Air Cannon Build

[@doncook9034]

One of the cleanest builds I've seen.Thanks for posting

[@friedallen3577]

Thanks bro, just felt the depression melt away as i went back to childhood for 9 minutes

[@lockingood5448]

Great video and thanks for not having music playing.

[@martinflores4345]

I would love to have you as my neighbor...Awesome video👍👌

[@jasonstewart8363]

Great build! I've been wanting to make something like this. Please keep personal safety in mind though. I've seen bad things happen to people that grabbed a moving drillpress chuck. Should also not wear jewelery with power tools. If your ring caught on the chuck, your finger could have been filleted. Stay safe bro and keep making cool videos! 😎👍

[@gbjones54]

Cool Dad points for this one. A lot of fun for sure.

[@WassellWoodworking]

Thanks for the comment.

[@alanb76]

These 4" endcap and 4 to 2 inch reducers are drain water plumbing fittings, not rated for pressure use. You can tell by the length of the glue fittings, pressure fittings in those sizes have nearly 2" of cementing depth. Take care and be safe!

[@carrotbailey]

THIS IS THE KIND OF PROJECT I NEED TO DO TO MAKE MY HOUSE MORE FUN WHILE DEALING WITH MY AUTISM.

[@pimmeeder1646]

Is there a list of suplly's you need? I can't find it.

[@TimberTrainer]

Interesting build. I didn't know about green dot tennis balls, and bored my barrel out for standard tennis balls. 50psi with an empty ball will launch over 300' on mine, but my diaphragm and release valve are both modified for improved flow. Most of the time I shoot a 10oz ball with FTC Stiffline for line installation around 120'.

[@rtoddedge9783]

The little nerf footballs with the tail work wonderfully in the 2" pipe. You may want to think about eliminating the 1" pipe (for smaller pipe restricts air flow) and use a 2" ball valve. Great video. Thanks! Oh yeah, also, spray vegetable oil down the barrel to lube the tube. Works great for the little footballs.

[@ryanjohnson5000]

Love it! Im thinking of making an "ORGAN" to play fetch with my Chocolate lab now.

[@georgelochert8966]

I love your trigger system!

[@Mcboogler]

This is awesome. Time to finally win a game of fetch!

[@PaulGreggBYRC]

Very nice. I made this, but with threaded 1 inch attachments, which I don't like as much as your design which uses the reducers. One suggestion to add some safety over time is to paint the PVC, preferably with a dark paint, to keep it from UV sunlight degradation over time. I build backyard roller coasters with PVC pipe, and have done impact testing on painted and unpainted PVC 2" grey electrical conduit pipe, exposed to two years of sunlight, and the degradation in fracture toughness is about half.

[@scottmichael3745]

Really liked the build! Thanks.

[@TheEquineFencer]

Please do one that's for Golf Balls, it'd be interesting to see the distance and accuracy you get from them.

[@sskaustralia]

Nice one! Here's an idea, how about adapting that idea into dyi Kinetic Water Ram for clearing drain clogs? Would be interesting to see. You could test it with a mockup drain.

[@ronbean8684]

Great video. I use one of these to launch feeder lines over trees to hoist wire ham radio antennas - 40psi will easily go over the 80'pine tree in my front yard. Very nice build. Don't know which I like better - your launcher or your extremely well-organized shop! I'm definitely having a case of "shop envy" ;) Thanks for a great video; well done!

[@FCoxUSMC]

Get pressure tested PVC and you will be able to use 150psi. I have seen one tested at 200psi but we only charged it up to 150psi for safety, after testing it also there is a way to make it much more compact. Use a piston system and run the barrel through the middle of the air rezervoir. You won't need the sprinkler valve then. Look up SV seeker the last video they put out has the type of potato gun I am talking about in that video. You will also see a drawing of the cross section of the gun explaining how the gun works. They use their potato gun for launching a rope from one boat to another.

[@mortpacker8882]

Beautiful and ingenious, thanks a million!

[@brt-jn7kg]

I'm building one for a buddys Aussie Sheppard. Appreciate the video.

[@WassellWoodworking]

Thanks for watching. Have fun with it.

[@thepacketnarc7634]

How big a pipe you need to fit the dog in it ? Is that safe ?

[@faxtime7188]

@@thepacketnarc7634 Its for tennis balls, please dont launch a dog out of a pvc cannon haha

[@hugobar.4780]

El cañón quedó fantastic, haré uno así pero para pescar.

