Mashed Potatoes

I'm a delinquent. At heart I suppose.
Last night I built a potato gun for the YM at church - so we can discuss and learn about physics, ballistics and internal ballistics (ok - it's just plain fun too). It isn't anything gi-normous - but it gets the job done.
Plans for a spud gun are quite generic and generally simple. So I pulled off one and started getting to work. I've manufactured an air powered gun before - while at BYU. It worked fairly well - though we were afraid of overpressuring and so got it only to go 300ft. This time I worked for a combustion-fired potato cannon, using a Colman flint lighter in the end.
Edwin came over to help me out, and I got him to come along for a quick run to Home Depot. (The PVC glue was clotted and I needed larger pipe to fit the flint). After waiting FOREVER at Home Depot for help cutting the 3" PVC pipe into pieces, we made it home and worked. Edwin helped out tons - grinding the barrel down to make it sharp. We had to figure out how to place the ignitor in safely - which required some creative drilling and placement.
And it's complete. I'm letting it dry til today - and then we'll test it out before YM's. Better pick up a bag of potatoes and some hairspray.
I'll add more after tonight - let you all know how it goes.
But I see it as an experiment in science, technology and creativity. I enjoyed the sense of accomplishment, problem solving, etc. It's not really the destruction or desire to hit stuff. If you really want to get into the science of it - check out the SpudTool! It's way too much information for you.
HRP