PVC/Copper Hybrid SCH

[SEAL]

Okay fellows, it's all set. I will be leaving to go to Lowes in an hour. I have a new design, but I won't draw a picture of it because I'll just fit all the parts together when I get them.

Picture coming soon!

P.S. Okay Cantab, I think I finally understand what you mean.

[SEAL]

Alrighty then! It's complete and it works great! I built the entire thing and tested it yesterday evening. I believe it was the fastest blaster I've ever built, including my 2L. I have some pictures.

Here are all the parts laid out after I came home from Lowes.


Here is the alpha version.


Unfortunately, the 90 degree elbow in that picture had a crack in it, so I had to improvise. Luckily, I happened to find a 3" 45 degree elbow in the basement, as well as a 3/4" copper 45 degree street elbow.
So here's a pic of the final version.


It uses the same refilling hose as my 2L. Here is a pic of it being filled for the first time.


And here is a shot pic. The power of this thing is amazing! I could feel the kickback. Unfortunately, it only shoots for like a second before it runs out. It sorta empties it's entire reservoir in one shot. I'm going to make a nozzle for soon, so it should get better. I only have a riot blast now.
Picture:


Here's the blaster next to an XP 270 for comparison.


The last pictures were done in the evening, so we had to use the flash. That's what makes those pics look dark.

PROS:
Powerful performance in a small package. (It got at least 45 feet of range.)
Great portability and easy to use.
Very sturdy.
While building it, I learned how to sodder copper pipe.

CONS:
Very low shot time.
Not easy to carry as backup. (I probably need a backpack.

I'm very, very happy with this blaster. It started out as a little project to do in between my APH and CPH, (Which I will be building once the off-season starts.) and it turned into a power machine. Once I add a nozzle, it should get better.
I will be posting stats soon.

See ya then!
~SEAL

EDIT: I have the stats and more pictures, but I wont post them until tomorrow. Unless someone posts here.

[mysterio]

nice blaster. its probably a record for quickest time too. you should try to build one with the pc/reservoir horizontal, and a 90 turn. like this

EDIT: changed it so its not a dreadful idea anymore.

[cantab]

Your 45 degrees in PVC and 45 in copper design is in fact perhaps the best possible way. With the 90 degree PVC elbow you'd have quite a bit of volume below the outlet when firing at an angle - which is water you can't shoot out, although it's the weak end of the shot anyway.
A 90 degree copper elbow would sap power. Your design seems to offer the best of both worlds - less dead space in the PVC. And that performance is very very impressive considering the size of the blaster and that it doesn't even have a proper nozzle.

This vindicates something I've believed for ages - that there's no reason you can't make a compact blaster with very high power, if you're prepared to compromise on shot time.

For carrying, how about running something from just behind the nozzle to the top of the PC, making the whole blaster a triangle shape that can be easily carried.

mysterio, no, that picture is a dreadful design, when angled the whole back half of the PC is useless.

[mysterio]

oh. well, it was just a suggestion. ergonomics and performance dont correspond sometimes, you know.

[SEAL]

Thank you for replying. Now I can post stats without double-posting.

Here they are:
Range: 44 feet, 5 inches.
Output: A little more then 4 cups in 1 second. (That's better then my APH!)
Shot Time: 2 and a half seconds.
Soakage: 2 feet, 7 and a half inches.

I have pictures, but I'll post them tomorrow.

mysterio: Yes, I can't be sure, but I think it took about 2 or so hours. And I gathered the parts in the same day, which I did not do with my 2L.

cantab: Yeah, I was thinking about changing my original alpha design, and when I discovered the crack, (Thank god I did.) my mind was made up for me.
Could you draw a picture of the "Triangle Shape" idea? I can't picture it in my mind from the description alone.

EDIT: Uh-oh, guys, it seems the pictures are not on the camera anymore. I guess somebody must have deleted them... Oh well, all I had was another shot pic, a soakage pic, and a pic of the measuring cup filled up to 4 cups.

[SEAL]

UPDATE: I made 2 nozzles and got stats for both of them.

I made the nozzles out of hose plugs. (I think that's what they're called.) I drilled 2 different sized holes in them, and pushed eyelets through them to get better performance.
Here is a picture of both the nozzles. This was taken while the glue was drying.


Here are the stats for the smallest nozzle.
Range: You are not going to believe this, but the range was 53 feet. (That makes it better then my APH!)
Output: 2 cups in 1 second.
Shot Time: 3 seconds.
Soakage: About 2 feet in diameter.

Here's a shot pic:


And here's a soakage pic.


Here are the stats for the medium sized nozzle.
Range: 48 feet.
Output: 2 and a half cups in 1 second.
Shot Time: 2 and a half seconds. (That's about the same as the riot blast for some reason.)
Soakage: 1 foot 11 inches. (That's less then the smaller nozzle. But I think something went wrong with the measuring, because you can clearly see in the picture that it's bigger then the small nozzle.)

Here's a shot pic.


And a soakage pic.


Here's a picture of my SCH with it's refilling hose and nozzles. As you can see, I added padding to the grip.


So this is quite shocking! I mean, 53 FEET?!?! I made sure that the wind was down when I fired, so I don't know how it got that far. I didn't think it had the power. But my brother may have a made a mistake when he measured, that's possible too. This makes it the power champ I suppose. It can get 2 more feet of range then my APH.

New pros and cons:
PROS:
Insane power for such a small blaster.
Nice and comfortable.
Very sturdy.
Light and easy to use.

CONS:
Low shot time.
Filling it takes a long and tedious procedure.
Kind of hard to carry it as backup without a backpack.

I have smaller eyelets, so I will probably buy another hose cap and make an even smaller nozzle. That will help increase shot time a little, and possibly range as well.

This is definitely the best blaster I've thought up. Peak performance in a small package.
Once winter rolls around, I will start working on a new blaster. This time it will be a CPH. I already have a good idea.

[Killi101]

Really i have to say, well done, i had a similar idea, which could sc but it would use pressurised canisters attached to ball valves

it would look like:

[cantab]

The above design is a very bad idea. When you open the valve, the sudden pressure spike will create a shock that could blow up the barrel.

[mysterio]

wow SEAL, thats really awesome. i was just thinking, if you added the homemade nozzle laminator, that would make it awesome. too bad its for 1/2 inch pipe.

[Killi101]

To cantab

Would it? i thought it would give out 1 blast, besides the barrel would be made of copper

[SEAL]

Copper is actually very soft. When I was building this, I had to be careful not to drop any of the copper parts, because they will become deformed. I don't know if it will explode or not, but I know it is weaker then PVC.

[cantab]

To cantab

Would it? i thought it would give out 1 blast, besides the barrel would be made of copper

OK, it might be better with copper. But basically what the design is doing is the same as when people try and shoot water out of a water balloon launcher or a spud gun. It has ended in explosions with PVC.

[zeda.beta]

I agree with cantab on kili's design. When you have a wave of air behind the water, the water doesn't want to compress. This causes a major pressure buildup, which sometimes ends in violent rupturing of the barrel or pc.

[Killi101]

Are you sure? in the Uk the copper is pretty hard, the pressure rating is up to 40 bars or more (15mm) i cant remember exactly but i think it is more, the weakest part is really the ball valve which can only take 20 bars, but i understand about the pressure wave, thanks for telling me.

i have another design, i think i need guidence on:


ok
there are 3 ball valves, the first one is the trigger, the second one next to air can is to control its flow the third one above the pump is to stop the pump from flying out when the second ball valve is opened, the rest makes it a normal aph with a BOOST
of course the can will be pre pressurised
unless i find a portable air compressor or something
any flaws?