[@peterkohnke336]

Great video thanks. Interested in material list too, mainly more details on sprinkler valve. Cheers

[@kolohelau1185]

This was the best one so far , id like to use lead but in a safe way , i live in HI and there are huge cliffs where i live where we fish for Ulua ( Trevally) family

[@BobsTwoCarGarage]

great job and it looks cool too.

[@bdhusmarine26]

Saw that hook off the air nozzle and sand smooth. Turn upside down so the tank is on top. Attach the whole thing to boat seat swivel and you could aim up down side to side. That would be cool to mount off of deck for the kids

[@ldburgie]

Did you, by chance, have a materials list? Awesome project!

[@joshuagibson2520]

No doubt. He did basically list everything in the beginning though.

[@JoseMunoz-dg1gv]

Everything looks great except for the trigger i cant figure out how that works since the air gun its suppose blow out the othe end and it just point up

[@johnhorne3862]

Good Job. Enjoyed the video. I got a grandson that would like to have one.

[@WassellWoodworking]

Thanks. Lots of fun to build. You should try it.

[@clintsmith3820]

what is that trigger thing you screwed into the sprinkler valve?

[@stilesthissell]

I'm running a hundred psi with a steel reservoir

[@rich237931]

I put 150 psi in the one I built. Can't see the tennis ball when I shoot it up. Mine is not better just more high pressure. My dog loves when I start the air compressor up. It will definitely shoot 250 yards. I just shoot way up and it's impressive

[@WassellWoodworking]

Glad you are enjoying it. Thanks for the post.

[@mrdilligaf1968]

A good tip is to calculate the volume of the barrel and then calculate the size of the air tank needed. This one looks fairly close

[@linadsenoj]

What's the ratio of supply required for the barrel length?

[@shawnbrewster9435]

Hi, of all the builds I've seen this is by far the best. Trying to copy yours. One question. I'm having trouble trying to find tennis balls that fit in the 2.5 inch pvc, even the dot ones. How much pressure does it take to insert them, roll in or push it in forcefully? Just don't want it to explode in my face. Thanks, Shawn

[@WassellWoodworking]

It does not take much force from what i remember.

[@dcsmith5839]

Nice build. Thanks for sharing

[@czellner5894]

Very cool Steve! Green Dot tennis balls? All tennis balls are not the same size? Never knew that....

[@WassellWoodworking]

I am not sure if there is much size difference but the green dot compress better. -Steve

[@MsMara287]

65mm PVC pipe is perfect for tennisballs

[@XPFTP]

wow i feel stupid. is the airgun handle holding presure back from the air tank pushin on diaphram ? how is the valve working for release ?

[@raphlvlogs271]

can it shoot molotov cocktails?

[@richardanderson4916]

Excellent!!!!! What is the formula you used please for determining the height of the ball?

[@samotian0331]

suvat equations. In this case for the 25psi the equation would be displacement = initial velocity + 1/2 x acceleration x time squared. therefore as the initial velocity is 0 and acceleration is -9.8 (due to gravity) the height = 1/2 x -9.8 x1.75 squared which is 15m converted to 49ft (minus a little bit cause the guns off the ground)

[@arlissk9765]

Hi Stephen. Great Video and Great build. I have made a few confetti canons for Mardi Gras parades in Louisiana. Im going to make this one for the 2020 Kids Parade. You didn’t mention what size and type sprinkler valve. I may have missed it. Do you have it listed? Thanks.

[@abra175571]

Hey! Thanks for the report. How many shots can such a trigger diaphragm withstand? You probably already know :-))

[@rsteveryan]

Great video subscribed and watched to the end

[@jonnyrox116]

I built one to launch frozen bait bullets for fishing. I run 90-100psi and it'll send one out over 200 yards. I'm going to try the sprinkler valve trigger you used instead of the ball valve I have on it now. Thanks

[@WassellWoodworking]

Let me know how it works. Thanks for watching.

[@GeorgeBonez]

Jon Rothenbusch I think you’re going to find that your ball valve is better because if you’re shooting ice bullets 200yrds then you’re probably using at least a 2 inch ball valve that gives you a much better air-dump. Like you I also have a bait launcher using a 2.5 inch BV that’s shooting 300yrds and only using around 110psi. BTW my bait launcher is all steel using a fire extinguisher as the tank and galvanized pipe as the pre-chamber then converts into pvc from the pvc ball valve onto the barrel. I’m also going to try the sprinkler valve idea but I don’t think it’s going to out perform the ball valve because I can’t find a sprinkler valve that’s larger than 1 inch. I just don’t think the air Dump is going to be great enough. We’ll see and I’d like to know how it goes for you ok so keeps us updated bro.

