DIY Throw ball cannon

[W^3]

Here's my DIY launcher. Air chamber is a 30" 1-1/2" galvanized plumbing pipe with a cap drilled for a Schrader tire valve to inflate. The Milwaukee BB2-100 1-1/2" Butterfly Disc Valve is from Grainger (about $45) is key; it opens easier/faster than a ball valve by far. A 1-1/2" galvanized nipple is wedged into the barrel, which is a 5-ft 1-5/8" ID aluminum tube I happened to have. I just unscrew it from the disc valve after the shot. The longer barrel seems to make it more accurate. Circular pieces of brown wrapping paper serve as wadding to help seal the 12-oz bag that fits the barrel best. Belled the barrel end slightly to make it easier to insert the throwbag. I use a 12V tire inflator usually to 100 psi. May attach a handle one day, but not really needed. The galvanized pipe is relatively cheap, and much safer than PVC. If you want more "ooomph" I suppose you could use longer/larger galvanized pipe for your air chamber; this one will top 100' easily.

I love it, I did it too, and to be honest I had to ask myself one question. Am I spending my time and money trying to recreate something someone else already had? I was, I spent 60 in materials for my pvc with plastic sprinkler solenoid and air kit trigger. But it cost me at least 10 hr of my life trying to remote set my initial safety line. At the end of the day, j&jpaintball.com charges 200-250 and you spend a couple bucks for the schedule 80 parts that he literally happily provides the information for, then another 4 bucks for the camo paint and your set, potato gun/ t-shirt gun/ throw bag gun. Its cheaper than harbor freight when you weigh it all out. HA, I made myself laugh

 

[GreenstoneVT]

I emergency made my own a couple weeks ago (I needed one faster than I could get one) with 1 1/2” schedule 80. FW Webb’s was out of butterfly and ball valves so I ended up with a gate valve (again, I was pressed for time and couldn’t wait for an order). 3’ air chamber, 4’ barrel. The good/bad of the gate valve is that it leaks around 60-65 psi. This way I can’t over pressurize it and I feel any failure will be at the valve resulting in a premature launch. At first I was a little disappointed but I can still clear 80’ on 50 psi with a 12 oz throw ball so overall - not bad for $35.