Need something to keep you busy this weekend? We’ve got you covered. The Weekend Workshop is our weekly column in which we showcase a badass DIY project that you can complete with minimal skills and expertise. We’ve dug through all the online tutorials and gone the extra mile to pinpoint projects that are equal parts easy, affordable, and fun. So put on your work pants, grab your tool belt, and head to the garage. It’s time to start building!
Few things are as synonymous with a casual work environment than the playful hiss of a Nerf dart whizzing through the air. A toy manufactured (likely) for kids, Nerf guns and their foam dart counterparts have become a staple among office buildings all over the country – the team here at Digital Trends is just as guilty as the next office, too. But when that next big Nerf war breaks out, why just bring an ordinary pocket-sized launcher to a fight when you could bring a full-on foam rocket launcher?
If your eyes lit up as bright as they should’ve while reading that last sentence, then do we have a solution for you. Thanks to some PVC-themed engineering by an Instructables user named NightHawkInLight, anyone with a hefty dose of piping, a few self-tapping screws, and some cooking oil (seriously) could be well on their way to building their very own single-shot foam dart launcher. We recommend hiding this from your co-workers once it’s complete.
To help you get started on this completely over-the-top but necessary Nerf accessory, we’ve sifted through the original walkthrough to find everything needed for pulling off the build. As is typical with any weekend project requiring a bit more elbow grease than usual, it’s imperative you heed all safety precautions and wear protective eyewear – a pair of gloves wouldn’t hurt either. With that said, here’s what you’ll need to get started:
Tools:
- Sandpaper
- Hot Glue
- Self-tapping screws
Materials:
- PVC Pipe – 16” x 2”
- PVC Pipe – 12” x 3/4”
- PVC Pipe – 24” x 1 1/4”
- PVC Pipe – 2” x 1 1/4”
- Coupling – 2”
- Coupling – 1 1/4″
- Reducer – 2” x 3/4”
- Threaded female adapter – 2”
- Threaded reducer – 2” x 1 1/2”
- End cap – 1 1/4” (2)
- O Ring – 1 5/8” x 2”
- L bracket – 1”
- Cooking oil
- Foam pool noodles
- Craft foam sheets
- PVC primer
- PVC cement
With the entire list of tools and materials at the ready, it’s now time to start piecing together this innovative Nerf launcher. Simply follow NightHawkInLight’s comprehensive walkthrough and before you know it, you’ll be dominating your next office Nerf battle with ease. Happy building!
The entire walkthrough for building this DIY Nerf rocket launcher can be found over at Instructables.