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Re: My 1st homemade (Expansion tank soaker)

Posted: Tue Oct 04, 2011 1:53 am
by atvan
Try 9mm. Then, you can get one of those quick disconect thigns for quick hose filling.

Re: My 1st homemade (Expansion tank soaker)

Posted: Tue Oct 04, 2011 3:08 pm
by Andrew
That's pretty much what I've done. The green nozzle (8.5mm) is a quick hose connector and it's how I pressurise it without the pump (still not finished:mad :) . Might get another and drill it out to a larger size, so I can pressurize it with 2 different nozzles.

Some shot pics as promised (I'll try to take some shots from my shoulder, and some from further away too):

8.5mm nozzle:
Image

20mm nozzle:
Image

Pretty sure it's the laminator killing the flow for the riot blast. At least it's range matches the SS Hydro Cannon, and it's output beats it.

EDIT: The pics are only showing the top half of the water gun. I'm still working on the pump area.

Re: My 1st homemade (Expansion tank soaker)

Posted: Tue Oct 04, 2011 4:46 pm
by cantab
Wow, the stream does look good! You're probably right about the laminator limiting the riot blast, but it's a trade-off obviously,

Re: My 1st homemade (Expansion tank soaker)

Posted: Tue Oct 04, 2011 7:01 pm
by Andrew
Thanks cantab!

To be honest I wasn't expecting it to be that good on my 1st homemade. I think it's mainly down to the laminator.

I think JLspacemarine had a similar problem when he used the laminator with no endcaps on his CPS CAR. Without the laminator, his riot blast went much further. I suppose a laminar stream isn't much use on a riot blast anyway!

Next time, I'll try to make the laminator easily removable. For now, I'll have to work on the pump and nozzles (and extra pics + stats).

Re: My 1st homemade (Expansion tank soaker)

Posted: Tue Oct 04, 2011 10:27 pm
by atvan
Nice! The lamination looks really good. We need more builders like you. Now, if I could rememberto remind my dad to get silicon(e?) grease, I could post stats for mine.

Re: My 1st homemade (Expansion tank soaker)

Posted: Thu Oct 06, 2011 4:45 pm
by Andrew
Thanks atvan! Really appreciate that! :D

As said before, will work on the pump and upload pics when complete. Other pics and stats may be added in the meantime.

Re: My 1st homemade (Expansion tank soaker)

Posted: Thu Oct 06, 2011 7:49 pm
by Fredcompany
Looks really powerful! I'm just imagining a dual-PC, dual nozzle one now :P
Where did you get the expansion tank?

Re: My 1st homemade (Expansion tank soaker)

Posted: Fri Oct 07, 2011 3:00 pm
by Andrew
I like your thinking! A kind of SUPER Monster XL! :D

But this thing isn't cheap. It's a 5 litre which I got from toolstation (The online image is not what they generally give you!! :confused :) .

You can get them between 8-24 litre for cheaper, but only up to 4bar (58psi) pressure. :mad:

I was thinking of going closer to 5-7bar (70-100psi) and my expansion tank is rated to 8 bar.

UPDATE: My 1st homemade (Expansion tank soaker)

Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2011 10:57 am
by Andrew
Right, I've got 5 brass endcaps (with rubber washers to seal them), I just need to drill them (may have to wait until next week to use the school's drill press).

I'm thinking of using 3-4 of them, alongside my current config., giving 5 options in total:

1. 20mm (no endcap) nozzle

2. 13mm (1/2 inch) nozzle

3. 8.5mm (current tap connector) nozzle

4. 5mm nozzle

5. 2mm (water saver) nozzle

(6.) Fan/spray nozzle???

Re: My 1st homemade (Expansion tank soaker)

Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2011 11:41 pm
by atvan
20 will do nothing but a riot blast, 13 is a bit big, the others sound good, except for the fan. Make a shotgun nozzle instead.

Re: My 1st homemade (Expansion tank soaker)

Posted: Wed Oct 26, 2011 9:29 am
by Andrew
Something like a Scatter Blast nozzle but with larger holes??? Or something like joanna's shotgun nozzle?