[@militarysniper6625]

@@GeorgeBonez have you had any chance to test the sprinkler valve? wondering which one I should go with.

[@nimster64]

How does the hose trigger activate the cannon? I am not understanding this part? Also can it be charged up with a bicycle pump? I was thinking of using it for line fishing to cast the line

[@davespeer3293]

Great video! I see that you are using schedule 40 pipe but are your fittings all schedule 40 or did you use dwv? I can't seem to find Sch40 reducers from "4 to 2". Using dwv fittings is just asking for an explosion with plastic shrapnel!

[@ujang597]

Nice and thx for sharing

[@doubled473]

Nice design and a great job on the presentation. How many shots do you get from a single 50 PSI charge?

[@WassellWoodworking]

The gun uses one shot per charge. The valve opens fully and dumps the entire volume of air out the barrel. Let of fun. Thanks for the question, Enjoy making one.

[@SamRam-oo8tz]

It fun ,

[@mmmdesignllc]

Is it one shot per charge? if not, how many shots per charge?

[@WassellWoodworking]

Yes. Each shot uses up the entire reservoir of air.

[@tarmac245]

I think I missed the 4" pressure chamber length. Anyone get it? Other parts clearly specified.

[@WassellWoodworking]

It is probably about 12" long. No more is necessary.

[@SonNguyen-df3je]

tarmac245 z

[@AnthonyC-kn1kc]

Any chance i can pick your brain on the regulator / pressure end of this? trying to figure out how the pressure regulator gets installed and how much pressure does the 4” piece hold? I can shoot you my number or email if you don’t mind helping me out a little.

[@3dprintwiz378]

Is it possible to use the solenoid valve to release the air, or is there a disadvantage doing that?

[@WassellWoodworking]

You can but the air hose valve opens faster and has a larger orifice allowing the air above the diaphragm to release sooner that allows the main valve to open faster. With a solenoid you could remotely activate it. Thanks for the comment.

[@johnnywintereckert]

Great build. I’m working on one now but I don’t totally understand how the trigger actuated the sprinkler valve. I probably don’t understand how the sprinkler valve works… Thank you for sharing this one!

[@foamformbeats]

Very cool! Can you get more than one shot per fill or do you have to pump it back up after each shot?

[@unqualifiedengineering]

Pump every time

[@FCoxUSMC]

Last one of these I built gave the tennis ball a hang time in the air of 45 seconds.

[@melissamailhot4695]

Uh-huh

[@dannykreiser7120]

Wow! That sounds like at least 300 yards up! I'd be interested in hearing about the details of your Cannon. I've got two combustion cannons that shoot 100 yards plus using ether and miscellaneous other propellants. Best hang time has been about 20 seconds which was an exceptional shot.

[@thepacketnarc7634]

Same. Ha ! Ours is all metal tho, using galvanized fence post. The one we take camping has a paintball gun body as the firing mechanism and works with a 175 psi portable tank. I get about 12-16 shots out of it and it shoots well over 200ft. in the air. We know, because we shot racquetballs across the lake to my buddies boat house and ,well, Pythagoras... I started on a gravity fed magazine that shoots ice cubes but never finished it.

[@johnsland8792]

Can I ask where you got the 2 1/2" PVC Pipe? None of the big box stores or local plumbing supply stores carry it locally. Thanks.

[@WassellWoodworking]

I bought it online from www.pvcpipesupplies.com. I could not find it at Home Depot or Lowes either. My local Ace Hardware did not have it either.

[@jjgolf4fun]

Hello, Great instructions. I am building and ordered Green Dot Tennis balls however they are still too big. Can you give me the make and model of the ones you used?

[@jonathanhaynes9950]

2.5" ELECTRICAL conduit (PVC) will work great with tennis balls from the pet store--they must be just shy of 2.5" in diameter to slide well. A squirt of silicone lube in the barrel helps.

[@austintaylor1640]

Can I used 150 PSI im my reservoir coming out into a 1/2 three long PVC pipe ?

[@carpediem9285]

Did the ball's launch better at 40 psi?

[@jameshill1290]

Nice

[@fabiorodrigues0538]

I would like to know if there is a possible early deterioration of the valve because it is not being used for its true purpose.

