Former SpaceX engineer, James Roland Jones has built a working Plasma Gun
In Hermosa Beach, CA, 33 year old James Roland Jones has built a working plasma gun, which he intends to sell on his web site. The former SpaceX engineer, and employee of Elon Musk, has put his ingenuity to the test to see if he can accomplish something that has never been done. The first prototypes are complete, and the site is live and accepting orders, but what sparked such a unique idea?
Where did you come up with this idea?
In 2018, I ended up getting one of Elon Musk’s flamethrowers for the Boring Company. The flamethrower was certainly a fun toy, and whenever friends would visit, we would inevitably get out the flamethrower. After a while, I got tired of playing with the flamethrower, and wanted to make something even cooler. I had seen people on YouTube make “plasma guns” online, but all their guns looked like they had been made from a home improvement store. I knew I could make something better.
How long did it take you to make the first version?
It took me a while to find the right supplies and materials to handle the temperatures the gun produced. Unlike the flamethrower, I wasn’t just modifying a roofing torch, I was starting from scratch. I tried to use existing products at first, but nothing really looked right, and could handle the heat of the MAP gas. I melted a few designs at first, but after about 3 months I had something that worked. It needed a lot of refinement, and still did not have the sleek style I was going for. Then I discovered 3D printing, and this changed the game for me. I started designing custom sections, and eventually I redesigned the whole thing. I took some of my experience at SpaceX and simplified the design as best as I could. I also optimized the top portion to get the loudest bang and best plasma ball expelled out the front.
Is the plasma gun available to buy now?
I have a working prototype that I am selling as I get orders. I set up a website; realplasmagun.com, and people can order from there. The current design works well, but I need to lower my cost on the current design, I’m selling it for a minimal profit now. I hope to scale up the idea and get it so I can sell a lot more than I can now.
The project was a lot of fun, and great to put my engineering skills to good use. The plasma gun is certainly more fun than the flamethrower, and people are always shocked to see it in action. It’s visually stunning, and very loud! I’m happy with my final product, and it will be tough to make something cooler than this.
As a former SpaceX engineer, James Roland Jones knows it takes a lot to launch a successful product. Working for one of the top engineering titans in the world, Elon Musk, James Roland Jones was able to absorb some of the methodologies that make SpaceX successful. Many of the design decisions were the same approach to design that SpaceX uses today. It may not be rocket science but making plasma guns is certainly a blast!
