Hi, I'm Ross Conrad, a student in Wisconsin. In my free time, I love to build strange and interesting things. when something catches my eye, I tend to research it and see if it's feasable to build. My most notable items that I have built from scratch are both weapons of humor; the Spud Gun and the Trebuchet. Both are very interesting and have a lot of history behind them. WARNING!!! THESE DEVICES CAN CAUSE GREVIOUS BODILY HARM IF NOT TREATED WITH RESPECT. TAKE ALL EFFORTS TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF YOURSELF AND OTHERS.

The Spud Gun is one of the most humerous weapons you can build. Constructed out of PVC pipe, the stuff that is used for plumbing, a real canon can be built. Propelants range from hairspray to deoderant to automotive starting fluid (Watch it with that one!). The gun above is a standard issue gun. I got the plans from Spuddy's Revenge. The gun can launch a potatoe about 300-400 feet. I'm sure I could get better preformance but it's fun how it is.

The gun has a screw-on back plate which closes the combustion chamber. The propelant is sprayed in the back and then a barbeque grill lighter is used to light it. It produces an electric spark that starts the bang.

This one is a smaller pistol mainly for jokes. It uses a latern sparker to light the fuel. Range is 100 feet.

Want to go target shooting? The Pistol was made with plans from Spuddy's Revenge also. There are plenty of designs there and helpful tips. My latest ambition was to build an air powered gun. The idea is that it is opperated by a chamber of compressed air being released and then this propels the projectile. Very powerful and clean! No explosions involved and no residue left over. The one I built works on a piston air-canon. The main air chamber surrounds the barel with a piston sealing off the end of the barell inside the gun. It is pressurized from the rear allowing the air chamber in front of and behind the piston to be pressurized. Air trying to escape through the barel is sealed by the piston. To fire it, a valve is opened in the back of the canon, causing the rear to depressurize, thrusting the piston back, opening the barel, causing the air in front of the piston to expel through the barrel. If you don't get this or want to know more, visit the xInventions. I have great sucess with this gun. 40lbs of pressure fired it over 250 yards. I normally fire it at 80lbs of pressure with a range of 350 yards.

On to the Trebuchet!