Science Project: How to Build a Baking Soda Gun

Since the origianal disappeared, here's the instructions on how to build the baking soda and vinegar gun once again. These are the instructions on how to build and shoot the first working baking soda gun I designed back in 2005.

How to Build a Baking Soda and Vinegar Gun
Materials List:
2 eight inch long sections of ½ inch diameter threaded PVC pipe
1 threaded ½ inch diameter PVC ball valve
1 threaded ½ inch diameter PVC end cap
Thread sealant tape
Several tight fitting corks or rubber stoppers
Baking Soda
Vinegar
Tools:
Pipe wrenches or similar tools
1/8 cup measuring cup
½ tablespoon measuring spoon
Funnel
Assembly Instructions:
1: Wrap thread sealant tape around the threads on both ends of one of the eight inch long sections of PVC Pipe and around the threads of one end of the other section of pipe. Be sure to put the tape on the same direction as the parts will screw together.
2: Tightly screw both sections of PVC pipe into the ball valve (with the non-taped end facing outwards). You may want to use a wrench to make the connection as tight as possible.
3: Tightly screw the end cap onto the taped end of the gun. Again, you may want to use a wrench
to get it tight.
Loading Instructions:
1: While holding the gun vertically, use a funnel to pour 1/8 cup of vinegar into the gun.
2: Close the valve and wash out the upper part of the gun to remove any vinegar residue there.
3: Use the funnel to load ½ tablespoon of baking soda into the upper part of the gun.
4: Select a tight fitting cork and push it firmly into the open end of the gun. The fit must be tight for it to work.
Shooting Instructions:
1: Aim the gun in a safe direction (away from people, animals, and anything that might get broken). Shooting indoors is not recommended.
2: Open the valve while keeping the gun pointed in a safe shooting direction. Do not open the valve until you are ready to shoot.
3: While continuing to keep the gun pointed in a safe shooting direction, shake the gun vigorously back and forth to mix the baking soda and vinegar. The cork should shoot out after a few seconds.
Safety:
1: Never aim the baking soda and vinegar gun at people or animals.
2: Never point the baking soda and vinegar gun at your face, even if the cork fails to shoot.
3: If the cork fails to shoot, carefully remove it with a corkscrew while keeping the gun pointed away from you and others.
4: Using the baking soda and vinegar gun indoors is not recommended. Under the right circumstances, the speed of the cork can exceed 125 miles per hour, which is more than enough force to break fragile items. Do not shoot at windows.
5: Close adult supervision required for children using the baking soda and vinegar gun. Not recommended for children less than 8 years old.
6: Treat the baking soda and vinegar gun with the same respect as you would a real gun.
Copyright 2008 by Peter Gordon Kennedy All Rights Reserved.

Here's a picture of that gun.

And here's a picture of what I think is the world's smallest baking soda and vinegar gun. It uses only 1/2 teaspoon vinegar and 1/8 teaspoon baking soda per shot and is just under three inches long. Despite its small size, it is able to shoot 1/4 inch corks at more than 40 miles per hour, almost twice the speed of a small nerf gun I tested!

Here's how to build a high-powered baking soda and vinegar gun that can shoot corks at speeds of more than 140 miles per hour! I originally built and tested this gun in 2006.

How to Build a High-Powered Baking Soda and Vinegar Gun
Materials List:
2 threaded ½ inch diameter PVC ball valves
1 threaded ½ inch diameter PVC end cap
1 six inch long section of threaded ½ inch diameter PVC pipe
1 four inch long section of threaded ½ inch diameter PVC pipe
1 inch and a half long section of ½ inch diameter PVC pipe
Thread sealant tape
Appropriate size corks or rubber stoppers
Baking soda
Vinegar
Tools:
Wrenches or similar tools
1/8 cup measuring cup
½ tablespoon measuring spoon
Funnel
Assembly Instructions:
1: wrap thread tape around the threads on both ends of the six inch and four inch long pipe sections. Be sure to wind the tape in the same direction the components will screw together.
2: Tightly screw the end cap to one end of the six inch pipe and one of the valves to the other end. In front of the valve, attach the four inch long pipe and in front of that, the second valve. Use wrenches as a tight fit is absolutely essential with this gun as internal pressures will exceed 120 PSI.
3: screw the 1 ½ inch long pipe section hand tight into the front of the forward valve. You may want to remove it for loading and cleaning the gun.
Loading Instructions:
1: While holding the gun vertically, use a funnel to pour 1/8 cup of vinegar into the gun.
2: Close the separator valve and wash out the upper part of the gun to remove any vinegar residue there.
3: Use the funnel to load ½ tablespoon of baking soda into the upper part of the gun and close the forward valve. When loading the baking soda, be careful to avoid getting it on the ball of the forward valve, as this can make the valve stiff.
4: Select a snugly fitting cork and push it into the 1 ½ inch long pipe section in front of the forward valve.
Shooting Instructions:
1: Open the valve separating the baking soda and vinegar and shake the gun vigorously for 30 to 60 seconds.
2: Aim in a safe direction (away from people, animals, and anything that might be broken).
3; Open the forward valve to shoot the cork.
Safety:
1: Never aim the high-powered baking soda and vinegar gun at people or animals.
2: Never point the high-powered baking soda and vinegar gun at your face, even if the cork fails to shoot.
3: If the cork fails to shoot, carefully remove it with a corkscrew while keeping the gun pointed away from you and others.
4: Using the high-powered baking soda and vinegar gun indoors is not recommended. Under the right circumstances, the speed of the cork can exceed 140 miles per hour, which is more than enough force to break fragile items. Do not shoot at windows.
5: Close adult supervision required for children using the high-powered baking soda and vinegar gun. Not recommended for children less than 10 years old.
6: Construct the gun out of PVC pipes and valves rated for continuous service at 150 PSI or higher. Pressures inside the high-powered baking soda and vinegar gun are very high, over 120 PSI.
7: Treat the high-powered baking soda and vinegar gun with the same respect as you would a real gun.
Copyright 2008 by Peter Gordon Kennedy All Rights Reserved.

