igniter(for patato cannon)(all it has to do is make sparks but preferably an op

blink13

i need to make some·form of·an igniter·to light of hairsprayin a patato cannen. I need somthing that doesnt involve shortsercuiting anything like what you would do with a diod and a match. It needs to be reusable and wont fry the basic stamp. This will be mounted in a patato cannen (in concept).·

Jonb

Not knowing the fuel used to create the pressure needed to propell the potato makes it difficult to determine the proper method of igniting it. Most combustible fuels would work with electric matches(E-match) used in rocketry and fireworks and use Michrome wire heated by battery current. As for re-usable, you might have problems finding reusable electric igniters, the only thing that comes to mind are spark plugs...

My personnal prefference for safety's sake is steam powered tater canons·

Be safe.

Post Edited (Jonb) : 3/11/2005 3:28:05 AM GMT

kb2hap

back in the day when I used to make the we would just go to a hardware store (home depot) and get one of those push button igniters you would use for a gas grill)
Be Carefull!!!
also hairspray gunks up everything after a while
we used to use either an air freshener
or If you want a real big boom aerosol ether
the potato flies far
make sure it is put together well
this can be a serious explosion!!!!

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DTQ

Paul Baker

For igniting a well atomized accelerant, a spark will produce more consistant results. You can design a homebrew system using an inductor and two electrodes closely spaced with the proper driver circuit, or use an off the shelf source such as a spark plug or electronic lighter like the ones used to ignite gas stoves.

Robert Kubichek

I have used butane gas for lighters, with an ignition coil to a spark plug to ignite the butane.
I used old 12v2.5ah gell cells from cam corders.. Worked great! Old tennis balls also work great, and fly far!

paysonbadboy

Ah. Just use ETHER and make sure you really COMPRESS the air!


OK. Maybe that was a BAD idea BOOM!


I used to just use thin wire in my home made "bombs" back in the day. usually I'd just use a single strand of wire and apply power to it and the heat would ignite the gas or gun powder, etc.
Of course that's a one use ignitor. using a Hot Surface Ignitor would work, but delay until actual combustion would be variable.

I'd agree with the spark type. Maybe just thread in a fitting that will accept a standard Champion spark plug. that would be cheap.
Find some sort of coil setup to ignite it with. 4 AA batteries would probably work with a electronic circuit.

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http://www.paysonarizona.net/

Paul Baker

Anyone ever try to mess with H2O2? I was always told that hydrogen peroxide was very dangerous in concentrations of 50% or greater and prone to spontaneous explosion, but I never figure out how to increase the concentration. Now Im past the stage of trying to do such foolish stuff.

Orion

I would agree with the spark method. Try using a transformer hooked up backwards and feed it with a nine-volt battery. You will need to pulse the input and you should get you some sparks. This may take some experimenting to find the right xformer/input power to give you a good spark. I gave up on hair spray because of the mess. Propane out of handheld torches burns clean. It worked for me with no problem; however, you may want to test this from a distance. One thing I have not tested for a fuel is MAPP gas. It comes in the same style cylinders as the propane for torches but is usually a yellow cylinder. MAPP is made of methyl acetylene and may be overkill, i.e. you may be shooting mashed potatoes, cannon exploding in to pieces!! I would not even try this with a PVC cannon, as the PVC would most likely not handle the pressures! Use at your own risk.

One more idea on the igniter.· I used igniters for Coleman lanterns.·It uses a Zippo flint and can be easily inserted into the end cap.

http://www.coleman.com/coleman/colemancom/detail.asp?product_id=829A705T&categoryid=27401

hmmm. boebot nerf assault vehicle mod... change out nerf launcher for propane powered patato cannons. I see the police pulling up now! LOL

Post Edited (Orion) : 3/11/2005 3:21:11 PM GMT

blink13

i need this to be done electrically, are any spark plugs electric??

Jonb

Automotive spark plugs are electric, perhaps motorcycle ones would be a good bet as some run off 6v. I've never actually wired one up, so I am unaware of how to make them spark... the ignition system usually takes care of that. Visit your local garage or car parts dealer and ask

Post Edited (Jonb) : 3/12/2005 11:18:50 PM GMT

upand_at_them

To make any spark plug spark you need a high·voltage.· What I've seen done for potato cannons is a BBQ grill igniter, as was already suggested.· That's your best bet, as it's simple, small, and cheap.

Mike

Paul Baker

if your going to go that route, don't confuse what they are talking about the ones that are installed into the grill like shown here www.gasgrillsusa.com/pdf/ignitors.pdf as opposed to the hand held ones. and get as long of a wire as possible.

Jim McCorison

Blink 13,

You express a need for an "electric" solution, as opposed to a manual, and the integration with a stamp, which implies some level of automation... I certainly hope you are not planning on building some form on computer controlled / automatic firing of a potato canon unless it is under direct supervision of a human. Potato canons can be fun, put they can also seriously injure, and I would think quite possibly kill. Please, whatever you are doing, make sure that you will be in direct control of the canon and firing mechanism. Also, be aware that any device which is fired based upon an outside trigger, not human initiated, could be deemed a man trap and is, as far as I know, illegal in most in not all states, at least in the US. Please be safe and sane.

Just a voice of reason...

Jim

blink13

thank you. i dont know why i knever thaught of a spark plug and yes this will have to be fired by a human.

m_fabio2

Speaking of potatoe guns, one semester I interned at a machine shop, programming the CNC machines for automated milling. A Union strike took place that summer, with no work being done a couple of us interns had the run of the shop for the summer. Using some of the lathes and milling machines, we managed to make a potatoe gun that fired the used spray paint cans from the shop. We were able to get the rifling (Not true rifling, not a spiral, but a tight fit) so close that it would fire the can over 400 yards (That was what we were able to measure).

Some of the ideas we used that turned out well....

A electronic ignition worked the best. The simplest setup for a spark plug is a coil, condenser, switch, plug and a battery. The coil raises the voltage level of the energy so it can jump the gap in the plug. One of the terminals on the coil is used for a firiing switch, the switch is hooked up to this pin.
Problems with this design - Please be carefull with that you ignite. Some of the chemicals we used actually blew the spark plug out of its threads. Don't stand behind the gun when firing.

WD-40 works pretty good, one of the best for the price. Don't use gasoline - EVER ! ! !

Believe it or not, compressed air worked very well. We had access to 250 PSI air, which proved to be more powerful than a explosive (In terms of projecticle distance).

Its worth the effort to build a stand and invest in a long wire for the swiitch. If someone gets hurt the fun is over big time.