Pneumatic fly swatter - calling out to subscriber!

Have you heard of Bug-a-Salt guns? They're spring-loaded, pump action shotguns that shoot a spray of table salt to very effectively kill flies & other annoying, flying bugs!
I was at a brew pub in Ouray Co a few years back. It was over run with flies. The wait staff had these Bug-a-Salt guns. They worked great, but there was salt al over the tables and floors. I'd be up for seeing a pneumatic vortex design!
 
This works just fine, two pumps and it’s deadly
No ammo needed


IMG_4024.jpeg
IMG_4023.jpeg
 
  • Like
Reactions: Firewalker and MrP
I keep a carnivorous plant in the house. Before we had the plant we'd always have a fly problem around our compost bucket in the kitchen. After we got the plant, we've had no troubles.

Some carnivrous plants are pretty sensitive to how you treat them, the kind of water, etc. But I found a variety of jug plant that's good with our tap water.

That's my preferred solution to this kind of problem. There's also some chemical traps that work really well, but they're more maintenance than a good carnivorous plant.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Firewalker and MrP
Have you heard of Bug-a-Salt guns? They're spring-loaded, pump action shotguns that shoot a spray of table salt to very effectively kill flies & other annoying, flying bugs!
I got one of those a few weeks ago, I really do not want to use it indoors, getting salt into carpet, upholstery, ect. Went to my son's place about two weeks ago and my 13 year old grandson literally had a blast every day when the sun went down and he could turn some outdoor lights on to attract bugs.

When I first got it I tried some Kosher salt and could not seem to get any to fire. After going through a charge of ordinary table salt, I filled it with Kosher salt again and it works fine. I took it outside and fired at water in a bird bath and got good results at a longer range than with table salt.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Ca_Varminter
For your amusement, I have designed a fly swatting vortex generator to attach your airgun. It has an OD around 2", and a female 1/2-20 thread at the back end.

The idea is to spread the blast of a 10 tp 20 FPE PCP and use that to activate the internal diaphragm. That, in turn is intended to generated the vortex. The diaphragm would be a flexible rubber membrane such as the flat section from the palm of a latex glove, trapped between the two sections of this contraption.

Just unscrew the front end from the rear, and trap the rubber membrane between the two sections so that the rubber is flat and not slack. Placing a 53 mm OD by 1 mm section O-ring over the membrane at the deep groove (see blue arrow in section image) to pre-tension the membrane a little would probably help. The general placement of the membrane is indicated by the green line in the fifth image.

Note the perforated diffuser cone, intended to spread the air, from a centrally biased blast, for a more even and gentle activation of the rubber diaphragm.

Whether this contraption would produce a vortex capable of disrupting a fly's avionics is as yet unknown. If anyone wants to 3D print the two sections and find out, the attached ZIP file contains the STL files. If you are inspired to improve the concept, the included STEP files might make that easier.

1730620821259.png

1730621631107.png



1730621671751.png

1730621827352.png

1730622820753.png



1730621897737.png

1730621878061.png


Print this way up:

1730622259048.png


View attachment Vortex Generator.zip
 
Last edited:
It occurred to me that if one was going to use an o-ring to secure the membrane, then the groove indicated by the blue arrow below, should not be so deep. So, version 2 of the attached rear section of the vortex generator has a shallower groove.

Originally I though of the deep groove as a place to accommodate excess membrane material, but now I think using a "sticky" o-ring to help retain the membrane is a better idea.

The front section is unchanged from above.

1730675364291.png


View attachment Version 2 Rear Section Vortex Generator.zip
 
  • Like
Reactions: MrP
It occurred to me that if one was going to use an o-ring to secure the membrane, then the groove indicated by the blue arrow below, should not be so deep. So, version 2 of the attached rear section of the vortex generator has a shallower groove.

Originally I though of the deep groove as a place to accommodate excess membrane material, but now I think using a "sticky" o-ring to help retain the membrane is a better idea.

The front section is unchanged from above.

View attachment 509860

View attachment 509861

So the idea of having a membrane produce the pulse of air is interesting. Should there be some vents in the chamber on the barrel side of the membrane so it doesn't pop?

Also why did you inserted the membrane as opposed to just using the pulse of air coming down the barrel from the valve directly? Is that too much of a jet? Not enough of a pulse?

Appreciate your willingness to give this some thought, it's probably a silly idea I admit.
 
MrP,

I started by watching dozens of vortex generator videos. There are two types and it is possible that I chose the wrong type for attaching to a PCP (pistol). In which case I will have to fix that situation. :)

The one type uses a membrane to excite the air column in a short fat drum. The membrane pushes the air faster in the middle, so that it generates the rolling donut of air; along with help from the lip around the exit. The other kind of vortex generator uses a combustible mix of gas that expands rapidly when fired by a sparkplug. Most of the latter type are a long shallow cone, forming what looks like a straight trumpet.

What I posted was the membrane type, even though that is more complicated than the trumpet type. The main reason I chose the short fat type in two parts is so that someone with a high limited 3D printer could make one. The chances of running out of printer capability seemed greater with the trumpet type, but I suppose one could make it in two or three parts.

The second reason for avoiding the trumpet was the handling qualities of a PP700 with a trumpet projecting out front. Although I suppose it is a matter of scale.

Can I assume that your printer can handle a 10" tall print? If so, I will design a trumpet style vortex generator too. Else, what is the tallest part you can print?

The trumpet style might lend itself to having a toroidal aperture at the front end, with a swirling spiral; if I can swing the design...
 
Last edited:
  • Love
Reactions: MrP
Simple trumpet vortex generator STL attached. It is almost 10" long. If that is a problem, then I will shorten it.

The OD at the wide end is 50 mm' with a 40 mm lipped opening.

Trumpet2 STL is for an 8" long version of the same design, with the same OD.
1730788954576.png


1730788930712.png


View attachment Trumpet.zip

View attachment Trumpet2.zip

1730789390992.png
 
Last edited:
Simple trumpet vortex generator STL attached. It is almost 10" long. If that is a problem, then I will shorten it.

The OD at the wide end is 50 mm' with a 40 mm lipped opening.

Trumpet2 STL is for an 8" long version of the same design, with the same OD.
View attachment 510340

View attachment 510338

View attachment 510342

View attachment 510344

View attachment 510346
It also looks a little bit like a "loudener" instead of a silencer, which kind of makes sense in this context. I think we can safely assume that clipping isn't going to be a problem (no i do not intend to shoot pellets through it).

I think a 10 inch print isn't a problem but I've never tested the limits. I can always print as two parts and then glue them together.

now here's the question: if you combine this with a salt well will this shoot "salt rings"??

It might take me a little while because I have a small business that's eating up all my time right now but I will definitely get this thing a try.
 
  • Like
Reactions: weevil
MrP,

I don't know if it is possible to shoot "salt rings" from a trumpet style vortex generator, but below are images of a hardware design that may help answer the question.

Note that the barrel nut is separate from the trumpet. This is so that you can rotate the salt hopper to face up, as you tightening the barrel nut.

STLs are attached.

In case anyone was wondering, adding the salt hopper and associated changes from the simple trumpet took 7.5 hours. I hope someone will try this toy out, so my time was not wasted.

1730846663433.png

1730846703846.png


1730846736963.png


1730846770778.png


1730846822578.png


1730846908673.png


1730847010699.png


1730847067166.png


1730847095869.png


1730847138114.png


1730847548841.png


View attachment Trumpet vortex generator, with salt hopper.zip
 
Last edited: