Potato guns

[Ugly]

Are they legal in Tennessee?
I did a search and not a word on the forum. Just wondered, I have found they are the best tool for getting rid of potatoes in a hurry. :)
For some odd reason, they were illegal in Florida.

[mikegideon]

We had plans, years ago, to build a spud magnum out of steel pipe and a better propellant. Never got around to it, but it kept us pretty busy while we were drinkin' :)

[Ugly]

Nice!
I've built many over the years and gave them away/bartered.
When I lived in FL and heard they were illegal I lost my mojo.
I jus whipped up one from parts I've had for years, found some aqua net and just need to test fire.

[mikegideon]

Nice!
I've built many over the years and gave them away/bartered.
When I lived in FL and heard they were illegal I lost my mojo.
I jus whipped up one from parts I've had for years, found some aqua net and just need to test fire.

 

BTW... we weren't gonna put a red button on the magnum. The plan was to fire remotely, in case it decided to launch more than the potato.

[Ugly]

BTW... we weren't gonna put a red button on the magnum. The plan was to fire remotely, in case it decided to launch more than the potato.

It's a good idea! As is not holding one near the upper portion of your body. I have witnesses arm hair being burned off as well as thank cap take over as projectile. I will keep my curiosity to small potatoes and the occasional corncob.

I have seen school busses converted to launch pumpkins. On the internet. Edited October 8, 2014 by Ugly

[Will Carry]

I had a Spud Launcher years ago. It had a handle with a propane grill igniter in it. It was sweet. It would knock the bark off a pine tree. When I found out that they were illegal, I got rid of it. They have enough power to kill someone and should be treated like a firearm, if they are legal where you live. If not, it ain't worth it.

Edited October 8, 2014 by Will Carry

[TrickyNicky]

Have had several over the years. Denatured alcohol is a great propellant. Cleaner than hair spray and more effective too.

[Ugly]

Have had several over the years. Denatured alcohol is a great propellant. Cleaner than hair spray and more effective too.

The hairspray is sticky and will add the ultimate hold if you leave it stored with the threaded cap on for about a year.

Was in the mountains of PA and the weather changed. Aqua net quit firing. Used everything else available. The smokiest was the graphite spray for garage doors. The smoke Pelion went farther than the potato!

[sybo]

I've got one and I frequently Spud fire!! :up:  :rock:

[Steelharp]

I had one. It was great fun, until it blew up, lol. Never bothered with one again.

[Hershmeister]

They're illegal?

[Caster]

Made one out of 4140 seamless tubing and 1018 for the reducer union between body & barrel and the end cap was cold rolled as well. TIG welded together and used a coleman lantern lighter for ignition. I used many things for propellant including gasoline, ether and nitromethane. Nothing worked better than a cutting torch though. Turn the acetylene and oxygen valves about half open, hold the end cap up so there was very little gap, wait several seconds then screw the cap on quickly. It was quite powerful and would launch a tennis ball half way to Mars.

[mikegideon]

Made one out of 4140 seamless tubing and 1018 for the reducer union between body & barrel and the end cap was cold rolled as well. TIG welded together and used a coleman lantern lighter for ignition. I used many things for propellant including gasoline, ether and nitromethane. Nothing worked better than a cutting torch though. Turn the acetylene and oxygen valves about half open, hold the end cap up so there was very little gap, wait several seconds then screw the cap on quickly. It was quite powerful and would launch a tennis ball half way to Mars.

 

You built the Spud Magnum! I wish you had a picture. Yep, we decided early on that a potato might just disintegrate when we got the muzzle velocity up where it needed to be. So, the next most likely projectile was a tennis ball.

 

EDIT: BTW, we also planned to use acetylene and oxygen as the propellant!

Edited October 9, 2014 by mikegideon

[Ugly]

They're illegal?

Don't know bout here, they were in Florida. Still makes no sense to me.

[Guest livefreeordie1]

We use ether in our produce accelerators.

[Steelharp]

Had a guy one night after a recording session, in the back alley behind the studio... he showed his off to everyone, and he fired it... hit the streetlight, and the light fell on Sprigg's one day old Mercedes... too good.

[dcloudy777]

My little brother built one that used conventional hair spray (Aqua Net works best) AND propane.  :eek:

 

I chrono'd a few shots and weighed a few projectiles.  It maybe USPSA "Major" pretty easily.  :rock:

[glowdotGlock]

I would post a pic of one that I "saw" but not sure of the lagality now. I assume they are legal?

[Ugly]

I can't imagine why they would e illegal. Especially if you use it for good! :) Edited October 9, 2014 by Ugly

[glowdotGlock]

Here is a pic of one. The person who built this one used a taser for taped to the side for ignition and added a gate valve in the end for easy spraying of the fuel. I suspect the owner likes to use starting fluid. I did not just go get this out of my shop and lay it in my yard to take a pic ; )

[Ugly]

A tazer is brilliant! Edited October 9, 2014 by Ugly

[mikegideon]

 

The biggest ignition type I ever made had a 4' combustion chamber and a 10' barrel. It used A LOT of propellant and had a 5' fireball. It always scared me with that one because the PVC tube would flash yellow upon ignition. 

 

Now you're talkin' :)

[Ugly]

Dolomite; that's some crazy stuff!
I hope I don't get that bug!
Did you have to keep the air on constantly and how long between shots

[Dolomite_supafly]

At the time we had one of those small compressors so it ran constantly between shots and stayed connected.

[Ugly]

Al gore thanks you for keeping the combustion down :)