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... Some Simple Words Of Caution
Although making air cannons and potato guns can be a lot of fun, it can also be dangerous. Always play it safe and make your safety and the safety of others a top priority. If your air cannon or potato cannon doesn't fire right away, never look down the barrel. You may take out an eye or even worse, possibly cause a fatality.
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 most compressed air cannons, you simply just attach your air cannon to a small air compressor you can purchase from your any local hardware store or Home Depot store. Just hook it directly to your cannon or fill the cannons air 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. These are messy and not as consistent.
I recommend building a schedule 40 PVC compressed air cannon because they are much more powerful, shoot further and they 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 Different Types Of Materials Should You Use For Your New Air 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.
By using Schedule 40 rated PVC pipe, you won't need to worry about your cannon exploding or disintegrating when launching your items.
What Kind of Potato Should You Use?
The type of potato you use in your potato cannon is an important consideration if you want to create maximum distance and have accurate shots. You will need nice fresh, firm and solid potatoes in order to make them have a snug fit in the barrel.
I shave the end of my barrel at a 45 degree angle so it makes a sharp edge. This way when you shove the potato down the barrel, it conveniently slices off the excess and makes a perfect "Hockey Puck" wedge that you can then stuff down the barrel with a broom stick.
When you push the potato down the barrel of your gun, make sure it's snug. 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 a killer air cannon or potato cannon that will fire without perfectly for years to come. I still have the first one I built over 8 years ago and it still works perfect every time.
And Finally, it's time to make your own air cannon: Visit American Air Cannons.com for downloadable plans, kits and parts. We also can pre build a cannon for you that will last for years.
If you really want to make an air cannon that lasts forever and will shoot 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... Some Simple Words Of Caution
Although making air cannons and potato guns can be a lot of fun, it can also be dangerous. Always play it safe and make your safety and the safety of others a top priority. If your air cannon or potato cannon doesn't fire right away, never look down the barrel. You may take out an eye or even worse, possibly cause a fatality.
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 most compressed air cannons, you simply just attach your air cannon to a small air compressor you can purchase from your any local hardware store or Home Depot store. Just hook it directly to your cannon or fill the cannons air 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. These are messy and not as consistent.
I recommend building a schedule 40 PVC compressed air cannon because they are much more powerful, shoot further and they 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 Different Types Of Materials Should You Use For Your New Air 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.
By using Schedule 40 rated PVC pipe, you won't need to worry about your cannon exploding or disintegrating when launching your items.
What Kind of Potato Should You Use?
The type of potato you use in your potato cannon is an important consideration if you want to create maximum distance and have accurate shots. You will need nice fresh, firm and solid potatoes in order to make them have a snug fit in the barrel.
I shave the end of my barrel at a 45 degree angle so it makes a sharp edge. This way when you shove the potato down the barrel, it conveniently slices off the excess and makes a perfect "Hockey Puck" wedge that you can then stuff down the barrel with a broom stick.
When you push the potato down the barrel of your gun, make sure it's snug. 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 a killer air cannon or potato cannon that will fire without perfectly for years to come. I still have the first one I built over 8 years ago and it still works perfect every time.
And Finally, it's time to make your own air cannon: Visit American Air Cannons.com for downloadable plans, kits and parts. We also can pre build a cannon for you that will last for years.
If you really want to make an air cannon that lasts forever and will shoot 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:
Learn more about air cannons. Stop by American Air Cannons where you can find out all about potato cannon and how to build one yourself.
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