how to build the perfect air cannon
If you're looking to make a t-shirt cannon, potato gun, or an air cannon to launch promotional items, then this article will give you some awesome tips and tricks to help you get started in the right direction. With virtually no trial and error, you can easily create a perfectly awesome air cannon, potato cannon or t-shirt cannon using supplies from your local hardware store. These incredibly simple yet powerful air cannons can launch potatoes, golf balls, t-shirts, and other promotional items great distances. Some as far as a 100 yards or more on a single blast of air.
But First... A Word Of Caution
Building your air cannons can be a lot of fun, but it can also be a little dangerous. Always make your safety and the safety of others a top priority . If your air cannon doesn't fire right correctly, never look down the barrel. You may cause a severe injury to yourself or someone else.
Second... What Type Of Air Cannon Should You Make?
When you make your first potato gun or air cannon, you're going to have to decide what type of objects you are going to be shooting out of your cannon. The best air cannons use compressed air instead of a toxic fuels such as propane, gas or an aerosol spray?
With compressed air cannons, you simply attach your cannon to an air hose via a valve to a small air compressor you can purchase from your local hardware store or Home Depot. You can hook it directly to your cannon or just fill the cannons chamber in between launches. If you're going to ignite a fuel, then you'll need an ignition system that will create a spark inside the ignition chamber to light the fuel
I recommend building a PVC compressed air cannon because they are much more powerful, they fire every time and don't make any mess.
Whichever method you decide to go with, you'll want to make sure your spud gun is air tight. This ensures enough pressure will build to propel the potato or golf ball or t-shirt out the barrel and project it hundreds of yards through the air.
Third... What Materials Should You Use For Your Potato Cannon?
Schedule 40 PVC pipe is the most commonly used material to make an air cannon. These types of pipe are relatively inexpensive and are generally easy to come by. Most local irrigation stores or building supply stores such as Home Depot or Lowe's will have everything you need in stock. A typical air cannon will usually run around $35.
As a precaution, I would highly recommend using PVC over ABS. PVC is actually pressure rated and therefore much safer to use. If you look on the pipe you'll see a PSI measurement. Schedule 40 PVC pipe is rated at 300 PSI which is much more than you will ever need. I only pressurize my air cannons to 80 PSI and they shoot well over 100 yards.
Using Schedule 40 PVC pipe will keep your cannon from exploding or falling apart when launching your potatos or golf balls .
What Kinds of Potatos Should You Use in your air cannon?
The types of potato you use in your air cannon is an important thing to consider if you want to create maximum distance and have really accurate shots. You will need firm, solid potatoes in order to make them fit snug in the barrel.
I file and sand the edge of my barrel at a 45 degree angle so it makes a sharp clean edge. This way when you push the potato down over the top of the barrel, it conveniently slices off the excess and makes a perfect wedge shape that you can then stuff down the barrel with a broom stick or pole.
When you push the potato wedge down the barrel of your air cannon, make sure it's snug, but not all mashed apart. By shaving the barrel as mentioned before, you will get a perfect fit every time and will insure maximum distance for your potato.
The same holds true for t-shirts and any other objects you want to fire from your air cannon. They should be folded to make a wedge that will fit snug when pushed down the barrel. If the your shirt fits too lose within the barrel, they won't create enough pressure and the air will just pass right by. Your shirt won't fly very far and you'll get poor distance on your shots. It will take some trial and error to get just the right fit.
With a little practice you can make an air cannon, t-shirt cannon or potato cannon that will fire without fail for years to come. I still have the first one I built over 8 years ago and it still works perfect every time.
And now, it's time to make your own air cannon: Visit us at American Air Cannons.com for downloadable plans, kits and parts. We can also pre build a cannon for you that will last for years.
If you really want to make an air cannon that lasts forever and shoots objects hundreds of yards, then learn the my secrets behind creating the perfect air cannon, t-shirt cannon, golf ball cannon or potato cannon by visiting: www.AmericanAirCannons.com
But First... A Word Of Caution
Building your air cannons can be a lot of fun, but it can also be a little dangerous. Always make your safety and the safety of others a top priority . If your air cannon doesn't fire right correctly, never look down the barrel. You may cause a severe injury to yourself or someone else.
Second... What Type Of Air Cannon Should You Make?
When you make your first potato gun or air cannon, you're going to have to decide what type of objects you are going to be shooting out of your cannon. The best air cannons use compressed air instead of a toxic fuels such as propane, gas or an aerosol spray?
With compressed air cannons, you simply attach your cannon to an air hose via a valve to a small air compressor you can purchase from your local hardware store or Home Depot. You can hook it directly to your cannon or just fill the cannons chamber in between launches. If you're going to ignite a fuel, then you'll need an ignition system that will create a spark inside the ignition chamber to light the fuel
I recommend building a PVC compressed air cannon because they are much more powerful, they fire every time and don't make any mess.
Whichever method you decide to go with, you'll want to make sure your spud gun is air tight. This ensures enough pressure will build to propel the potato or golf ball or t-shirt out the barrel and project it hundreds of yards through the air.
Third... What Materials Should You Use For Your Potato Cannon?
Schedule 40 PVC pipe is the most commonly used material to make an air cannon. These types of pipe are relatively inexpensive and are generally easy to come by. Most local irrigation stores or building supply stores such as Home Depot or Lowe's will have everything you need in stock. A typical air cannon will usually run around $35.
As a precaution, I would highly recommend using PVC over ABS. PVC is actually pressure rated and therefore much safer to use. If you look on the pipe you'll see a PSI measurement. Schedule 40 PVC pipe is rated at 300 PSI which is much more than you will ever need. I only pressurize my air cannons to 80 PSI and they shoot well over 100 yards.
Using Schedule 40 PVC pipe will keep your cannon from exploding or falling apart when launching your potatos or golf balls .
What Kinds of Potatos Should You Use in your air cannon?
The types of potato you use in your air cannon is an important thing to consider if you want to create maximum distance and have really accurate shots. You will need firm, solid potatoes in order to make them fit snug in the barrel.
I file and sand the edge of my barrel at a 45 degree angle so it makes a sharp clean edge. This way when you push the potato down over the top of the barrel, it conveniently slices off the excess and makes a perfect wedge shape that you can then stuff down the barrel with a broom stick or pole.
When you push the potato wedge down the barrel of your air cannon, make sure it's snug, but not all mashed apart. By shaving the barrel as mentioned before, you will get a perfect fit every time and will insure maximum distance for your potato.
The same holds true for t-shirts and any other objects you want to fire from your air cannon. They should be folded to make a wedge that will fit snug when pushed down the barrel. If the your shirt fits too lose within the barrel, they won't create enough pressure and the air will just pass right by. Your shirt won't fly very far and you'll get poor distance on your shots. It will take some trial and error to get just the right fit.
With a little practice you can make an air cannon, t-shirt cannon or potato cannon that will fire without fail for years to come. I still have the first one I built over 8 years ago and it still works perfect every time.
And now, it's time to make your own air cannon: Visit us at American Air Cannons.com for downloadable plans, kits and parts. We can also pre build a cannon for you that will last for years.
If you really want to make an air cannon that lasts forever and shoots objects hundreds of yards, then learn the my secrets behind creating the perfect air cannon, t-shirt cannon, golf ball cannon or potato cannon by visiting: www.AmericanAirCannons.com
About the Author:
Want to find out more about How To Build Your Own Air Cannons, then visit American Air Cannons and choose a set of air cannon plans today.