Make a Spud Gun

A spud gun is a piece of pipe that can shoot potatoes from great distances. Constructing and firing one can be a lot of fun, and it doesn’t require many parts. Play with your buddies, but be careful shooting close to someone’s eye.

Steps

Gathering Your Materials

  1. Purchase your piping. The best way to propel bits of potato is with a piece of copper piping. Visit a hardware store to purchase a copper pipe.[1] The inner diameter of the pipe should be ⅝ inches. Ask someone at the hardware store to assist you find the right size.
    • While at the store see if they’ll cut the pipe for you. A good size for the pipe is anywhere from ½ a foot to a full foot.
    • If you want, you could use a PVC pipe with the same diameter. Any pipe will work, but copper is durable and can withstand years of use.
    • The average overall length is half an inch, depending on what pipe you choose.
  2. Create or buy a dowel. A dowel is a long cylindrical rod typically made of wood. You’ll need a dowel that is exactly ⅝ inches to fit into the piping. It’s important to use the same size to create the necessary air pressure to fire the spuds. The dowel should also be slightly larger than your piping.
    • You should be able to purchase the exact size at your hardware store.
    • If you have a small wooden block that is thin, but larger than ⅝”, sand it to size. Hold the sandpaper in your palm with the coarse part facing out. Put the wood in your hand. Twist and move the plank until you form a cylinder.
    • Use a tape measure or frequently check if the wood fits into the pipe. Try to make the dowel even.
  3. Find a handle or grip. To properly hold the potato gun, you’ll need to add a grip. You can either use bicycle handlebar tape or an old school tricycle’s handgrip. This isn’t necessary, but it’ll add to the look and accessibility of the spud shooter.
    • You can usually find the handgrip at a thrift store or at a bike recyclery.
  4. Get a potato. To shoot out potatoes, you’ll need to use potatoes as ammo. Use older potatoes that have started to sprout, if you have any at your home. One potato contains over a hundred shots of ammunition.
    • Any type of potato will work.
  5. Have other supplies. It’s good to keep other supplies and tools on hand when working on your spud gun. Keep coarse sandpaper on hand for modifying your dowel. You should also have duct tape or electrical tape.[2]

Constructing the Gun

  1. Attach the grip. The bicycle grip or tricycle handle will be mounted to one end of the dowel. If you have modern handlebar tape, you can simply wrap it around one end of the dowel. Handlebar tape comes with an adhesive side. Attach the tricycle handle using tape.
    • If you messed up one side of your dowel, attach the grip to this side.
    • Wrap tape around the tricycle handle and the dowel until it feels secure.
  2. Test the fitting. Insert the dowel into the piping. If you went to the hardware store for the proper sizes, the dowel should fit. You will probably need to sand the dowel down slightly. Sanding the dowel will make it easier to push through the piping.
    • Again, hold the sandpaper in your palm with the coarse side facing out. Then twist and stroke the dowel in small increments with the sandpaper.
    • Take caution when sanding down the dowel. You don’t want to create too large of a gap. The spud gun functions based off of air pressure. The source of air pressure is between the tightness of the dowel and piping.
  3. Test the gun. Wedge one side of the piping into a potato. When you remove it, there should be a chunk of potato in the pipe. Insert the dowel at the opposite end of the piping. Keep the dowel crowned in the pipe until you’re ready to fire.
    • With all of your force, jam the dowel towards the potato. The piece of spud should go hurling out of your contraption.
    • You should hear a popping sound and a faint hint of smoke (potato debris).[3]
  4. Troubleshoot the gun. If the spud didn’t shoot, you may need to take a look at your contraption. Make sure that the piping is straight and smooth. Look over pipe for any dents and ensure the pathway is clear. Check if your pipe has a rough edge around the opening. File it down if there is a sharp edge.
    • Use either a nail file or a metal file depending on what type of pipe you are using.
    • Check to see if the spud is wedged firmly in the pipe. There can’t be any gaps for the spud to successfully fire. Also, you’ll need to empty the spud from the piping completely before reloading.[3]

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Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ http://www.planet-science.com/categories/experiments/outdoors/2012/03/make-a-spud-gun.aspx
  2. ↑ http://www.motherearthnews.com/diy/how-to-make-a-spud-gun-zmaz83sozshe.aspx
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 http://www.bbc.co.uk/bang/handson/spud_missile.shtml

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