Post by **guerrilla91** » Wed Jun 14, 2006 4:07 pm

I like that idea of attaching it to a homemade, and it would fit well between the pump and barrel of most homemades. The trigger can be placed essentially anywhere, providing you have a long hose on it.

When attaching the launcher to your homemade, use hose clamps rather than rubber bands. Hose clamps will secure the launcher so that it cannot move at all.

Silence · Post by **Silence** » Wed Jun 14, 2006 6:28 pm

Actually, I suggested (or meant to suggest) that the rubber bands only be used to hold the WBL and the APH (or PCgH, CPH, etc.) hoses together, and a more permanent solution be used for the actual trigger and barrel. How would a Jubilee clip hold together the main bodies?

I was thinking along the lines of having a threaded fitting on both the gun and the WBL to allow you to screw the WBL on--and you only need to screw it on enough for the WBL attachment to be sturdy and aligned, not to create a seal. Maybe one of those quick-attach caps Duxburian suggested for the reservoir might work, though both solutions might allow for some wobbling.

Another method is to just have an extra tube on top of and below the WBL and two smaller, compatible ones on the gun. Then, you could just slide on the launcher, and a locking mechanism would be easy to do. Unfortunately, this would probably be bulky, expensive, and unnecessary.

guerrilla91 · Post by **guerrilla91** » Wed Jun 14, 2006 9:30 pm

Are you saying that wou would have the water balloon launcher use the APH's reservoir/PC as its own PC? If so, I think that it would not be worth the effort. It would have to have a small barrel and would be cumbersome.

What I think you are saying however is that you just want to be able to take the water balloon launcher on and off the APH. In that case you would not need a seal, and would merely need some sort of threaded attachment on both the water balloon launcher and APH that align. then just screw it on and off.

Another option would be to buy a garden hose quick-disconnect set from your local hardware and attach one side to the APH and the other to the water balloon launcher. You could then simply pop it on and off.

To answer your question about Jubilee clips, one would simply buy two big enough to fit around the barrel of the WBL and some parallel points. Then you would simply screw the clips tight.

Silence · Post by **Silence** » Wed Jun 14, 2006 9:43 pm

Your two last methods were on the mark. However, the attachment would probably have to be at the back of the WBL (to allow for easy screwing and unscrewing) and to absorb recoil more easily. I was trying to refer to a quick-(dis)connect system, but that might not be able to take the weight of the launcher in front, which is why I suggested two rails. Then again, even if the quick system doesn't work (though it should work after all), the screw method is fine--it's a lot stronger and you probably don't need to take the launcher off and put it on again in a hurry, unless you want to detach it from you main weapon for individual use.

No, I was not referring to a shared PC...you're right, that would have terrible functionality, if any.

I could try having both an on-gun and a backpack PC, as the lack of water in the PC would mean less weight than with a soaker PC. With a ball valve going to the backpack hose, one could refill the PC to some extent, and then close the valve for quicker firing; this would only need a small hose. Then again, it just adds more weight and complexity... Overall, if I do plan to have an on-gun WBL as opposed to your portable one, it will probably just have a large (1") ID hose.

guerrilla91 · Post by **guerrilla91** » Wed Jun 14, 2006 9:50 pm

I'd say keep it simple. The ball valve connecting to the PC of the APH would work, but it adds complexity and would drain the air in the backpack. My opinion is that you keep one PC for the APH, and one for the WBL.

Silence · Post by **Silence** » Wed Jun 14, 2006 9:54 pm

No, there must be some misunderstanding...

In the most recent (and complicated) design, there are three PCs, and two of them are on the soaker. One is the APH's, and it connects to a reservoir in the backpack. The other PC is the WBL's, and it connects to an even larger PC in the backpack. The ball valve connects the WBL PC and the backpack one. As you can see, this is just adding complexity, which is why I've just decided not to go with it.

If I could create an attachment WBL that only has a regular WBL PC (without the backpack), there would be less overall complexity and more function anyway--and although it would add just a tiny bit of weight, it could be used on its own or with another soaker. I guess the entire backpack method is poor anyway...so overall, I'm just using something like what you've created, but with changeable barrels and with a gun attachment.

guerrilla91 · Post by **guerrilla91** » Wed Jun 14, 2006 9:59 pm

Thanks for clearing that up. I understand what you're trying to do now. I like keeping things simple, so I like your latest decision.

Silence · Post by **Silence** » Tue Jun 20, 2006 2:33 pm

I went to Lowes a few days ago and got most of the fittings and all the PVC I need for my first homemade. What's relevant to this topic is that I just realized that 3" is actually extremely large and suitable for WBLs and WBL balloons. I doubt I'd ever need 4" balloons--although it would be nice to have on hand balloons that can do 64/27 the soaking.

joannaardway · Post by **joannaardway** » Tue Jun 20, 2006 6:06 pm

I bought some stuff for my first homemade as well. I'll be assembling it later.

It's all copper, because I can't get PVC easily, but I should have a decent 5 or 6 nozzle options thanks to compression endcaps and a few other parts.

insanitys_engineer · Post by **insanitys_engineer** » Tue Jun 20, 2006 8:28 pm

Awesome, are you going for 15 or 22?
Good luck with it

joannaardway · Post by **joannaardway** » Wed Jun 21, 2006 8:49 am

Both really. Hmm, screw fittings.

It worked quite well, but I need to redo some joints. It was leaking.