Either way a shotgun nozzle would be good, especially if I could power it directly from the pump, or from one pump's worth of water (being VERY hopeful). :p

Have no choice with the 20mm nozzle. Thats the ID of the copper pipe with no endcap (i'll just never use it in practice!). I was going for the 1/2 inch nozzle, as that's apparently what the CPS2000 has, and I was looking for a large stream nozzle that works better than my so called 'riot blast' in terms of range.

Re: My 1st homemade (Expansion tank soaker)

Posted: Wed Oct 26, 2011 11:12 pm
by atvan
I think the more nozzles on the shotgun would be better.

The 2k had a 3/8 inch nozzle I believe, which is 9.5 mm.

Re: My 1st homemade (Expansion tank soaker)

Posted: Thu Oct 27, 2011 1:25 pm
by Andrew
I've got enough endcaps, I could always make a Scatter Blast style nozzle (with 5-9 holes), aswell as a slit nozzle like joanna's shotgun nozzle (I think it was meant to be a fan nozzle but it made a cone of water instead) and see which is best. I might get another tap connector nozzle, and drill that to 9.5 or 10mm, to test that aswell.

You may well be right about the 2000, 1/2 inch did seem quite a large nozzle for 50ft range (although this site also mentions a 1/2 inch nozzle).

EDIT: Was looking at Monsters for inspiration. Maybe one of these three special nozzle types (typhoon blast = flat row of squares and I like the idea of a wide stream, aqua storm = shower-esque nozzle, power burst = 4 slits arranged in a square and supposedly the one with the best range too!) would be good to base it on.

Pics and stats for each nozzle on isoaker (monster X)

You've probably seen them before but here's some vids of each (monster XL).

Currently thinking of having typhoon-esque nozzle and a shower/slit nozzle (or maybe just a slit nozzle and a shower nozzle, they'd be a little easier methinks).

Re: My 1st homemade (Expansion tank soaker)

Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2011 7:46 pm
by Andrew
AAAAAAGH! Using the blaster whilst full of water, and the 90° solder ring elbow joint (above the pump handle and below the vertical check valve) bent under the weight of the PC! :eek:

Image

No matter, I've taken the opportunity to make the blaster more compact, aswell as adding an SC-style QFD system, so I can fill up from the hose quickly, and can now shoot whilst filling up. :D

I'll be finishing the endcap nozzles tomorrow, but currently have a 2mm and a 5mm (hasn't been drilled very smoothly, so I'll be opening it out to 5.5mm).

2mm nozzle - 35ft max range - 43 second shot time

5.5mm nozzle - - 7.5 second shot time

(5/5.5mm nozzle range not yet posted, due to stream issues)

EDIT:

It gets worse! Was firing the blaster, and suddenly straws flew from the nozzle! the laminator grille had torn right open!
Image
I've replaced it, and added another layer for strength, but will probably need to think about finding a stronger grille, this fix won't last forever.

Update: My 1st homemade (Expansion tank soaker)

Posted: Tue Nov 15, 2011 4:03 pm
by Andrew
I know, triple post! But I've made quite a few changes.

Presenting the AR-1.1, now smaller and more user friendly! :D

I've replaced the bent elbow with a compression tee, and took the opportunity to add a QFD-style system. The vertical inline filter (y-shaped thing) is now in a better position to be used as a shoulder stock. Strap with carabiner connectors have also been added.
Image

EDIT: The pistol grip has been added, and bike grips have been added to the pump and pistol grip for comfort and improved grip.

The current nozzle options (I may eventually file out the seperate holes on the fan blast, but it works fine for now.):
Image
Left to right:
2mm; 5.5mm; 8.5mm; 9.5mm; 13mm; 7x 3mm holes; 5x 3mm 'fan blast'

The two hose connectors (8.5 & 9.5mm) are so I can use the QFD and get max range simultaneously.

Interestingly the supposed 'scatter' blast with 7 holes, actually shoots a decent, coherent burst over most of the maximum range!

There's no trigger... yet.

EDIT: Attached is a video of all nozzles (other than the 22mm). Each section of video is only 5 seconds to save on size. The shot times of the 5.5 and 2 mm nozzles are longer