[@WassellWoodworking]

I have not used it that much. Over time it would probably wear out. Great question.

[@farcticox1409]

Worry more about the PVC

[@johnwashburn9308]

Do you have a parts list that we can down load?

[@Flatout56-o8k]

I pumped 165psi through mine😂

[@wiredforstereo]

Longer barrel. Way longer.

[@pmiki]

Hi there, Amazing video, thanks! May I ask you what object you used for the trigger? Thanks, Miki

[@WassellWoodworking]

Miki - Thanks for watching. The trigger I am using is an air blow gun that you would use to blow dust of items. It is quick to open and makes a nice trigger. Here is a link to Amazon showing it. Hope that helps. www.amazon.com/Neiko-31112-Interchangeable-Nozzles-Over-Sized/dp/B000FVUO4G/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1523818169&sr=8-2&keywords=air+hose+trigger

[@pmiki]

Stephen Wassell Awesome!!!!! thx so much!!!!!

[@DanB1987]

Why is the air not just blowing out the nozzle on the trigger? I thought the air when in the threaded end and out the nozzle when the trigger is pulled.. Is it the sprinkler valve somehow redirecting the air? Sorry for my lack of understanding..

[@chriswhelehan6177]

​@@DanB1987same question here. I guess I don't understand how sprinkler valves work in general. Saw a similar design but with an electronic trigger that I guess was a little slow decreaseing the release pressure

[@umbrellahole]

How to make a bigger and better one?

[@BloodMoneyCalico]

How can you measure height and distance ?

[@jace_Henderson]

If you mean the projectiles then use the kinematic formulas.

[@BloodMoneyCalico]

@@jace_Henderson I want a certain height but also certain distance

[@moiecol]

What the highest psi with safety in mind ? I guessing it would work for a bait cannon ?

[@WassellWoodworking]

I have only gone up to 50 psi.

[@farcticox1409]

With safety in mind O psi, PVC is not rated for gas pressure at all, the ratings are hydrostatic only. OSHA does not allow the use of PVC above ground for gasses, but there is an alternative. www.ipexna.com/usa/products/industrial/compressed-air/duraplus-abs-airline/

[@sethparrow04]

Sch 40 pvc can withstand preasures up to 300psi but it is not recommended to go that far

[@abdelhaichanane3999]

يمكنك استخدامها ايضا في قذف الطعام المتجمد لصيد السمك في البحار

[@dougreising7104]

Can you shoot the ball in a horizontal direction 80 to 90 yards ?

[@WassellWoodworking]

It will shoot about a hundred feet. I often use it to shoot tennis balls at my kids for "tennis practice". Thanks.

[@austinburrows2153]

Im just wondering how the trigger works, not sure if im dumb lol. Watched it a few times. Any chance i could get help lol

[@WassellWoodworking]

On a sprinkler valve, there is a solenoid that releases the water pressure from the top of the diaphragm by allowing the water to flow downstream. What I did was remove the solenoid and replace it with a air blow gun which is just a valve. When blow gun is pressed, it releases the air from the top of the diaphragm, which allows the diaphragm to open which then releases the air tank downstream. You could always replace the sprinkler valve with a 1" valve instead. I believe that the sprinkler valve opens faster. I hope that helps.

[@GeorgeBonez]

Stephen Wassell why not just use the electric solenoid? From what I understand if you increase the voltage to around 24v it will have the power to release the diaphragm. Am I wrong on this?

[@jimmartin7881]

@@GeorgeBonez And need a battery all the time? Why would you want that?

[@garrettt7723]

Did you remove the spring inside the sprinkler valve?

[@WassellWoodworking]

Do I did not.

[@garrettt7723]

Thank you, I'm having an issue where I'm not getting a big burst of air but more so it trickling out

[@jonathanhaynes9950]

@@garrettt7723 We have the same issue. This occurs with a huge trombone sound until the air is depleted. It's as if the diaphragm isn't sealing properly. Still working on this detail.

[@justinliedtke5570]

What sprinkler valve did you use for this build , and where can I get one ?

[@justinliedtke5570]

@@ange6580 did you drill and tap the valve so it shoots without a battery hooked up ?

[@justinliedtke5570]

@@ange6580 I wouldnt be shooting tennis balls. I want to build one for shooting a weighted throw bag into tree canopies. I bought a 16oz bag , and made my own 5oz bag.

[@calebdrake3544]

@@ange6580 How does that work anyways?

