This Project came to me at the beginning of summer 2012. I was about to embark out West to Colorado for an Engineering Internship. Before I left my buddy Pat and I wanted to make something epic. My back yard has a strip of cleared land that goes on for miles. Hence to optimize this area we decided to build a potato cannon. Don't forget to check the video at the bottom. I'd say they're MASHED!!Step 1
Go to Local Home Improvement Store and get the following Items:
- 6 feet of 2 inch PVC (allowed for pressure)
- 2 feet of 4 inch PVC (allowed for pressure)
- 1 foot of 1 inch PVC
- (1) 4 inch to 2 inch PVC reducing coupling
- (1) 4 inch PVC end-cap coupling (1 side is threaded the other is not)
- PVC Cement
- Grill ignitor
- (2) Pipe Clamps
- Propellent (range from hairspray to deodorant spray - may need to go to CVS)
- Potatoes (if you don't grow them yourself Lads and Lasses then go to grocery store)
Step 2
Prepare the pieces to your cannon:
- Cut your 2 inch PVC down to 5 feet and taper off one end of it so that it is nice and sharp (prime potato cutting)
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| 5 Foot Barrel |
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| Tapered End of Barrel |
- Cut the remaining 1 foot of your 2 inch PVC in half vertically. And drill hole big enough to fit the plastic end of the grill ignitor leads into.
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| Drilled Hole into PVC |
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| Vertically cut piece of 2-inch PVC |
- Cut your 1-inch PVC down to a size that seems reasonable for a handle. I did 6 inches. Also, drill 1/2 inch holes into both sides of this PVC handle. The holes should be 1/2 inch from the top of your handle. You should be able to look through one hole and see through the other one on the other side. On the other "sides" of this PVC piece drill 1-inch holes 2 inches from the same top as you drilled the other holes. We also sanded down the top of the handle so that it was a snug fit when we attached it to the 4-inch PVC.
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| Location of Holes in Handle |
- Drill 2 holes into one side of the 4 inch PVC. My holes were just big enough to put the two leads of the grill ignitor through. Make sure the leads are placed close enough so that you get a spark every time!
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| Image of the two leads from the Grill ignitor (leads are covered by the brown electrical tape). Note that pipe clamp is closer to the reducer (front) side of the launcher. |
Assemble of the pieces:
- Add PVC cement to both ends of the 4-inch PVC. Immediately after add the "end cap with one side threaded" to one side and the "reducing coupling" to the other end. Then use PVC cement once again when adding the 2-inch PVC barrel to the reducing coupling. PVC cement is vital in making sure that your cannon does not fall apart during combustion. Therefore please allow it to dry (read instructions on the product) before using the cannon. ..... BUILD IN THE SUSPENSE!
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| PVC Cement Connecting End Cap to 4 - inch PVC |
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| Attaching Leads of grill ignitor. |
- Attach the handle to the 4-inch PVC with one pipe clamp through the upper hole of the handle. Then Attach the grill ignitor through the other hole in the handle. Make sure the clamp is nice and snug so the handle does not budge.
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| Attaching ignitor and handle |
- I added a case around mine to make it aesthetically pleasing and it protected to the leads from ware and tare. This is simply adding the vertically cut of PVC over leads and wires leading up to the ignitor. Another pipe clamp was used to secure this case.
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| Attaching the PVC Case |
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| Final Product |
Congratulations you now know how to make a potato cannon!! See below for technique on shooting.
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| Adding Potato - Retro Style |
Technique - add potato that will completely seal the cross section of the barrel. I use a broom handle to push the potato down. Next, I add 4 - 6 seconds of deodorant spray into the 4-inch PVC via the end cap. Immediately after I screw the end cap on. Finally, aim down range and fire the potato!
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| Readyyy..... AIIMMM |
Comments Questions, please write !!
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