Potato Guns, Propane, and a lot of fun!

[raptor13]

A friend and I are contemplating putting together a propane-powered potato gun which I think would be super cool. Don't worry, we're not going to be shooting out windows or anything, so don't even think that, much less suggest it. Anyways, does anyone know if potato guns are illegal in any way? We're going to proceed as planned unless there are laws against this sort of thing, in which case we might with plans anyway. Just with caution instead of our adrenelin fueled reckless abandonment. Help would be appreaciated.


Gratias tibi ago.

 

I don't think they use propane, just compressed air or CO2. I think the propane would be very dangerous (and complicated), because to make propane explode you need a few molecules of pure 02 for each propane molecule, so you'd need an oxygen tank and a regulator that mixes them in the right quantity. You'd also have to make the barrel very strong. The air driven ones just use a 40gauge PVC. Mad cool, though Good luck, it'd be fun.

 

[hubbs]

Them things are awesome......PVC PIPE, IGNITOR, that really powerful hairspray I think it's called AQUANET, POTATOE, ROD TO PACK POTATOE TO BOTTOM = AWESOME

 

[lesterjr]

I've used cheap hairspray, wd-40, carb cleaner, etc...

I think the legality is different in different states. I think I heard that they are illegal in Ca, but I could be mistaken.

About 5 years ago I saw plans for a gattelin potato gun somewhere... that looked pretty cool

 

[Vikaden]

they are not illegal according to ATF if used in the proper way, ie not pointing it at anyone or thing and use hubbs suggestion for the aquanet, better than propane and much safer

 

[raptor13]

Bobtist:

Propane powered potato guns are a reality. What I'm trying to do here is not your, what I'd call, average potato gun. It basically is a one foot long, three inch wide piece of PVC pipe mated to a two foot long two inch wide pipe. The three inch section is the chamber and the two inch piece serves as the barrel. What happens is this:

1) Ram potato into barrel, but NOT into the chamber.

2) Uncap the chamber (which has a cap, I might add ) and spray about five seconds worth of hairspray, propane (as in my case), or any other flammable gas.

3) Quickly replace cap.

4) Point away from nose, eyes, and mouth.

5) FIRE!!!

The whole thing is set off by a spark created by a BBQ lighter in the chamber. I have yet to build one but I have seen one in action and, let me tell you, it is pretty sweet.


Now, as for the legality - I live in Nebraska. I don't know if that means anything, but I'm still wondering if the thing is legal or not.

EDIT: Is there a link to a specific law at the ATF where I could get definitive information about all this?

 

Ok, yeah, that's sweet. I don't see why they wouldn't be legal. As long as you don't get mischevious with it, I don't think the authorities would hassle you.

You could make it pretty fancy! Sounds fun. Too many ideas in my head to write down...

 

[Vikaden]

letter from ATF<<Letter>>

 

[ApacheXMD]

The Potato Gun God

PVC, meet your daddy

-patchy

 

[Farbio]

yea, stick w/ the hairspray, wd40 or bathroom freshscent sprays.

for igniter, don't get one of those push button ones...they wear out after about 4 launches due to getting wet, get one of the ones that u twist and the flint rubs to produce the spark...infinite uses till the flint runs out

 

[Antisocial Virge]

Backyard Balistics

They have the plans for one that uses compressed air. No flame to worry about and it has a 500 fps velocity and a 600 yard range.

 

[StageLeft]

Sounds like a good way to have flaming PVC piping fired at your bare face if you aren't sure what you're doing

 

[skywhr]

If you go pick up the maxim I dont know what month it is. It says &quot;BAD KITTY&quot; on the cover and some hot blonde. They have directions in it, how to make a potato gun

The cover!

 

[ApacheXMD]

following maxim's directions will get you killed
listen only to the anonymous professional spud gun experts on the internet.

