| Step 5: Using the launcher Again, find a suitable location to deploy your potatoes, as the device can get quite loud with a good fuel load. Out in the sticks is best, but just not downtown! 1. After waiting the necessary time for the solvent vapors to dissipate, now you can test the ignition device. Depressing the plunger briskly should produce a good spark to jump across the screw threads. If all connections were made correctly and the gap is about 1/4" it should spark every time (or at least 9 times out of 10). If it doesn't check your connections, maybe set the gap a little closer (never less than 1/8") but get it to work, or potatoes are going nowhere (unless you throw them--boring!) 2. When a reliable spark is verified, test fit the threaded plug into the adapter. It shold engage the threads at LEAST TWO TURNS. If not, check for crud in the threads, and if clear, obtain a 60deg triangle diamond file, and size down the plug threads a little. The threads are at a 60deg angle, so careful filing about the first few threads is ok. 3. With the cap off, load a potato! With the chamber on the ground, place a potato over the muzzle of the launcher, and press it down with your palm, shaving off the excess, creating a cylindrical potato plug. Make sure the potato contacts the wall firmly all around, or it will not fire or not that well. Loading the potato sideways is acceptable, as it creates a more stable projectile anyway. Ram the potato down to within 2" of the breech of the barrel, using a smaller diameter PVC pipe or broomstick. Don't push it too far or it will fall out into the chamber...and just be subject to a short baking cycle. 4. With the spud firmly seated in the breech, pick up the launcher and holding with one hand, dispense a few seconds of hairspray directly into the chamber. Don't use too much; it will just make a mess. Quickly close by screwing on the end cap hand tight, do not use a tool to tighten to two turns or you will likely never get it off again. 5. Call out "Fire in the hole!", point the launcher in a safe direction, and depress the BBQ plunger. That potato you rammed down there should exit at a quite rapid rate with a sizable report, and depending on where you aimed and at what angle you pointed, it went anywhere from 6 inches to ~200 yards from the muzzle. Pretty cool. If you clicked the ignitor a few times and it didn't work, you are not alone, check out my next section. 6. If it worked, great! Remove the end cap (this may require a tool), vent the spent gasses getting a fresh load of air, and repeat as necessary! |