Potential of the Hydro Cannon

[atvan]

I'm sure the gun makes quite a deal of noise when firing.

[Jeffman3]

True, true... But that's okay. It's being quiet until you fire that's important!

[atvan]

I want to figure out some way to make an almost silent gun. It would be awesome for CQB OHK with hush rules. Imagine walking through halways, picking one guy off at a time without the enemy tean knowing.

[Jeffman3]

So I had a moment of inspiration!

You suggested epoxying the barrel into the end of the gun, but that didn't solve my issue- I would only have one nozzle. This soaker fires with such force that simply sticking a cpvc cap with a hole drilled in it over the end of the epoxied pipe would not work- it would just blow the pipe out.

However, if I were to take a short piece of CPVC (2" or so... 1.5" would probably work just as well) and epoxy that into the end of the blaster with a male threaded adapter on it, I could glue female adapters onto all of my barrels, allowing me to use different sized nozzles at will.

I won't be able to give updates until the next time I get a chance to go to the hardware store.


Update! As it turns out, I had exactly the pieces I needed in my handy bucket o' parts. I still need some epoxy to actually secure the adapter piece into the end of the blaster (silicone couldn't take the pressures involved... Worked well until I shot the entire barrel assembly some 20 feet!) but I do get noticeably increased shot times... On the order of 1-2 seconds! Definitely an improvement. Maximum (effective) range with the largest nozzle is ~43 feet. I'd say it performs about on par with a 2k mk2 at this point... Might not give so much water but it is accurate and easy to handle.

I'm not sure why they say 20 pumps to maximum uberness. Mine starts hitting the PRV at 17 pumps and I haven't done anything to reinforce the bladder.

[Jeffman3]

Update! So I've assembled my barrel/interchangeable nozzle setup and I've given it a test. Firing time varies between 1 and 2 seconds, depending on which nozzle I've got attached. Range varies from 40 to ~49 feet, again depending on nozzle. Definitely a performer with something other than a gaping hole in the front of the blaster.

I'll get vids when I can.

[atvan]

Nice. Is there a list? I will be interested in seeig what that bladder does best for. What is the output and/or size of the farthest nozzle?

[Jeffman3]

I've no idea really how to measure output. I'll have to go out to the garage tomorrow and check the bit sizes I used to drill the nozzles.

I can put up a list fairly easily, but I don't have any way to accurately measure shot time.

[DX]

You can do output 3 ways: volume per second ("x" system), volume per full length of a shot (average output), or instantaneous (output at a given moment). IMO, the best way to do output is average output, but cut off at the point where the stream starts to drop off. This way, you capture the best part of the shot like the x system, without having any specific time period required.

Use M4's method to measure shot time, it works well. Film it with a camera that has a decent frame rate, find the very beginning of the shot and the very end, and look at the time between those points in the editing program. Works WAY better than trying to clock it with a stopwatch, especially for very short-lived streams.

[TheSoaker]

YES! I did the mod but then i narrowed the nozzle to 30X and replaced the bladder with one from an arctic blast and now it shoots 50 feet and it has a very laminated stream. and a backpack resivour

[marauder]

We may have to eat our words concerning the 2011 Super Soaker Lineup. And I am completely fine with that.

PLEASE take pictures/videos of your modding process and the results. It will be of great value to the community and for future modders.

[Jeffman3]

Mine was not so elaborate as a reservoir replacement, meaning we have additional room for improvement... I'll try to get video when I get off work. I've been busy lately...

There is a writeup on the wiki for the basis of the modification. I can do an addendum for the interchangeable barrel system, but my parts are already glued- so I can't really do pics of the assembly.

[Jeffman3]

Double post!

I apologize for still not getting videos of the stream up. I do have some exciting news, however... I'll start a new topic over in the homemade section. This could be really quite exciting.

[atvan]

Ahem? Me want innovative homemades.

[Jeffman3]

Posted pics, go have fun in the homemade section.

Still don't have shot vids of the HC. Life has been busy and kinda emotionally trying lately.

[marauder]

Thanks for the pics man! I can't wait to try this out when I get home. Goodluck with things back home man.


6 points - post a new mod you performed, cannot be previously documented
+5 points for pictures

[martianshark]

Wait, so the water warfare league has started?

[marauder]

Jeffman3 made a great new mod that'd never been done before. I think it'd be wrong to deny him league points just because it's winter. Sure, there's an on season and an off season, but if you do something, you should be rewarded for it no matter when it is.