How to Make a Potato Gun Out of PVC Pipe
Potato gun technology has been around for many years, but it was with the invention of PVC plumbing that potato gun makers could really let their imaginations run wild. A potato gun works under the same principles as a regular gun: A chamber at the rear holds the propellant. In the chamber in front of the propellant sits the projectile. A flame source ignites the propellant, which explodes under pressure, launching the projectile out of the barrel of the gun.
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Things You'll Need
- 4 inch PVC clean-out plug
- 4 inch PVC fitting clean-out adapter
- 4 inch PVC coupling
- 4 inch by 2 feet PVC pipe
- 2 inch by 4 inch PVC reducer
- 2 inch by 4 feet PVC pipe
- Sandpaper
- File or Dremel tool
- PVC cement
- Saw
- Pen or pencil
- Fireplace lighter
- Drill
- Drywall screws
- Potatoes
Instructions
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1
Cut the 4 inch PVC pipe down to 2 feet in length. Cut the 2 inch PVC pipe to 4 feet in length. Sand down the edges so no burrs remain.
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2
Use the PVC glue (follow manufacturer's instructions) to attach the 4 inch clean-out adapter to one end of the 4 inch PVC pipe. Use the glue to attach the 4 inch by 2 inch PVC reducer to the other end. Finish by attaching the 4 foot length of 2 inch PVC to the reducer with the PVC cement.
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3
Drill a hole in the middle of the 4 inch PVC pipe. Hold the fireplace lighter so that the tip lines up with the hole in the PVC pipe. Make a mark on the PVC pipe in the position occupied by the fireplace lighter trigger. Set the fireplace lighter aside. Drill two pilot holes in the marks you just made. This is for the drywall screws that will hold the lighter in place. Hold the fireplace lighter against the PVC barrel and screw in the drywall screws. Test by pulling the trigger on the lighter. Make sure that the flame at the end is aligned with the hole in the PVC barrel.
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4
Shave down the end of the 2 inch by 4 foot PVC pipe with a file or Dremel tool. This will help by shaving off the excess parts of potato when you shove it down the barrel.
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5
Find a safe place to fire the potato gun. The first few times will be experimental and you're not quite sure how far or where your potato is going to fly, so make sure you have plenty of room.
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6
Insert a potato into the end of the pipe. Use a broom handle or something similar to shove the potato down until it reaches the end of the 4 foot length of PVC.
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7
Open the PVC clean-out cap at the end of the pipe. Spray hairspray inside. Since all potato guns are different, you will have to try different amounts of hairspray until you hit upon a combination that works. Too much hairspray and the gun won't work because there isn't enough oxygen in the chamber. Not enough hairspray and the gun won't fire at all.
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8
Screw the clean-out plug back into place after spraying the hairspray. Point the gun across your safe location and pull the trigger on the fireplace lighter. Repeat until you run out of potatoes.
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Tips & Warnings
Always point the gun in a safe direction.
When firing, hold the potato gun by your hips, never by your face.
Wear proper safety equipment.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit potato image by Stephen Orsillo from Fotolia.com
