APH Build - Aggressor MKIV Homemade Water cannon (Primary and Secondary Fire modes)

Guides and discussions about building water blasters and other water warfare devices such as water balloon launchers.
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Serif
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Joined: Sun May 29, 2016 1:12 pm

APH Build - Aggressor MKIV Homemade Water cannon (Primary and Secondary Fire modes)

Post by Serif » Sun May 29, 2016 2:56 pm

Hello Soaker community, It's been about 8 years since I have been here(Originally from ssCentral), and I've decided to come back to show a little creation I made the other night on a whim. [banana]

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Part list and final photos below.

A few nights ago me and some friends got together for a weekend long barbecue, Being the Soaker enthusiast I am I told them to get swimwear and I brought my arsenal of soakers (about 9 pre2004 Super Soakers). It was a great weekend but I felt I was missing a vital piece of my armory. A while back I had about 6 Water guns go missing on me including my original Aggressor MKIII Riot cannon. Having an APH blaster is a must for moment's notice Water Wars. Simple, minimal maintenance, highly versatile on the field.

After I dried off I headed down to my local Lowes to get this together. Given a lack for pressure rated 3" diameter fittings at this store a 2" pressure chamber would have to do. If you are going for a cap nozzle instead of a Garden Hose fitting like I chose, you can do what ever you want after the metal Ball Valve.

The price will vary depending on what you use and where you go but I managed to get it built all around $50USD before the Bike Pump.
I ended up getting:
  • 5' of 2" SCH40 PVC rated at 180PSI
  • 5' of 1" SCH40 PVC rated at 240PSI
  • 2x - 2" Slip to spigot 45 Degree Elbows
  • 1x - 2" T Slip Joint
  • 1x - 2" slip to Thread fitting (Can be replaced by simple Slip Cap)
  • 1x - 2" Threaded female cap (Can be replaced by simple Slip Cap)
  • 1x - 2" Replaceable Ball Valve fitting (used replaceable for the larger handle size on valve and PSI Rating)
  • 1x - 2" to 1" Spigot to slip fitting ( to adapt out of rear T joint to the lower pressure channel and primary nozzle)
  • 1x - GHT to 3/4" Threaded Brass FItting (Garden Hose adaptor)
  • 1' of 3/4" Metal Threaded pipe (The smallest length available here) (The shorter the better)
  • 1x - 3/4" Brass Ball Valve (Chosen for easy movement Open/Closed, and for durability/Ergonomics)
  • 1x - 1" to 3/4" Slip to Thread fitting (to adapt to Brass Ball Valve)
  • Misc. Hose clamps, PVC T Clamp(For grip), Air Tank Valve(Schroeder valve for air pump connection)
Assembled overnight and ready to fight by the next night.

Based on the design of my original gun that I will have to find the pictures of later.

Most of the gun from a profile standpoint is pretty self explanatory in construction, but down where the upper pressure chamber meets the T joint there is a very special design. Each of the 45 degree elbows are counter rotated to come out of the T Joint at different angles than normal. BUT ARE STILL IN THE SAME RELATIVE DIRECTION. This was critical for balance later after the bike pump was attached. (Look at the way the nozzle on the F-35 Fighter aircraft swivels downwards and you will get what I mean)

I decided to tap the Air Tank valve into the end cap fitting through the fitting and PVC so that the threading of the valve had more "meat" to grab into than just a thinner wall of the PVC. (Don't want any fissures on the pressure tank or for the valve to work its way out in the form of a metal projectile) Even though it's glued in as well as threaded in, Safety first!

Also a note to make, This gun uses a pressurized reservoir to save time and simplify the gun. (would love to do a CPH, but this is a weekend build)
The firehose nozzle is something I've had laying around the garage for a few decades so I am not sure where to get them.

=== Final product ===
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Quick temporary paint job with primer and marking paint. Orange duck tape to mark primary nozzle and handle.


After testing at 50PSI load (That's as much as it can be pumped comfortably in combat) The firehose nozzle gets me a good 35-30 Foot Range.
The hose nozzle gets a very turbulent stream however, but when smaller diameter outlets are used with caps I am able to achieve 50 feet at 60PSI This is usually coupled with a good 12-15 Degree barrel elevation...

