Shooting water balloon problem

[axle01]

I’m having trouble with the Mumford Time Machine shooting water balloons.

I made myself a air pellet gun as we are not allowed to have guns here in Australia.

Basically it’s a brass tube connected to a air dump valve connected to a compressor.

When I set the time machine and burst a balloon with a dart or sharp pointed stick everything works perfectly but when I use the air gun the flashes go off as soon as I press the dump valve plunger.

The noise from the air gun sets off the flashes long before the pellet hits the balloon.

The sensors are vibration not sound.

The vibration sensor is mounted on the balloon support mount.

I have tried 3 different vibration sensors.

I have wrapped the sensor with a towel to try and suppress the noise.

The air gun is mounted on a steel bracket like a long broom handle to get up to the level of the balloon and I thought it was causing vibration through the floor so I held it up off the ground to stop any vibration going through the floor to the balloon mount.

I honestly don’t know why the noise from the air gun is setting off the flashes.

I have contacted Brian Mumford with this but he doesn’t make the Time Machine anymore so I’m not expecting a reply.

Anyone got any thoughts on this.

Al