# Beginnings of self contained air source...



## SCBrian (Oct 31, 2006)

Playing around with a possible self contained air setup... So far cost is 0$  as I had all parts around the house... It's working now, but not as smoothly as I'd like. I'm gonna have to tweak it a little. I want to take the dump lines up from 1/8 to maybe 1/4 or a bit larger for a little more movement for less psi. It'll power a prop I'm working on for the winter.
Here is a pic: 









From the Right to the left:
the large black thing is a 20oz Co2 tank. The lime green thing attached to it is just an adaptor for the threads. The chrome blurry thing is a co2 regulator to take the pressure down from 800psi to a more manageable 100. leading into an air regulator; to bring the pressure down to 15-20 psi. The next in line is another co2tank, but modified into an expansion chamber to make sure no liquid co2 gets past it. This will also store the low pressure co2. From there into a rainbird sprinkler solenoid, then into the bike pump...
I'll also be adding a pressure blow valve for another added bit of saftey.
Thoughts? questions? Comments? or even snide remarks?

-B


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## mike (Dec 24, 2005)

should work fime


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## Dr Morbius (Sep 21, 2004)

I like the idea of a self contained airsource. Everyone laughed at my car tire idea...What about a truck or tractor tire? Is there not enough pressure?


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## SCBrian (Oct 31, 2006)

The benefits of the CO2 is it's bottled as a liquid, and will expand exponentially as it turns to a gas. I also thought about using a small compressed air tank at 4500 psi and may still go that route as it'd be more stable in temperature changes.
Car tires might have enough air in them. Tractor tires are under much more pressure I think 70+psi? and a lot more room for air, but the cost you'd pay for one you could buy a compressor. I think a standard 15 inch tire and rim can hold appx 29 liters of air (Someone please correct me if I'm wrong!) So you could get some action from it. But Yea, If you had one laying around, and needed an air source, you could always use it as a reservoir. 
Were you thinking about putting a popup in the middle?

I used the Co2 bottles for a prop that I want to be able to move and I think a cord would spoil the effect... I also work with paintball so the cost for me is minimal. This will be going in a barrel type pop up...


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## Dr Morbius (Sep 21, 2004)

I thought one could use a tire ANYWHERE with no AC outlet requirements and still enjoy the benifit of a pneumatic device. What about hooking a series of old tires together? Any thoughts about that? I would think one could get old tires, even tractor ones cheap from junkyards...Fill em at the gas'n go and hook up your regulators to it....instant portable pnuematic!


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## SCBrian (Oct 31, 2006)

That's the direction I was thinking with this. Much easier to hit that one corner over there, that would normally take 300ft+ of air hose, etc... How would you run the series , and do you think you'd get any issues with the air flow coming out the nipple? I can see it working for a slower effect, I'm just not sure if you'd get that "Pop" up action that some effects need. I know a trucker I can ask about the tire pressure and appx how much air can be jammed in one. I'll shoot an email his way. I gotta ask though, are you planning a Junkyard haunt next year?


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## Northern Touch (Nov 8, 2006)

I like your idea but wouldn't u half to keep feeling that C02 tank? I play pro paintball and all tell u a 20 oz dosen't last that long in the field and it only lets small bursts of air as fast as u pull that trigger just a thougt....


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## SCBrian (Oct 31, 2006)

Yes, at some point the tank would need to be swapped, but I'm figuruing that the 20oz holds appx 180 scf of co2 at 15psi. So powering a small cylinder or tire pump I should be able to cycle at least 100 times per tank. Also were just using the Co2 to feed the system, no need for any type of marker. It'll fill the 2nd tank at a much lower pressure, and the 2nd tank will vent to the cylinder. 

Off topic a bit but :
As for lasting on the field, you should be getting ~700 shots from a full 20oz @ 280fps. If you not, your either running something that eats the Co2, Ie a RT kit or cyclone feed, or someone is cheating you on your fills.

-B


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## Stratusfear02 (Oct 1, 2006)

Neat idea. I was going to try some contained sources using canned airbrush propellant.


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## hauntedcampers (Jan 1, 2007)

hi used a big tank of co2 to run my stuff atthe campground the only problem was freezing the lines but then again i was popping the probs fast when people where around


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