Airsoft Tank

[Dayton]

Well with the propane I just use a standard propane tank. (a 5lb one though, not one of the big 20lb ones). The tanks are very solid, so I'm not afraid of those having issues, and it's pretty easy to find fittings for it.

I still would like to find a co2 setup, but I'm having trouble finding a regulator that will fit on a paintball tank and give me 200psi.

When I get home I'll take a couple pics of my mortar and point out the different parts.

[Sir Mister Sir]

Cool thanks !!

I just worry about blowing my self up. Propane + enclosed space + gasoline engine = BOOM 

[Dayton]

Red = Inlet Pressure
Blue = Firing Pressure Relief (just open to atmosphere)
Purple = Pressure from valve to valve
Yellow = Expansion Chamber
Green = Flow of gas once fired

Sequence of operation:

3 way valve starts in Fill position. Gas flows from Red to Purple to Yellow and pressurizes expansion chamber.
Turn 3 way valve 180 degrees, Purple gas flows to Blue, causing QEV to "exhaust" Yellow to green.
Yellow flows to Green firing the rocket.

The barrel DOES have a big massive union in it. I did this so I can quick swap barrels if I ever need to. (like using different sized rockets, or even different length barrels)

Don't mind the excessive amounts of reducer bushings, it was all Home Depot had at the time, and I was too lazy to drive any farther.

[nemisissy]

just an idea here I have no idea in the slightest if this would even work. But an air compressor would be an effective choice, but if it is on this tank, possibly run it off of the engine? Now that I think about it that would draw too much from the engine. Just spitballing here.

[Sir Mister Sir]

Thanks for the pics !!

 That is a very professional looking build.

 I think I can make it work in the tank. I have limited space with the recoil and elevation controls but I don't think that will take up much more room than what I already have. Just need to get me a QR valve. Thanks for the link.

A compressor is a good idea but.......all the 12v compressors I have found are way too slow and expensive.

I could run a belt driven compressor off the engine except for the space to mount it  and the power it would take to run it but it is still something I'm kicking around.   

[Dayton]

I did some poking around and found a CO2 Regulator that I believe will work:
http://palmer-pursuit.com/cart/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=175:e6d688918114acd22edac2847ed317e6

They have several different ones, but this particular one screws directly onto a paintball co2 tank, 1/8" npt thread outlet, and outlet pressure is adjustable from 0 to 700 psi.

I am seriously thinking about picking this up and giving it a shot.

[penguin333]

mind your fingers

[Sir Mister Sir]

I did some poking around and found a CO2 Regulator that I believe will work:
http://palmer-pursuit.com/cart/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=175:e6d688918114acd22edac2847ed317e6

They have several different ones, but this particular one screws directly onto a paintball co2 tank, 1/8" npt thread outlet, and outlet pressure is adjustable from 0 to 700 psi.

I am seriously thinking about picking this up and giving it a shot.

That is the store I have been looking for. I think you are right that regulator should work. How many shots do you think you could get out of a 20oz co2 bottle ? Do they make bigger ones ?

[Dayton]

They have bigger tanks, but they are welding tanks, not paintball tanks, and it would use a different regulator. I'm not sure how many shots you could get out of a 20 oz bottle, but I ordered one of those regulators, will hook it up to my mortar and test it out, will let you know.

[gunny77]

hey guys as far as paintball tanks go co2 tanks go up to 24oz. But the thing with co2 paintball tanks is that in heat they will blow up or the air seals juat give out and u will have a massive shrapnel grenade (iv seen it happen before its not a pretty sight) inside you tank and that probley wouldnt be to much fun if you want something like a air tank to use to shoot ur cannon I woukd recomend getting a a HPA bottle (high pressure air). They are a bit pricey but are well worth the spend in the long run. Plus they dont blow up the air seals will never give out. The only thing you really have to worry about is changing the oring. It is also much btter quality air for your regulator and wll gve ur reg a much longer life span. Hpa tanks come in all different shapes sizes brands and made of different mitearials for higher or lower density. They come in 3000 or 4500 psi and come in everything from 45cu to 108cu. Depending on the opperating pressure of ur tank you could also put other reulators on the bottle for btter air effitiency and air out put. They also come in everuthing from aluminum to carbon fiber to steel or titanium.
Hope this maybe shed a bit of light on the paintball tank question.

[Dayton]

If you've seen a paintball tank explode, then one or both of the following things happened:

A: it's hydro testing was not performed when required and was continually used when the tank should have technically failed a hydro test
B: somebody tampered with the safety burst disc on the bottle that is designed specifically to not allow the tank to over-pressurize and explode

Also, since HPA tanks use compressed air, where as co2 is in liquid form when compressed to ~800 psi (depending on temperature), you will get more uncompressed gas out of a smaller volume tank.
Now, I know HPA tanks are in the 3-4k psi range, and they may get the same amount of uncompressed gas as a 24 oz co2 tank filled with liquid at 800 psi. That I don't know for sure, but I have a very hard time believing that is the case since I use compressed nitrogen in a 55cu inch tank and CO2 in a 60cu inch tank at work. The Nitrogen is at roughly 2500 psi, and the co2, again, 800 psi but in liquid form, and the co2 will last at least 5 times as long as a bottle of nitrogen.


One last thing, Gunny, will you PLEASE use some more grammar, spelling, and punctuation? Or at the very least, paragraphs. It doesn't have to be perfect, I don't claim to be an english major. But just a little bit would help. Every time you post I have a difficult time reading it...

[gunny77]

Ya sorry about the grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Im writing this on a new phone that im trying to get used to.
As for the comment on the bottle exploding im not exactly sure on what happened but it started spitting out air and we tossed it in a metal trash can and it blew up. Im not an expert on air tanks. I do know that co2 does last longer then hpa. Im just saying that hpa might be a better choice from a game playing stand point. I dont know if its the same for what he would be using it for as it would be for a paintball marker, but from what iv seen in the paintball world as far as tanks and mortors and all that other good suff, iv only ever seen people use hpa tanks rather then co2 tanks

[Dayton]

As far as hand moved launchers go, portability is a big factor, that's why co2 is so attractive, lots of gas, little space needed.

[TangoAlpha30]

I dont know how effective the airsoft 40mm grenades are, but i could imagine that being an effective and realistic weapon system for the main weapon on a tank. Like I said, i have no experience with the 40mm but just the idea of it.

[Dayton]

Ok, tested out that CO2 regulator. It works GREAT! using a 20 oz tank, that was less than half full, I was able to get ~30 very rapid shots off before the CO2 cylinder started to freeze up, but even when it starting icing, the regulator was able to maintain 200 psi.