[Carbon]

I was thinking that as a forum it might be a good idea to create a "standard" homemade blowgun design that is inexpensive, readily available, and simple to make. I am also needing a new blowgun...

So here's the plan. A couple of days from now I will head down to the local hardware store with $20. The plan is to be able to purchase everything I need for under $20 and be able to build it in a night or two. Hopefully we can then refer new members to the build log if they ask about making their own blowgun.

So some stuff we need to figure out:

BG material. Copper, pvc, ect.

Dart material. Bamboo, wire, nails

Cone material. Duct tape, other?

I'm thinking for simplicity pvc with bamboo darts and duct tape cones is the way to go. But I'm worried people might run into problems with pvc sagging. Ideas?

~Ben

 

[Turtle]

Great idea! I'm thinking if you can get some hard copper for a decent price? Bamboo darts are probably the cheapest and

duct tape yes?

 

[Carbon]

I'm thinking so. Even though duct tape has become more expensive lately

Copper should be easy to find at the local hardware store. I don't know the price of it. But I will get a 5ft piece if that's what we're going with. What thickness?

 

[NaturalFork]

Yea 20 bucks is more then enough. Even if you went with expensive copper. I would say the most common home made blowguns are conduit.

 

[GrayWolf]

Making paper darts will save money. All that is really needed is the paper from old magazines and a glue stick. One glue stick will make a lot of darts and is cheaper than duct tape.

I would rather spend a little more on the tube than the darts to start with...but that is me. Glue, tape and the bamboo skewers could also be bought at the dollar store, again saving a little money.

Todd

 

[orcrender]

Never had a 4 foot section of PVC sag. But if you get 5 foot of any thing you can use a cut off for checking your cones.

 

[Carbon]

I think I may just try out a few different types. Copper and pvc seem to be the easiest to get a hold of. I think I may give LGD's packing tape blow darts a go or duct tape cones too. I guess I'll go there tomorrow. Ideas for a mouth peice for copper?

 

[neondog]

How about a contest? No prize just notoriety. Who can assemble the cheapest fully functional four foot blowgun preferably with no tools that aren't typically found about the house. If all the entries were in one thread, newcomers could pick and choose from all the submissions to work with those things available to them.

 

[Carbon]

That is actually an awesome idea!

I'm up for it, perhaps someone could make up a graphic for the winner? I'm not very good at such things..

 

[superman365]

I am in for sure!!!!!.....are darts part of the deal?

 

[neondog]

I am in for sure!!!!!.....are darts part of the deal?

It's just a funny pipe without darts.

 

[Carbon]

yarr, darts included. BG and darts, basically a starter package. I guess I'll put a thread up!

 

[NightKnight]

The rules will need to state what parts would be included in the final product. As an example, will it need a mouthpiece? Ferrule?

 

[Turtle]

Keep in mind I just picked up 300 bamboo skewers, they were cheap enough but I'll be lucky to get a 1/4 of useable darts out

of them as the majority are either bent, wavy, or out of round. I thought of getting out the kettle and steam bending a few of

the salvageable ones. Just a note.

 

[Pelletor]

Cone material. Duct tape, other?

Above was one of your questions Carbon.

I started out using regular printer paper for my cones. Many still do and coat them with CA glue.

I switched to extruded milk jug plastic heated with a candle and press a plumb bob (or other appropriate shape) into the heated clear spot.

I also use 21" wire from cheap flag wire as my dart shafts but I have found it possible to get brightly colored cones using their flags too.

The labels on 1-2 liter soft drink bottles make fine and "free", light and waterproof dart cones.

Thin packing tape ( mine is light brown) that I stick onto a single layer of newspaper ( I can easily read the print through the tape) makes a fine robust dart. Packing tape side out so even if this gets wet it dries quickly and can be reused many, many times. (I've never wrecked one from just shooting it).

I glued a 1/2 thick piece of pink insulation foam board on to a flag wire shaft with Gorilla Glue and sanded it into a sphere ( more or less) so the diameter was just right for the ID of my BG and that worked well but was more work than it was worth.

I have also used an unraveled fuzzed up piece of rope as the "cone", didn't like it much but it works. I think that is the extent of my dart making experience thus far?

 

[Silent Stalker]

what is sagging for PVC? I use a a CPVC pipe and it is about 2.5 feet long and it works fine, is it just for longer PVC?

 

[neondog]

The problem of sagging isn't typically noticed until the pipe in question is in excess of three feet. The sag on a five foot pvc pipe is almost unbearable unless some form of external support is added.

 

[Teach]

With a little heat from a heat gun a person can deliberately add excessive sag to a length of pvc so that when it is held horizontal holds itself perfectly straight. You can get lucky and get it right off the bat but usually it entails a lot of fiddle fartin around. Once you get it just right the only thing you have to do is to remember to always hold the excessive bent pointing upwardly so when it is held horizontal it realigns and holds straight. A reference line or mark on the barrel can help with a consistent hold.

I have not had any luck with this approach with anything approaching 5 feet or more. 4 feet is quite doable.

 

[squirrelslinger]

yea... PVC is the best.

a 5 foot section of THIN-wall copper pipe is $20-25.

a 5 foot section of alumniun is roughly 15$ on the cheap side.

 

[southpinoy]

i made my blowgun from a half inch pvc pipe 5 ft long. it doesn't sag. i wish i could show you how i did that. i just dont know how to post a picture here.