A
potato cannon is a very cool thing. It is a device constructed of
PVC or sewer pipe which is capable of launching common potatoes at speeds of up to 200 mph.
There are many variations, but the basic launcher is composed like this:
A
combustion camber is attached with a
bell condenser (type of pipe) to a
barrel. The combustion chamber is short and fat, while the barrel is long and thin. On the end of the combustion chamber is a threaded cap. Poking inside of the combustion chamber is a gas grill lighter, a
piezoelectric igniter. The
igniter is affixed to a paperclip in such a way that when it is pushed, sparks are produced.
In order to fire the potato cannon, a potato is first rammed (with the aid of a ramrod) down the barrel. The end cap is unthreaded and hairspray or
WD-40 is sprayed inside the combustion chamber. The end cap is the put back on, and the
plunger of the piezoelectric igniter is pushed, producing sparks in the
propellant filled chamber. Needless to say, a small explosion ensues which fires the potato out of the barrel, usually about 200 ft.
Potato cannons have been known to blow holes through doors, and several effects can be produced by combining the potato with
flammable materials. The potato cannon is also known as a
spud launcher, spudzooka, and spudgun.
If you want to build a potato cannon, plans and kits are available all over the
Internet. Plans are usually free, and materials run about $20 US. Designs vary widely, from 14 foot behemoths to miniature launchers built with
medicine bottles. I do not endorse any potato cannon building or firing activity. Be safe and have fun.