DIY 3d Printed Projectiles is a phrase that geeks love to hear. Actually being able to shoot something out of a cannon that you made??!?! How cool is that?!?!
As a kid, we were all excited to make our first potato cannon (before they became illegal, ahh the good ole days) They were crude devices, a pvc tube, hair spray, bbq ignitor and a potato, lots of them! The ballistics of a potato aren’t the greatest, at least you won’t find any ballistic tables for them but they flew far.
Enter the DIY 3d printed projectiles. A sleek formula designed ballistic marvel. Such a beautiful symphony of engineering and manufacturing thrusts the days of potato cannons into the 21st century.
We now have the technology to design and test our very own 3d printed projectiles. This design is for a 2″ pvc tube barrel, though it can be scaled up or down for varying sizes. Pneumatic cannons are safer for this type rather than a hairspray gas or chemical propellant design. And the relative ease of constructing a basic 2″ pvc air cannon testing platform allows it to be made with common items found in most home improvement stores.
Printing was done on my Dremel Idea Builder 3d Printer. Material was PLA of varying colors, the brighter the better for finding your 3d printed projectile downrange.
Give it a try! Download the file from the link below and see how far the hobby takes you!