Lets Learn Something Else

I really wanted to show you something that I have been having a lot of fun with.


It's a projectile that I like to call "the click beetle". Its designed to make a very loud noise when it strikes a hard surface. I find it entertaining to go outside, walk into the street, and fire it straight into the air so that when it lands on the concrete it makes a loud popping noise.

So without further delay, lets get to it!

                                                                 Step 0 (materials)

This little project actually requires a large variety of different materials. It's important to have all of them before starting.

• Duct tape
• Scotch tape
• Scissors
• Bamboo skewers
• Ring caps
• Paperclips
• Some free time
• Patience
• This guide

Ill explain why each material is important. The Duct tape is stronger and more durable then the scotch tape, so it'll be used more for structural support and keeping things together. The scotch tape only really serves to help secure the ring cap to the head of the bamboo skewer, which will make up the main body of the "click beetle". The ring caps are what make the loud noise. The paperclips are used  as hooks to be attached to the    bamboo skewer (the hook is what the rubber band will catch on). You will need free time (because who doesn't need free time) and patience because this project will most likely require a lot of trial and error.

                                                      Step 1 ("click beetle" hook)

Take one of the paperclips and bend it so that the original  outer "hook" remains, as shown in the photo below.

Straighten it out so that only the original outer hook remains with a straight tail behind it. 

Step 2 ("click beetle" body and hook)

Cut a strip of duct tape and secure the "hook" to the bamboo skewer. Make sure to leave an inch and a half or so of space from the top and the bottom to leave room for the fins and the head of the dart. This will allow the rubber band to pull the dart forward, flinging it at wherever the contraption is pointed.
Bend the straight end of the paperclip (the part that sticks out from the duct tape) over the top of the bamboo skewer and tape that down as well.

The end result should look something like this.

For the sake of this project the tip of the bamboo skewer (the sharp part) should be removed. Cut it off, but try to cut as little of the bamboo off as possible. The two ends should be identical.

Step 3 ("click beetle" caps)

Grab your package of ring caps. You need to cut one of the caps off from its pals (strip or ring, doesn't matter). trim the excess plastic off so that the cap is round.

Wrap a few layers of scotch tape around one of the ends of the cut bamboo skewer. (the whole point of this is so the ring cap will fit snugly on the end so adjust the number of layers accordingly)

 Then slide the cap onto the head. It's ok if you have force it, the cap should stay on even if you shake the skewer vigorously (that's a way to test whether the layers of scotch tape are sufficient or not.)

Now wrap a layer of the scotch tape around the cap to further secure it to the skewer.                                    The end result should looks something like the photo below.

Step 3 ("click beetle" fins)

Now we start on the fins. I apologize if my typesetting looks strange. The blog editor started having the words centered in the middle instead of aligning from left to right (ARGH) . 

Anywho

To start off, take a strip of duct tape, cut that in half and place one of the halves onto the bamboo skewer.

Place it so that the bamboo skewer bisects the duct tape strip, adjusting the size of the strip accordingly so that the fins are not ridiculously large or depressingly small.

 (and now for no apparent reason its back to left side orientation) :-| ) Take the other strip (they should be identical) and place it on top of the first strip so that the two sticky sides are pressed together.

(and now we're back to center orientation :-o )

Take the rectangle and cut it to triangular dimensions to form the fins.

 (you've got to be kidding me) That's it! To fire the click beetle take a rubber band and form a loop with your forefinger and your thumb.

 Now, gripping the fins with one hand (the one that doesn't have the loop) place the hook onto the rubber band, pull back as far as you can and let go of the projectile to send it flying.

 Hope you have fun with this!

Lets actually learn something

I think I've been spending too much of my time telling you about stories from my past and not enough time telling you how to actually make cool stuff, which is the purpose of this blog.

So I've decided that I will purposefully try to be unfunny. I shall be serious in hopes of actually accomplishing something useful.
For my first project I'm going to teach you how to make a blowgun out of paper.

Impossible you say?

BAM (still being completely serious)
A blowgun and 4 darts!!!
Buuuuuttttt!
Know whats better than a blowgun and four darts?

A blowgun, and four darts that you've shot into the math assignment you failed!!!
Yeaahhhhh, math homework didn't stand a chance!

Enough of this, it's time to actually show you how to make this thing.

Step 0 (materials)

You'll need two sheets of paper, clear plastic tape, and a pair of scissors (lol this isn't relevant, but if you type scissors as scizzors, the auto-correct suggests replacing it with Scorsese).

Step 1 (making the tube)

The first thing you need to do is make the tube.
Arrange the paper so that your rolling it up hotdog style (so the tube is long and thin).
Try and make it so that the holes on either ends are of equal size or else the dart may get jammed halfway down the tube.
Also keep in mind that the darts are custom made to fit the tube.
The thinner the tube, the thinner the dart. The thicker the tube, the thicker the dart. if you want it to be sharper and faster, make the tube thinner. Even so, I advise you not to make the tube any thinner than your pointer finger.

Once you've gotten the tube to dimensions you like, tape the outside along the fold (where the paper ends) and your paper blowgun is complete.

The inside should be smooth, if there are any creases or wrinkles on the inside, you'll need to roll another tube.

Step 2 (making the darts)

First thing to do is cut the second sheet you have into four sheets of equally sized paper.
I find that it helps to crease it both hamburger and hotdog style before cutting.

Then crease the lower right hand corner of one of the sheets. The crease should be between 150 to 170 degrees from the edge of the paper. (the closer the crease is to horizontal the thinner the dart)
Remember, the dart has to fit the tube, and what I mean by that is that the dart cannot be thinner than the tube, it can be wider and thicker, but not thinner. Don't bother trying to roll a dart that fits the tube perfectly it takes to much effort and its not worth it.

What you want to do is roll the paper sheet along the crease you made until you get a conical dart. It should be  thin and long (longer=more accuracy).

Now place the dart into the tube and push it in. Don't try and shove it in all the way, just enough for it to hold without any creasing on the dart.

Try and center the dart so that it hangs, without you holding it, with the tip floating parallel to the center of the tube.

After centering the dart you can grip the tube and cut the excess off the dart so that it fits the tube.

Step 3 (usage)

To fire the dart, place the dart into the back end of the tube (so that when firing its wide end should be close to your mouth) hold the paper lightly and blow down the tube with full force. If you find that the dart is jammed you may need to check to see if your dart is too wide, trim some excess off and try again. It also helps to tape the area where your mouth touches the tube so your saliva doesn't destroy the paper.

There you have it, you now know (assuming that you've actually read the steps) how to make a blowgun ,with darts, out of paper. The dart in the photo above is the one I made in the example photos. it was short and fat so it smashed the paper instead of penetrating it. It went about an inch or so through.

The ones I made before (first picture) were long and thin and they went a good two inches or so through the paper.

There are many interesting ways to change the blow dart, but I'll add that to a later post devoted to ammo modifications (presumably after several more tutorial blogs).