Am I crazy or is there more out there like me

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I have begun building something . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . ... . ..Oxy/acty. . . . . . . . . . . . Potato launcher. well have not done much yet just made plans. something to do on the farm. Im thinking 6" sch 80 (cuz its lying around the house) for the chamber, maybe 14" long. With a peice of drill stem 2 3/8" pipe about 8-10 foot long for the barrel. Mounting it on an old garden trailer i have thats worthless to pull behind the four wheeler. I already have a cannon that is about a .75 calibur out of sch 160 pipe. . . its loud what do yall think. and before yall bash me for shooting it i live on 400 acres plenty of room to roam.Weldandpower 225Heliarc Rig for itTorchesect ect ectLifes Short WELD NAKEDLooking for a SA200
Reply:Make a video!
Reply:mwahahahahaWeldandpower 225Heliarc Rig for itTorchesect ect ectLifes Short WELD NAKEDLooking for a SA200
Reply:Please don't try this.  Acetylene is one the highest energy compounds due to it's triple bonded carbon and with oxygen produces an incredible implosion actually reducing the gas to droplets of co2 and water.  It can be deadly as the energy given off could easily rupture your pipe.If you insist on making a loud banging cannon, just build it and use calcium carbide which you can buy from old hardware stores and such, maybe hobby shops.  It's a crystal that when mixed with water gives off acetylene.  This is what is used in stage prop cannons and is very loud but since it's mixed with air does not produce quite as deadly an explosion as long as you don't close off the end, i.e. like with a potato.don't want to see ya loose an arm or eye over just some fun....many people were burned really bad by playing the game with ballons as well, just don't do it; the energy is amazing from even a 1inch ballon.jbman45Century 230A AC/DCLongevity 200 Multifunction MofsetLongevity 200PI Multifunction IGBTVictor Oxy/Weld&Cut5HP 2 stage compressorTractor; tools and 40  years of collecting fine tools.
Reply:forget the fuel, just use compressed air.  A bead seating tank, I think they are called a Bead Cheeta or something, will shoot a 2 1/2" pewter ball a couple hundred yards pretty easy.Don't ask how I know.  Just know that we only did it once....Anyways, 100lbs or so of air is a lot safer than an explosion.  I say find yourself a bead cheeta and screw an adapter pipe onto it that fits a golf ball or some other common ammo.
Reply:Originally Posted by jroyster06i have begun building something . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . ... . ..oxy/acty. . . . . . . . . . . . Potato launcher. Well have not done much yet just made plans. Something to do on the farm. Im thinking 6" sch 80 (cuz its lying around the house) for the chamber, maybe 14" long. With a peice of drill stem 2 3/8" pipe about 8-10 foot long for the barrel. Mounting it on an old garden trailer i have thats worthless to pull behind the four wheeler. I already have a cannon that is about a .75 calibur out of sch 160 pipe. . . Its loud What do yall think. And before yall bash me for shooting it i live on 400 acres plenty of room to roam.
Reply:I use the stuff in the can you spray into the carby to start a recalcitrant engine.  It combusts like nobody's business and comes in a can. What more could you want?  We have tennis and golf ball callibre guns made from PVC plumbing pipe.  Never had a rupture.  Sometimes we add a little oxygen to the combustion chamber when we get bored - but we feel this is quite dangerous.
Reply:I have seen some video's on the "tube" thats shows some guys getting fried while using one of those, wisdom would considered in this matter....."if you are not on fire for God now...you will be on fire one day, and that day will last forever and ever and ever"....
Reply:Yes! you are either very crazy. Or very young, which is the same thing!  You know the last thing a redneck ever says, " Hey ya'll watch this".OAdoctorwww.regulatortorchrepair.com
Reply:Coolest rig is one designed by an engineer I talked to.  It used compressed nitrogen with a dump valve to launch explosives up mountainsides to dislodge loose snow.  The firing mechanism was a blank 22 cartridge/shell.  A pin would strike the blank and that would fire off the explosive when it suddenly decelerated when landing in the snow.  They have elevated concrete tables beside the road that have a compass rose and mounts for the mortar tube.  It is quiet and consistent.  It is safe enough for highways crews to do.