As always, here's a photo of that gun:

Here's another photo of what I think is the smallest baking soda and vinegar powered cork gun in the world and a discription.

Discription:
General Information:
Overall Length: 2.94 inches
Caliber: 0.25 inches
Velocity: up to 62 feet per second
Energy: up to 0.32 foot pounds
Maximum Range (barrel pointed upwards at optimal angle): up to 20 yards
Reactants (per shot):
Vinegar: ½ teaspoon
Baking Soda: 1/8 teaspoon
Assembly Information:
Material:
brass
Description: An end cap joined to a 1 inch pipe section joined to a ball valve joined to a ¾ inch pipe section. All joints threaded with sealant tape. All parts ¼ inch diameter.

Photo:

Are you sure you don't have to be cautious/careful describing how to build a potential weapon?
_________________
"To Beirut and Back"
http://www.freewebs.com/abemarch
"With every adversity there is a benefit."

I do include safety instructions with my baking soda gun designs. Potentially, the high-powered baking soda gun could be used as a weapon. When I shot it at an empty aluminum pop can, it almost folded it in half and sent it flying 15-20 feet with a kenetic force of more than 6.5 foot pound. To put that in prospective, a Red Rider BB gun shoots with a little less than one foot pound. Like I stated in the safety instructions, don't shoot it at people. The small brass baking soda gun probably wouldn't be very effective as a weapon. It is not very powerful compared to the bigger guns (it's kenetic energy is roughly equal to a lower powered airsoft gun), but don't shoot that one at people or animals either!

Gordon,
I think I'll stick to a slingshot.
_________________
"To Beirut and Back"
http://www.freewebs.com/abemarch
"With every adversity there is a benefit."

A slingshot is probably cheaper and more effective, but I've spent years building and testing verious baking soda guns. I've had a good time developing the baking soda gun and seeing its potential. I enjoy science projects like the baking soda gun.

You are just too much. But I think Abe is right, you might wind up with gov't men at your door!
_________________
Zada Connaway
Mother's Journals: parts 1, 2 and 3 ISBN # 1-4241-6969-0

http://www.zadaconnaway.com/

There are many problems one would come across if one wanted to use one of these baking soda and vinegar guns as a weapon. First, these guns are only accurate at extremely close range. Secondly, once the gun is shot, it'll take about five minutes to reload it and get it ready to shoot again. Thirdly, the relatively large surface area of the cork or rubber stopper projectile means it has almost no penetrating ability. Being hit by a cork at 140 miles per hour would definately hurt, but I don't think it would be able to kill (except mayby a mouse shot at point blank range). The smallest baking soda gun (the brass one) shoots with less force than some toy guns. As always, I do not recomend shooting the baking soda and vinegar gun at any living creature.

Well, it is certainly fascinating that something like this can be made with common household items.
_________________
Zada Connaway
Mother's Journals: parts 1, 2 and 3 ISBN # 1-4241-6969-0

http://www.zadaconnaway.com/

Just don't get yourself into trouble with it!
_________________
Zada Connaway
Mother's Journals: parts 1, 2 and 3 ISBN # 1-4241-6969-0

http://www.zadaconnaway.com/

When baking soda is outlawed, only outlaws will have baking soda.
_________________

Admin Joined : 11 Jan 2008 Posts : 2321 Location : UK

_________________
Shelagh Watkins
http://shelaghwatkins.co.uk/

The brass gun showen in my above posts is no longer the world's smallest baking soda and vinegar gun! I've just built and tested a new gun that's much smaller! My new gun is made of solid brass and is only 1 3/8 inches long. It shoots 1/8 inch diameter corks and uses only 1 milliliter of vinegar and only 500 milligrams of baking soda per shot. I havn't got a picture or a velocity measurment yet, but I'll post them as soon as I do. Based on my observations so far, this tiny gun probably doesn't even have enough force to kill a bug (you might be able to kill a mosquito or a noseum, but nothing bigger than that). I don't have a force measurment yet (need velocity measurment to get force measurment), but I anticipate the measure of this gun's force to be less than one tenth of a foot pound. Put another way, this ultra tiny gun might be less powerful than a nerf gun, but at least it works!

I will stick to my bow and arrows.

Baking soda in my home is used to keep the fridge and disposal fresh ... and for baking.

Though I know it has many other uses:

http://www.thefarm.org/charities/i4at/lib2/60soda.htm

Maybe I missed it, but I didn't see making guns in the list.

Still you are one clever dude, Gordon!

Shocked

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~ JoElle ~
http://www.joellemartin.com