[@davidhefner5668]

Just wondering about the volume of air at different pressure and how to figure it. Empty it would be at 14.7 psi for lets say cubic foot tank. At 29.4 ( x2) would be two cubic feet. So at 90 psi that would be around 6 cubic feet. The column of the barrel has to be figured in. It would seem that the longer the barrel the better. The projectile would have more time in the barrel to accelerate. Anyway that's my thinking. Also the bigger the pipe exiting the pressure tank and so excited of valve opening have to be considered. I'm thinks nag the bigger the valve opened nag the faster the air can escape. I am thinking of building one of these to cast ice bait bullet. You have seen them I'm sure. They are pretty cool. They can be made in all sorts of configurations. I'm planning to mount one on my boat. That should be fun. Have you shot water from it yet? Like 12 ounces or so. It should make quite a spray pattern.

[@WassellWoodworking]

That is a very interesting idea. I was not familiar with the concept of a bait bullet so I looked it up on KZbin. I also had someone want to use the air cannon to shoot confetti in a play. Seems like the ideas are limitless. Good luck with you experimenting. It will be fun.

[@californiakayaker]

I use mine to put antenna's up.

[@ewanham5649]

hello, do you know where i can buy a sprinkler valve like the one shown in the video? I am trouble finding stuff (i live in australia) and most valves are electric

[@ewanham5649]

also where can i buy the trigger mechanism

[@WassellWoodworking]

I bought it from Home Depot. Any brand will do. They all work the same.

[@WassellWoodworking]

That is just an air hose nozzle. Available at hardware stores.

[@ldburgie]

Can you tell me where you found 2.5 in sch 40? I haven't been able to find that size.

[@WassellWoodworking]

I bought it at Home Depot. It was pre-cut to about two feet for repair work.

[@BackInBlack88]

Swimming pool supply stores routinely sell 2.5”… at EXTREMELY high prices

[@amitsolanki9363]

Sir can u provide document of this step by step procedure

[@josephmccurtian9399]

what was the total cost of the project

[@danielbuettner5661]

how do you charge it? is it good for more that 1 shot per charge?

[@bedfordfirstwesleyan2736]

Do you sell these?

[@WassellWoodworking]

I do not sell them. Thanks for asking.

[@madvtecyoboostin4870]

How was 50 worse than 40?

[@ajbuds404]

Bahaha right

[@mmezameza1891]

I made one similar, and at 50 psi, it compesses the ball to much, and it won't go as far, at 40 psi the ball remains in tacked, so in return it goes further.

[@BEANS4l1fe]

Send it to me and I'll be happy

[@donaldfee9101]

golf balls

[@surfinghouston]

try a full beer can

[@morinkashi63]

If you use golf ball that could kill a wild hog 😂

[@francescoauriemma8078]

come posso avere la traduzione in italiano grazie

[@WassellWoodworking]

Io uso Google translate per aiutare con i commenti.

[@wolfzy6081]

Hello, can I ask you if you want to sell it.

[@WassellWoodworking]

I don't want to sell mine. Thanks for the comment.

[@stephenallen9532]

Hey Stephen, I am currently designing a similar pneumatic cannon. I would love to email you my design and have you critique it. Respond to this message if you would like my email and we can design something!

[@WassellWoodworking]

send me an email to [e-mail].

[@SonnyCider]

3:39 gloves!

[@jacktaylor6250]

never use gloves on power tools. ever.

[@jonathanhaynes9950]

@@jacktaylor6250 Exactly. Thanks for making that clear. Gloves add risk with cutting power tools.

[@cetinoz7967]

Bu harika bana satarmısın

[@wolfzy6081]

Hello, then - I have your email address?

[@himikotoga9102]

So many safety violations. I couldn't watch anymore.

[@FCoxUSMC]

Snow flake.

[@Vijay868]

You must me bored

[@joehentalack2443]

My goal is"deadly"get as many long beer cans filled with cement/engine plugs, and shoot those suckers far and fast to be deadly"eventually".......!!!!!

[@MaxPowers]

What about batteries?

[@FCoxUSMC]

Works better with ice projectiles. Use a piece of pipe you used for the barrel, about 2 1/2" long for a 1 1/2" barrel. Pack snow in it and then pour in a little water and let it sit till it freezes. These babies Will go through a house trailer at 100 yards away.

[@raymondbailey2142]

Would a ball valve instead of the sprinkler valve work?

[@WassellWoodworking]

It could but you would have to open it very quickly. The sprinkler valves works great. Thanks for asking.