Reply:I've used a homemade potato gun in the past.It was made with pvc plastic pipe glued (cheap). It had a screw on cap on the back of the fire chamber and a bbq lighter on it to lite it off. We used hairspray for fuel. It worked great!It doesn't take long to go through 10lbs of potatoes.JasonLincoln Idealarc 250 stick/tigThermal Dynamics Cutmaster 52Miller Bobcat 250Torchmate CNC tableThermal Arc Hefty 2Ironworkers Local 720
Reply:Originally Posted by snoeproeI've used a homemade potato gun in the past.It was made with pvc plastic pipe glued (cheap). It had a screw on cap on the back of the fire chamber and a bbq lighter on it to lite it off. We used hairspray for fuel. It worked great!It doesn't take long to go through 10lbs of potatoes.
Reply:K yeah it's probably incredibly unsafe. Remote detonate it. Safety and insanity!
Reply:You DO NOT want to add the Oxy to it when you shoot it.  The Acetylene is more than plenty.  I have seen two built that would handle Acetylene and both were made from stainless tubing with about a 3/16" wall.  4" reduced down to 2" is what was used.  Also it will not work with potatoes.  They come apart before existing the barrel.  Hard pears did better, but still not real well.I'm a Lover, Fighter, Wild horse Rider, and a pretty good welding man......
Reply:Been there, done that! Steel pipe, 4" shedule 80 reduced to 1 1/4" schedule 120 or so with 1/4" end plates welded on, the barrel having a 3 pass fillet weld holding it in place.  The fill/ignition hole is on the side.The second one I built shot corn on the cob.  (I no longer have it)Last edited by mb_welder; 09-06-2009 at 04:04 PM.
Reply:.....popcorn???? Attached Images"Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:Originally Posted by farmersamm.....popcorn????
Reply:I would really advise against making any of the proposed potato guns, and yes i've played around with them in my younger (stupider) days. SWMBO is an emergengy room nurse and less than 2 weeks ago came home and told me about a 17 yr old who lost 1 eye and has limited vision in the other from a potato gun. He will also need reconstructive surgery on the bones in his face. Just very lucky it didn't push his whole forehead through his brain. Don't be STUPID.
Reply:I would not say you are crazy, but you should do a little research on cannons in general. Oxy/acet is entirely inappropriate for something that size. The bigger the gun, the SLOWER the propellant should be...and you want a propellant, NOT an explosive! The military has all the C-4 they want. They don't don't use it to fire artillery shells...
Reply:Use a coil, spark plug, and battery. Remote detonation. Damn, you guys are no fun. Never made anything of that caliber. But we used to used propane, PVC, and found tangerines to work waaay better than potatoes. Even though we filled first with fuel, then stuffed in the potato to compress. Tang from the bottom uncompressed worked much better. To the tune of probably 7-10 stories higher than the potato. Had it down to a science. How far to open the torch, and how long to get the best burn. Unless your under 18, then I retract my last statement. lol
Reply:Originally Posted by lfishelI would not say you are crazy, but you should do a little research on cannons in general. Oxy/acet is entirely inappropriate for something that size. The bigger the gun, the SLOWER the propellant should be...and you want a propellant, NOT an explosive! The military has all the C-4 they want. They don't don't use it to fire artillery shells...
Reply:Originally Posted by Boostinjdmforget the fuel, just use compressed air.  A bead seating tank, I think they are called a Bead Cheeta or something, will shoot a 2 1/2" pewter ball a couple hundred yards pretty easy. . . .
Reply:Originally Posted by 10secgoalUse a coil, spark plug, and battery. Remote detonation. Damn, you guys are no fun. Never made anything of that caliber. But we used to used propane, PVC, and found tangerines to work waaay better than potatoes. Even though we filled first with fuel, then stuffed in the potato to compress. Tang from the bottom uncompressed worked much better. To the tune of probably 7-10 stories higher than the potato. Had it down to a science. How far to open the torch, and how long to get the best burn. Unless your under 18, then I retract my last statement. lol