mortars

[Cap n pickles]

How did the mortar thing work out?

Contrary to what some are saying, the mortars worked pretty well. The problem was the bike pumps. When I got it working, they worked amazingly. Bravo's mortar team nailed a bunker about 250 feet off from the top of Hamburger Hill. No one was in it, but we hit it nonetheless.

Is there anyway that we can get design plans?

[ogrejager]

No. Frankly, I wouldn't trust you (or most people) to deal with compressed gas and PVC tubing. You'll end putting shards of plastic through something vital.

It's no more than a small pnuematic spud gun--go do the google thing and figure it out yourself.

[Infinite]

This was my first official outdoors game and I had a f***ing blast!! I enjoyed working as a team at the Sector 10 battle. Re-spawning on the logging road sucked but I'm glad we got to switch sides, besides that's only fair - and Hamburger Hill can bite me!

I was one of the remaining 'stragglers' left up on the hill after Alpha claimed Hamburger Hill before lunch. Only took you 45 minutes to spot me

I enjoyed the opportunity to really push my new gun - next time I'll bring an extra battery. Thanks Ash for letting me use your pistol and rifle for the remaining 30 minutes of the game.

I look forward to the next game with all of you!

Whitney

[Cap n pickles]

No. Frankly, I wouldn't trust you (or most people) to deal with compressed gas and PVC tubing. You'll end putting shards of plastic through something vital.

It's no more than a small pnuematic spud gun--go do the google thing and figure it out yourself.

Ive got a good friends Dad who deals with that stuff, ill ask him.

[Bad Karma]

If you do make anything using compressed air and plastic pipe, it is absolutely imperative that you use Schedule 40 piping at the ABSOLUTE minimum, but Schedule 80 if you can get it. Then wrap the entire pressure chamber in duct tape or cloth tape so that if the tank explodes from pressure the plastic shards don't embed themselves in you or anyone else.

Protip: When PVC piping explodes, the pipe splinters and the shrapnel is absolutely devastating. Please use caution when building these devices.

[Cap n pickles]

If you do make anything using compressed air and plastic pipe, it is absolutely imperative that you use Schedule 40 piping at the ABSOLUTE minimum, but Schedule 80 if you can get it. Then wrap the entire pressure chamber in duct tape or cloth tape so that if the tank explodes from pressure the plastic shards don't embed themselves in you or anyone else.

Protip: When PVC piping explodes, the pipe splinters and the shrapnel is absolutely devastating. Please use caution when building these devices.

Understood, Do you have a suggestion for a pressure gauge i should look into? Or just use the one from the Bike pump?

[ogrejager]

Karma, you don't want the liability that you can be under by answering his questions. Do you really want to have "helped" after he puts out an eye or embeds a piece of PVC in his liver?

[Matt]

How did the mortar thing work out?

Contrary to what some are saying, the mortars worked pretty well. The problem was the bike pumps. When I got it working, they worked amazingly. Bravo's mortar team nailed a bunker about 250 feet off from the top of Hamburger Hill. No one was in it, but we hit it nonetheless.

Is there anyway that we can get design plans?

I don't have the plans but you can buy one here:
http://www.milsimlabs.com/airsoft%20pai ... uncher.htm

You might be able to find out more information there on the website. Beats the $600+ price tag of the other ones I have seen.

[Cap n pickles]

Karma, you don't want the liability that you can be under by answering his questions. Do you really want to have "helped" after he puts out an eye or embeds a piece of PVC in his liver?

I know you dont know me, but the last thing im going to do is sue someone over something i did myself.

Ive broken 13 bones skate boarding since i was 10, all of which was not on my property, i have never even thought of sueing someone.

I skate at my own risk, as i do projects on my own risk as well.

For future reference.

[Catch22]

Personally if someone is working on a project, I'd like them to get as much help as they can, from people with the know how. That way they can make it as safe as possible.

[Chesty_01]

If I were to suggest anything, I would make the compression chamber out of metal. I am going to attempt to make one out of copper. Its just a little heavier then plastic but way more durable, of course it costs a hell of a lot more too.

$0.02, its all I got!!

[ogrejager]

I wouldn't do that--metal, that is. Why go higher in pressure? Seriously? Instead, why not just build a bigger compression chamber.

Thanks, mods, for the split.

[Nox]

The idea isnt going higher in pressure - it's having a greater safety range to work with so nothing explodes. At maximum, items like these only need 100psi to do their job. Would you want to work with material that bursts at 140psi (PVC for example) or 250psi? (copper for example)
If people were to help, if you want to limit liability - then keep it to PM's so joe public surfing around can't say "Look what I found on AP!" and then takes an arm off after a critical failure.
Catch is right in this instance - for safety's sake it's better to educate someone how to do something properly and have them succeed rather than attend that person's funeral after they decide it's "Good enough" (Not that you would be said person Pickles)
There are scads of plans and helpful hints on the internet for spud gun plans so with a little searching, one can find all sorts of things.

[Matt]

After Thunder Strike, I'm going to be building a couple mortars similar to the ones used at the event; i.e. charged with bike pumps. I don't want to deal with compressed gas as I think that adds unneeded risk.

Hopefully I can complete it before the end of May, if I do, I'll chuck the plans up here.

:EDIT: Ogre, I think the MilSim labs one that were at Thunder Strike had a PVC barrel and a metal pressure chamber. Matt, can you confirm this?

Better yet Matt, did the mortars come pre-assembled?

The chamber is metal. They come in 2 pieces, the PVC barrel screws on to the metal chamber. Apparently you can achieve 140psi with the bike pump, which gives them close to their maximum range of 400'. I'm going to get a better pump with a psi gauge on it to test with. Hopefully we can have a psi vs. range chart for the next event so the mortar teams know what to expect. Of course, good compression around the Nerf Vortex football or whatever you are shooting helps too.

I'm happy to let folks borrow one to take a closer look. I've got 4. I could also take it apart and take closeup photos of the place where it attaches.

[ogrejager]

Nasty,

I have a great book that I got as a birthday present last year called, "Backyard Ballistics." Among a ton of other things (last year I built a hair spray spud gun based on it), it has a full guide to building pnuematic cannons. In fact, building one was our plan for Memorial Day weekend. Look for the book. While the internet sources are good, the book goes so far as to give you a shopping list, even.