-patchy

 

[Zedfu]

spud guns are awesome! considering that it can reach 200 feets per minute. why propane raptor13? just a can of hairspray will be much easier since it can be sprayed into the tube easily. going to maxim for instruction to build a spud gun is like going to a psychiatrist to fix your car. i'm gonna safely assume you get the connection here like ApacheXMD said, there are many spud gun experts out there willing to help you.

 

[Antisocial Virge]

200 feets per minute.

wow..I could out-walk a spud gun ?

j/k

 

[ApacheXMD]

propane is cheap, don't need much of it, you can regulate the amount of propane going into the combustion chamber, it leaves no sticky crap on the inside of your gun.

but remember folks, this thing can hurt you, and the experts on the internet aren't gonna give a crap when you're picking pvc shrapnel out of your face.
take all advice you read with a grain of salt.

-patchy

 

[cxim]

raptor...

We built several potatoe launchers, using various sizes of schedule 40 pvc &amp; in several different configurations. T &amp; Y fittings worked better for the combustion chamber than a straight section of large pipe.

Spray propellant is less complicated to meter than propane.

we got best results using 1.5&quot; PVC for the barrel 4' to 5' long &amp; a 4&quot; diameter Y or T fitting for the chamber. The push spark clicker worked just fine.. none has ever worn out over 1000 potatoes launched.

We tried the 2&quot; barrel &amp; got more range /distance with the 1.5&quot;. Hair spray works OK as does ether engine starting fluid ( leaves less residue )

You could also tell a difference in the sound.. a BAM..Crack with 1.5&quot; &amp; more of a BOOM..WHOOSH with the 2&quot;

Max range a little over 300yrds, with the 1.5&quot; a good 100' farther.

 

[PG]

Spud guns are cool, but check out punkin chunkin

Those guys are hardcore. You can find more if you search. The record is somewhere over 4000 ft.

 

[randomlinh]

my friend made a two foot or so launcher A small 2&quot; chamber, 1.5&quot; barrel i think... shove a napkin or something light in one end, fill chamber w/ lysol (didn't have anything else at the time), screw barrel on, hit ignitor

Just fun to shoot around, even if it can fire a spud

 

[poop]

I remember a few years ago, some guys attempted to make a super-sonic potato gun. Too bad their barrel shattered. Good effort, though. I would post the link, but I lost it.

Radical &amp; Extreme Hobbies <-- definitely an awesome website.

 

[raptor13]

Ok. I just got back from school and read all your suggestions.

I've already looked at most of those websites during my planning phase. But, to be honest, the original idea was sparked by Maxim. My friend and I went over to Home Depot last night to get the pipes, which we did, and the guy that cut them for us gave us a lot of information as well. He knew exactly what we two 17 year old kids were up to buying PVC pipe. Those are smart people, them Home Depot guys!

Now, as for the gas to use: I only said propane because I thought and think that would be damn cool. However, the setup we're building would allow us to use any sort of gas such as hairspray which we've considered as well. We were just trying to minimize cleaning operations. Since neither of us have ever built one of these things, I'm going to say we'll start with the hairspray and work our way up to propane if it comes to that.

Thanks for all of your help, especially with the legal stuff care of Vikaden. I'll let you know later what the success is!

 

[wviperw]

Ahhh Yea!! Spud launchers are awesome. At school like a month ago, 2 people each brought a spud launcher for science class. But our science teacher wouldn't let us. So what did we do? We went outside with no teacher around and shot them out over the field behind the school. One of the spud launchers blew up when they were trying to shoot it. Luckily they were wearing a leather apron, otherwise they would've had fragments of PVC in them. The other one, which was air compressed, still worked though.

 

[Pretender]

<< Hey Guess what? This site has been honored by the Simon Wiesenthal Center as a DIGITAL HATE site. Just to set the record straight, I DON'T HATE DIGITS! I love digits! The kind on hands as well as the numerical type. Anyway, check it out at DIGITAL HATE 2001. Ironically, the DIGITAL HATE 2001 site provides a great resource of conveniant links to other interesting sites on the web. >>



From the link that was posted earlier (link). LOL

 

[Zedfu]

shoot! my bad, it's 200feet per second