How to Make a Potato Gun

Making a potato gun is practically a right of passage for some kids. It can however be very dangerous and caution must be taken during construction to build a relatively safe potato gun.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Hair spray
• Barbeque grill igniter
• 2 feet of 3 inch pipe
• 16 gauge wire
• 4 feet of 1 1/2 inch pipe
• 3 inch pipe end cap that unscrews
• 3 inch 1 1/2 inch reducer fitting

1. Purchase thick-walled plastic pipe and fittings from your local hardware store in the following dimensions: 2 feet of 3 inch pipe, 4 feet of 1 1/2 inch pipe, a 3 inch to 1 1/2 inch reducer fitting and a 3 inch plastic pipe end cap that unscrews.

2. Remove a grill igniter from an old grill.

3. Use pipe glue and assemble the end cap onto one end of the 3 inch pipe, and the reducer on the other end. Let dry.

4. Connect and glue the 1 1/2 inch pipe to the reducer.

5. Drill two screws into the back of the 3 inch pipe about 3 inches from the end cap. Position the screws so that they come from both sides of the potato gun chamber and are about 1/2 inch apart inside the chamber.

6. Attach the 16 gauge wires to the grill igniter wires on one end and one to each screw on the other end. Now try looking inside the gun and making sure when you click the igniter you get a big spark between the screws. If not, reposition them.

7. Cut a potato to fit tightly into the barrel and insert it all the way down the barrel. Spray hairspray into the larger chamber, screw the lid tightly shut and click the igniter and watch the potato fly!

Tips & Warnings

• Do not push the potato all the way down into the firing chamber.
• Experiment with different propellants and mixtures of propellant and oxygen.
• Do not use the potato gun in a dangerous manner shooting it at people, animals or property.
• Do not shoot other objects that may be more dangerous than a high speed potato.
• Check your local laws before building a potato gun. It may be illegal in your area.
• Understand that this is a explosion-driven gun. The PVC can explode and kill or injure you.

[charney]

on 7/29/2008 very good