mini potato cannon

🥔 BOOM! MINI POTATO CANNON

Bored? Build this! This is a fully functional, 3D-printed combustion cannon that launches potato plugs or BBs using 99% alcohol.

   👇READ THE INSTRUCTIONS BELOW!👇

🛑 Hardware Needed (BOM):

• 1x Stick Lighter / BBQ Lighter: (Crucial! Do not use a standard small lighter. You need the Piezo igniter with the long wires found inside stick lighters).
• 99% Isopropyl Alcohol (IPA): In a small spray bottle.
• Glue: Superglue (CA glue) or Hot Glue.
• Tool: A sewing needle.

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🧠 Smart Gaming: NFC Stat-Tracker Integration (Optional):

The flat back of the chamber is designed for an NFC sticker. I am currently developing a web app to turn this cannon into a real game! Here’s how it works:

1. Tap to Start: Tap your phone on the back of the cannon to open the web app.
2. Set your Session: Enter how many shots you want to fire (e.g., 10 shots).
3. Track your Skill: After each shot, simply tap "Hit" or "Miss" on your phone.
4. Get your Rank: After your session, the app calculates your Accuracy Percentage and shows you how good of a marksman you really are!

                             Here is the website: https://3d-svg.my.canva.site/shooting-skills

🛠️ Assembly Instructions:

1. Disassemble your stick lighter and extract the Piezo ignition mechanism (keep the wires attached!).
2. Insert the igniter into the slot at the bottom of the printed handle.
3. The Hot Needle Trick: Heat up a sewing needle and carefully poke two small holes through the plastic into the combustion chamber.
4. Push the two igniter wires through these holes into the chamber.
5. Seal the wire entry points and secure the igniter firmly using Superglue or Hot Glue.

🎥 Assembly Help / Video Guide: If you are unsure how to install the spark generator (piezo igniter) and the wires, check out this video!

Watch here: 👉Assembly Tutorial (YouTube)👈(Jump to 3:40 to see how to wire and mount the igniter part.)

⚠️ Important Note: The video shows a different cannon design, but the installation process for the igniter and wires is exactly the same as for my model.

Video Credit: The Gripsion

 

🔥 How to Fire:

1. Unscrew the barrel.
2. Vent it: Wave the open chamber through the air for a second. This clears old fumes and lets fresh oxygen in (essential for a good bang!).
3. Give one small spray of the 99% Alcohol into the chamber.
4. Screw the barrel back on tightly.
5. Load it: Push the tip of the barrel into a raw potato to punch out a perfect ammo plug (or insert a fitting plastic BB).
6. Aim (safely) and click the igniter. BOOM!

⚠️ Disclaimer & Safety:

• Use at your own risk.
• Never aim at people, animals, or fragile objects.