Dawdix Outdoor Sprinkler Toy | Water Rocket Outdoor Sprinkler Toy for Kids Age 3+, Summer Cooling Yard Games Funny Water Spray Toy (da-PSHJ)

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Lengthen the wires - add some speaker wire (or any other suitable wire) to the leads (just twist the one speaker wire to one solenoid wire and repeat) from the solenoid and apply the battery as above. This puts you at a safe distance where you can better observe the launch. If using an electric miter saw, we found it best to put the PVC in place, start the saw off of the PVC, bring the saw down through the pipe, and then leave the saw down until the blade has stopped. Otherwise the blade could chip the pipe. After gluing the second elbow to the Tee, I pushed the "mouths" of the elbows flat onto the table to try to get them as parallel as possible. If they aren't parallel, it will be very hard to fit this Tee assembly onto the rest of the launch tube. Threaded connections allow you to build an entirely glueless launcher. No messy primer or glue means you can assemble this launcher in the car on your way to the park (or even in the store to make sure you have all the parts ). Due to the availability of materials, threaded connections should be utilized with the low volume design, however threaded connections are more pricey. Sections of pipe with threads on both ends are called "nipples" (stop giggling), and I've only found then in Schedule 80 (grey) PVC in lengths up to 12 inches. Schedule 80 is stronger and has better high temperature properties ( Schedule 80 is the only PVC version I recommend). If you're interested in the high volume design, then Slip, or Slip-Threaded connections are the way to go. Mixing in a couple of slip-threaded adapters to in few key locations will make modifying/reusing/repairing you launcher much easier. If you're going to do science experiments and test the pressure vs volume trade-off, I highly recommend using threaded connections where indicated. OK, I actually recommend using them no matter what, but the choice is yours. Never allow students to use the launcher unsupervised. Disable the launcher by removing the battery (or pump or launch tube) if you have to leave the launcher unsupervised.

Lightly screw the launch tube into the street elbow. This will need to be easily unscrewed later to transport the launcher. Along with the list of materials in step 2, are steps 3, 4, and 5 that include not exploded diagrams, but exploded pictures of how and where everything fits together. And it it is true that I don't say how to fit every part into every other part, I do specifically use words in section 4 to telly you how to prime and glue parts (but you shouldn't do that anymore because Schedule 80 and Galvanized steel use nipples). I don't call out each part, just that general technique that is applied to all of the parts as laid out in the pictures. Likewise step 5 covers how to tape the threads for all the threaded parts (which is all that should be used anymore). But again I do not specially say how to screw in a threaded connection (lefty loosey, righty tighty), just how to prep it and then I leave it to the pictures to do the rest. If you could perhaps tell me what was the most confusing or where specific instruction may have been useful I could consider adding that. But if that happens to turn out to be something like "prime and glue the 1 inch by 3 inch PVC pipe into the 1 inch PVC elbow" followed by "Then glue the 1 inch by 12 inch PVC pipe into the previous 1 inch PVC elbow with the 1 inch by 3 inch PVC pipe attached"... I'll pass. I think it's best that you create a new and improved instructable. But thinking of safety I would recommend against gluing anything - use threaded pipe. This is an optional step, but adding it prevents users from over-pressurizing the system to a point of failure. Thanks to aaron.linker for suggesting it! If the pressure goes over the max set on the relief valve, it will "pop" to relieve the pressure and then close again. After inserting the frame tubes into the elbows, I placed one end of the frame onto the floor, and pushed with all my weight on the other side to make sure both tubes go all the way into the elbow connectors. Connect the speaker wires to the sprinkler valve. The positive and negative do not matter for the valve.Glue the other elbowed tube to the Tee, this time using the table to keep the frame even. You don't need to use the launch tube to line things up since the other side should be even with the launch tube, then assuming your table is flat, the newly glued side should be parallel with the first side. First and most important - why trying to figure this out: Don't put your face in front of the launch tube. There is no valuable debugging information to be gained by doing that, and you can lose and eye! I used an 80 PSI pop-off (also called a safety relief pressure valve). 80 PSI should be more than enough pressure, since the two inch pipe designed launchers never really need to go above 30 PSI. This step is optional, but totally worth it. If you've opted for the quarter turn ball valve, just skip ahead. I say this step is optional, because you can do a couple of things instead of a making a real button launcher. A final update here: we had two launch events and the new launchers were wonderful! they upped the fun factor by like 3-4x! Thanks so much for your work here!

The launch tube and launch button holder just makes all of the parts one piece so that it's easier to carry. I used hose clamps to hold the holders onto the frame tubes, but zipties would probably work as well. Yes, that's a great idea! I looked at them, and the price was the main reason I didn't include them in this build. All of the bike pumps we've been using have gauges built in, so we have the students use them (also the younger groups we always have an adult helping them). The sprinkler valve is the weak link for this size pipe, and it is rated for 150 PSI I think. I'll probably just right a new instructable with updates and put a note at the top of this one pointing there instead of correcting here. The only launchers I make these days are galvanized steel with threaded ends. Good sprinkler valves are hard to come as well (3 x 9V batteries can overcome that in many cases - worst case scenario you can always twist the solenoid to launch).Insert your threaded connections all the way and glue them in place to ensure that the desired alignment/angles/seal is achievable once glued. Twist the parts as you insert them. This really does help to ensure that everything is evenly glued. Just make sure they're pointed in the right direction when you're done. The glue does not take long to dry. Hold the parts together for about 10-20 second - they will try to push apart! After that the parts should be pretty solid, but hold off on high pressure for a day.