Here's the fun bit, The valve at the rear of the gun makes for the easiest filling for any water weapon I have seen, but has a second purpose. When at half tank and 50 PSI the fill valve can be opened to empty most of the tank in one quick burst in the direction it is pointing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJw3CS_El78
I have gotten 15-20 feet of range out of this, and is also half the reason the rear of the gun maintains a slope like this. once the water exits the 1" and rear half of the upper tank, the water stays back in the gun allowing you to close the valve and return to normal operation with water left for more use of the primary nozzle.
This time period that the remaining water takes to move around the last of the escaping air gives you about 2 seconds to close the valve before the rest pours out.

All in all, It's a great versatile heavy weapon to use along side a backup CPS water gun. It's size and requirements for pumping makes this a gun for people with a little more muscle to their advantage to use. Most find that Bike pump based APH guns are unruly because of this, but if made right these are downright monsters. She handles great and scares the kids on the block!
Last edited by Serif on Sun May 29, 2016 3:42 pm, edited 1 time in total.

SSCBen
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Re: APH Build - Aggressor MKIV Homemade Water cannon (Primary and Secondary Fire modes)

Post by SSCBen » Sun May 29, 2016 3:37 pm

Nice work, especially on short notice. Creative too. I haven't seen anything quite like this.

I like that you put the water chamber parallel to the nozzle. How well does that work in terms of the air floating on top of the water? I might try the same thing myself. Also, using two 45 degree turns and a 90 degree turn instead of two 90 degree turns probably is better for the flow path.

Serif
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Re: APH Build - Aggressor MKIV Homemade Water cannon (Primary and Secondary Fire modes)

Post by Serif » Sun May 29, 2016 3:49 pm

Nice to see you again Ben,
To answer your question on air vs Water inside the tank.

It's just basically designed to take advantage of gun elevation
Since the water gun is used more at range, you are always going to be tilting the barrel of the gun up and the rear of the gun down, drawing water to the joints at the back. The pressurized air stays where it should at the top front of the upper tank and pushes the rest of the water out until the air line meets the fill valve at the back and you start to lose air through the primary nozzle.

I also uploaded a video of the Secondary nozzle Dry Fire if you did not see the post edit
here it is again https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJw3CS_El78

The main idea I had in my head was improving flow path, and with a secondary nozzle at the rear it was not an easy decision. But this worked out for the best.

{edit:}
This is Powersurge919 from the SSCentral forums by the way.

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Tim
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Re: APH Build - Aggressor MKIV Homemade Water cannon (Primary and Secondary Fire modes)

Post by Tim » Mon May 30, 2016 8:48 am

Kudos, Powersurge! I really like that piping layout. How has no one thought of this exact layout before? It just makes sense. This basic platform has much potential. Even a smaller secondary blaster could employ this layout if coupled with a mini pump like the ones that mount to a bike frame.

VR,

Tim

Serif
Posts: 4
Joined: Sun May 29, 2016 1:12 pm

Re: APH Build - Aggressor MKIV Homemade Water cannon (Primary and Secondary Fire modes)

Post by Serif » Mon May 30, 2016 2:32 pm

I've been using this layout since my first APH when I was about 12. Don't know why others would not have thought about it before. Although this being Mark four makes it the fourth iteration of this design I have made.

marauder
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Re: APH Build - Aggressor MKIV Homemade Water cannon (Primary and Secondary Fire modes)

Post by marauder » Tue May 31, 2016 9:10 am

This is awesome. Can you upload a video with you shooting water out of it? BTW, is 919 from your area code? That's my area code.
https://hydrowar.wordpress.com/
SEAL wrote:If you ain't bloody and muddy by the end of the day, you went to a Nerf war.

Serif
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Joined: Sun May 29, 2016 1:12 pm

Re: APH Build - Aggressor MKIV Homemade Water cannon (Primary and Secondary Fire modes)

Post by Serif » Tue May 31, 2016 1:22 pm

I will be putting a video together in a day or so. Still resting from the Memorial day soaker battle I had with my family. The 919 stands for nothing really.

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