Pneumatic Mortar

[Falcon7]

I saw some discussion here about this, but I actually built one. You can buy them online for upwards of $100, or you can go down to your local plumbing or hardware store and get all the parts for about $30.

This is a picture of it, minus the cat. http://jump.fm/EPFQB
I'm not sure how to post the picture directly on here...

I want to run it in the field using a paintball co2 tank. I'm wondering if anyone knows the exact parts I will need to connect it tank by remote line to the schrader valve(like the one on a bike tire) on the mortar.

I have the original blueprints if anyone wants to build one themselves.

[Haloeclipse]

That is a kick a$$ cat.

[Falcon7]

I have an electric air pump thingy that plugs into a car. If I can get the co2 thing working I will be able to fill it up much faster and without having to plug it in. I'm also going to put a psi gauge and safety valve on it, so I don't explode myself.

You can also see some of the shells toward the bottom of the picture. Basically you fill them with bbs and flour and it makes a big smoke cloud and showers bbs all over the field.

[Jester316]

Nasty, 2 words:

Shower shells...


retard... :P

[Juicemachine]

I'm actually working on a project exactly like that. How do you plan to get the valve (fop pumping air in via a bike pump, c02 taqnk, etc) sealed well enough in the compression chamber?

[Falcon7]

For now I drilled a hole smaller than the valve treadings and cut it a little bigger and bigger until the valve could fit in with a bit of force. Then I put glue all over and shoved it it. I'm trying gorilla glue for now, if it doesn't work I will try something else. If you can find whatever pipe the valve is meant to be treaded into you could cut a hole for it and glue it in there.

Anyway, I didn't build this for AP events necessarily. Mostly just for ridiculous games with my friends and messing around. It could be a great element to add to an OP though.

If you want to build your own you need to use ABS or PVC rated at sch 40 or higher. Basically you have a 3" by 1' air chamber, then a ball valve or something you can open and close to let the air out, then a 2" by 2' barrel.
On the air chamber you need to put a schrader valve or whatever kind you want to fill it with, a pressure gauge, and a 125psi safety valve.
With sch 40 pipe you can fill the mortar up to 100 psi max. For airsoft purposes you most likely will not have to fill it up to very high pressures. Use at your own risk.

[Cap n pickles]

For now I drilled a hole smaller than the valve treadings and cut it a little bigger and bigger until the valve could fit in with a bit of force. Then I put glue all over and shoved it it. I'm trying gorilla glue for now, if it doesn't work I will try something else. If you can find whatever pipe the valve is meant to be treaded into you could cut a hole for it and glue it in there.

Anyway, I didn't build this for AP events necessarily. Mostly just for ridiculous games with my friends and messing around. It could be a great element to add to an OP though.

If you want to build your own you need to use ABS or PVC rated at sch 40 or higher. Basically you have a 3" by 1' air chamber, then a ball valve or something you can open and close to let the air out, then a 2" by 2' barrel.
On the air chamber you need to put a schrader valve or whatever kind you want to fill it with, a pressure gauge, and a 125psi safety valve.
With sch 40 pipe you can fill the mortar up to 100 psi max. For airsoft purposes you most likely will not have to fill it up to very high pressures. Use at your own risk.

PVC Glue would be best, Gorilla glue is brittle.

[Falcon7]

Will that work with abs and brass though?
I have abs/pvc glue on everything but the valve.

[Hallowground]

Anyway, I didn't build this for AP events necessarily. Mostly just for ridiculous games with my friends and messing around. It could be a great element to add to an OP though.

i'd say you'd be the VIP and we had to get you to an enemy contolled sub-location to launch the explosive warhead at the enemy main-location. it'd probably be one of the alternative win strategies., or atleast an awesome effect for extra points.

[Mr. Technicality]

I'd suggest a solenoid valve over a ball valve. More expensive, but faster and more efficient.

[Falcon7]

Yeah I just grabbed whatever was laying around at the plumbing store. As long as it works I'm happy.

EDIT: I've figured out how to fill it!
I'm using this adapter:
http://www.homebrewing.org/The-Adapter-CO2-regulator-to-Paintball-tank-Adapter_p_1122.html
To connect my paintball tank to a beer keg regulator, which then goes to a long air tube, then a female schrader valve link.

[Muskrat]

I built on of these for paintball in the past.

I built it with a tripod stand that folded up. We used a mortar team to deploy the mortar. One guy carried the launcher and an ammo can full of the wadding and filled water balloons. The other guy carried a case like a real small suit case made from wood, it housed a 12 volt lawn mower battery. It was sealed so the battery could not fall out if the case was tipped over, then we had wire leads hanging out with alligator clips. The third man on the team carried a small 12 volt compressor for harbor freight. This was the team for long range artillery in our games. A bike tire pump works too.

[Falcon7]

How did you make the tripod? I was thinking about making a bipod and baseplate for it, but didn't know what to use.

[Muskrat]

Its nothing special, I used PVC and at the end of the barrel I slipped on a coupling, a couplings ID is bigger than the pipe ID. Noticed I used 2 valves. When you pull the air filler hose off the valve stem its lets out a little air, how much? We notice a big affect on range until I added the valve.

I cut 2 3/8s round solid steel rods about the same length of the barrel, then I welded washers on the ends, then plugged the bolts through the washers into the coupling. You can add a cross member if you like to keep the legs locked together, I did not so I could set up on uneven ground.

Here is a pic of the first one I made. It should give you a basic idea of what I did. This was my idea, not the only way, if there are better ways out there....

Keep in mind when you build this, what is the wadding you want to use? I found for my use, get Dixie Cups, then match your pipe to the cup. (1 1/2 if I recall correctly) The cup will not fit down the pipe, about 90% of the cup will fit in the pipe, take a knife and cut the cup top off while its in the pipe. then put it in the barrel upside down. (like and umbrella, it catches all the air like a parachute to maximize your shot) Cut a second cup, slit the cup in half vertically all the way to the bottom of the cup. Hold the cup together fill with bbs and drop down the barrel and shoot.

The cups seem like a pain, but its easy, once you see what your trying to do you can cut them with scissors, its fast and easy. The ammo box carried pre cut cups.

send me a PM if you need anything

[JD_Shadow1]

I'm aware of those, I'm just saying not many events allow them to be used. I don't know about AP, but SA and 1st Sword (as far as I'm aware) only allow nerf ordinance.

i don't know about first sword but as far as SA goes you can use anything you want to fire out of a 203 type device. It is simply the fact that par performance the guys over in sa simply prefer the mini nerf footballs. plus its a lot easier to load one of those and take out a vehicle then it is to load each of the tubes with bbs. lol