Spud Gun Quiz

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moonbogg

Lifer
Jan 8, 2011
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Here is your spud gun quize for the day.

1) What are the three different types of spud guns?

2) Which type is the most powerful?

3) Which material is safer for combustions and why? ABS or PVC?

4) What is the maximum average range a potato will fly, regardless of cannon power?

5) What is the percentage of propane to air for use in a combustion cannon?

6) What is the best material to use for building a hybrid cannon?
 

DrPizza

Administrator Elite Member Goat Whisperer
Mar 5, 2001
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1. flammable gas, compressed gas, hybrid (compressing a flammable gas such as propane (mixed with oxygen) then igniting it. I believe that #3 uses a burst plate (which can be made out of a variety of different materials.) #3 is also usually remotely triggered, unless you really don't care about risking your life.

2. The third variety makes the first two look like pea shooters.

3. I've always thought schedule 40 pvc, but maybe abs. The pvc can shatter; that's why you wrap it in a shroud that will contain it.

4. Actually it does depend. A shitty spud gun is lucky to hit 100 yards. But a really good one; maybe 350-400 yards (for a potato)

5. Propane? MAPP fuel is where it's at.

6. Either an expensive alloy, else steel/iron.
 
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zinfamous

No Lifer
Jul 12, 2006
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I fueled mine with Aquanet. It was a PVC arm-canon.

Nothing says sweet neighborly vengeance like a flaming potato heading your way. :)
 

wirednuts

Diamond Member
Jan 26, 2007
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when i lived in a different city then i do now (a ghetto one) i used to take my 4ft spud gun and aim it out my upstairs window. i did it when it was getting dark, so you could see the 6ft blue flame come out the end... and the potato would just fire straight up and out and disappear. it would just fly away until i couldnt see it anymore. man that was soooo funny
 

DrPizza

Administrator Elite Member Goat Whisperer
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Actually, I think for a hybrid cannon, you would want your barrel to be something that doesn't shrapnel easily; perhaps copper if you can get it.
 

DrPizza

Administrator Elite Member Goat Whisperer
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Wow, just watched a video & did some math. A .30-06 has about 3000 foot-pounds of energy (give or take). One of these hybrid cannons had over 16,000 foot-pounds. Wow.

If all the zombies will line up in a row, I know what the weapon of choice would be.
 

DrPizza

Administrator Elite Member Goat Whisperer
Mar 5, 2001
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Interesting fact: They don't make MAPP gas any more in the US. It's all MAPP substitute...

I did not know this. We used to use MAPP gas & a torch for starting campfires. (Let the idiots sit around and rub sticks together or play with their flints; we got the job done!)
 

Cerpin Taxt

Lifer
Feb 23, 2005
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I fueled mine with Aquanet. It was a PVC arm-canon.

Nothing says sweet neighborly vengeance like a flaming potato heading your way. :)

Aquanet? Starting fluid!

When we first got ours assembled we had trouble getting it to ignite in the chamber. Turns out we were using too MUCH starting fluid and there wasn't enough oxygen. A 250ms burst from the can was all that it needed, and any more actually has diminishing returns.
 

zinfamous

No Lifer
Jul 12, 2006
111,857
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Aquanet? Starting fluid!

When we first got ours assembled we had trouble getting it to ignite in the chamber. Turns out we were using too MUCH starting fluid and there wasn't enough oxygen. A 250ms burst from the can was all that it needed, and any more actually has diminishing returns.

yep. spray in chamber, close chamber, flick flint.

Boom!
 

moonbogg

Lifer
Jan 8, 2011
10,731
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I prefer aluminum for light weight, low mix hybrids. You get the hand held portability of an advanced combustion, but it is super powerful since its a hybrid. Shooting a lime at a 2x mix is ludicrously powerful for a piece of fruit. You can't see it travel unless you are the one shooting it or standing right behind the shooter.
 

moonbogg

Lifer
Jan 8, 2011
10,731
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1. flammable gas, compressed gas, hybrid (compressing a flammable gas such as propane (mixed with oxygen) then igniting it. I believe that #3 uses a burst plate (which can be made out of a variety of different materials.) #3 is also usually remotely triggered, unless you really don't care about risking your life.

2. The third variety makes the first two look like pea shooters.

3. I've always thought schedule 40 pvc, but maybe abs. The pvc can shatter; that's why you wrap it in a shroud that will contain it.

4. Actually it does depend. A shitty spud gun is lucky to hit 100 yards. But a really good one; maybe 350-400 yards (for a potato)

5. Propane? MAPP fuel is where it's at.

6. Either an expensive alloy, else steel/iron.

Impressive. But you are wrong about not being able to hold a hybrid. Then again, you DID say "most" of the time.
 

Rhoxed

Golden Member
Jun 23, 2007
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<---- Surprised by the number of posts in this thread.

With that said carry on (learning another "useless" thing here, why not)
 
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