How to Make a Marshmallow Gun or Marshmallow Shooter

This marshmallow gun (marshmallow shooter) will completely surprise you with its accuracy, range, and ease of construction. Plus, it's tons of fun and a lot better than any store-bought toy because it encourages modifications.

Marshmallow shooter kits with all PVC pieces pre-cut are available in the Instructables store!  

This project appears in print as part of Best of Instructables Volume 1.

Instructions are here for the Soda Bottle Safety Goggles.

Step 1: Plans

Get the plans for the gun here or click on the "i" in upper left of the image to get a larger size.

(22 inches of 1/2 PVC pipe (1/2 is a the nominal diameter, its actual outer diameter is closer to 7/8 inch), 2 end caps, 2 three way junctions, and 2 elbows.)

Comments

[shadowman2]

Here's a pic of my marshmallow shooter, it is compressed air powered. I think this is the simplest design you can make, for an air powered gun that is. I decided not to make an instructable on it, because there are lots of other instructables on air powered guns. And also, this design is self explanatory.

[Bran]

I've been trying to find a good tut on something like yours! All I could find were oversized "potato guns". Could you either post an Instructable on how to, or PM how? I think I have most of it figured out, but could you let me know what the small, black thing is on the bottom? I take that is how you fill the bottle with air. Thanks in advance! Btw, how far does this thing shoot? It's awesome.

[frenzy]

This posting has won today's I Made It Challenge. For that you will recieve a 3 month pro membership!

Thanks!

http://www.instructables.com/community/June-is-I-Made-It-Challenge-Month-Win-a-Pro-Mem/

[juliblue]

This is so fun, I just finished cutting up enough PVC for 10 'guns' for my daughters 11 th bay party. I plan to send the kids through our small park retrieving parts from strategically placed brown paper bags with clues & directions, and then making them work together to put together & assemble. I found food coloring spray to color the marshmallows for fun ( lavender & orange) and at the end when they are built, they can have a "war"! Then onto to cake & ice cream! I will let you know how it goes making the pieces found in a hunt... I think it will keep them busier the just building them .

[bgepp1]

very cool - that sounds like like an incredible party!

[BLUEBLOBS2]

This is awesome. I love how you used PVC pipe for this 'Ible. The safety goggles are awesome!
- BLUEBLOBS2

[radioloris]

THANKS SO MUCH!

I made 24 of these with my 2 inventor's lab classes today...ages 7-14.

THEY LOVED THEM!

[ramicaza]

I made a mash mellow gun that shoots 700 fps no joke...lol. I don't use marshmallows as my primary ammo but when I do, I sure do have a blast...  the link is bellow HERE

[ssamuel3]

Marshmallow gun that shoot 80 mph.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2Iv_fwGGMY
Find the plans on "http://nxtutorials.com/"

[jjone538]

You should put how easy or hard a instructable is so u kno how hard it is

[Brass bum]

do you reckon you could integrate a CO2 canister firing mechanism?

[rrrmanion]

depends on the pressure of it, it migt be too igh for this plastic piping, but aluminium piping may be able to handle it

[skelly7447]

not at all, this stuff can take over 100 psi if glued properly. the main possible point for failure is the joints

[Lego man 201]

send me the instructions

[tracyo]

just so you know the marshmellows where i live dont fit into a 1/2 pipe...so i have a whole bunch of pipe cut and cant use it ....i have been drying the marshmellows for 2 weeks now and they still dont fit..but that kind of defeats the purpose of the marshmellows being soft and not hurting anything...might have to take a marshmellow to the hardware store with me

[androuman]

Exact same happened to me, i wasn't shure if it was the brand of marshmallows i bought, but it was easily enough solved by putting the marshmallow between my palms and rolling it into a "ball". roll for about 10-15 seconds and the marshmallow will fit perfectly into the tube

[ilpug]

for a test of principle, just get a normal unmodified peice of 1/2 inch pvc and shoot them out of that. probably work better than any fancy gun.

[ilpug]

theres a dude in my town who sells a slightly different version of these. his can shoot someone in the face accrately at about 80 feet. he takes them to thrash metal concerts and shoots it into the mosh pits.

[mrschneeebly]

What is different on those that he sells than the one here? It would be sweet to shoot a marshmellow 80 feet.

[ilpug]

his guns are in-line without the elbow on top, they are just a straight pipe, with handles, they might have a litttle bend in them, he makes both kinds.

[mrschneeebly]

Oh ok thanks, I'm going to try that design out.

[ladieslilman98]

nice gun btw

[FireFreek]

How does it not go into the handles?

[Hikl]

If you made the thing correctly, the handles are air-tight, so the marshmallow will get blocked by the air that is stuck there. the only end that isn't air-tight, is the loop. the marshmallow is thus forced out via there.

[soccer man]

I tried to make a marshmellow PVC pipe gun called "The Horn" Beacause It looks like a horn and It would shoot 2 marshmellows at a time. I made it but I spended A wast of money beacuse the PVC pipe was too big so the marshmellows wouldn't shoot because they didn't have enough air to go and blast out of the gun. There was some white wood to separate the marshmellows but It just didn't work. Though I'm still working on it! :)

[LaLaLolita]

Is the basic model easy enough for a 3 year old to shoot?

[fruitkid101]

I made a couple for my Brother's 15th Birthday (today) I did a quick sharpie job on one of them too. Instead of wasting an extra buck on two end caps I just used some plastic from a soda bottle to cover the misc holes. Thanks

[acer73]

are the safety glasses nessesary

[budd42]

my friend has an auto masmellow gun. it broke through 2 layers af drywall and 2 layers of plexie glass

[gb123]

i think the marshmellow would have evaporated after the first drywall... =-]

[KnexFreek]

 im sure it did............

[GianniMora]

 that is more of a lie than stevie wonder passing his driving exam.

[nanu2000]

dud dont lie not cool

[user-name]

no way you can make a marshmallow brake through plexie glass since plexie glass is bullet proof

[stephenniall]

No only specially laminated lexan is bulletproof

[geekzoid1]

 bullet resistant, nothing can be fully "bullet proof". ; )

[user-name]

hey mate i work with plexie glass and on sheet will hold 1 tonne of force so to sheets would have to be a 2 tonne force and that is only a quarter inch sheet and that isn't laminated

[stephenniall]

Plexi glass (otherwise known as acrylic) is not bullet proof Unless It is specially laminated To create a Seal .

1/2 " plexiglass which is properly laminated will stop a bullet but standard 1/2 plexiglass is not bulletproof.

[kelseymh]

Yes. Marshmallows or no, weapons-fire training should always include the use of safety equipment. If for no other reason, it trains the habit for when it really does matter.

Remember, "It's only fun until somebody loses an eye."

_{^{Oh, crap. Now I sound like a boring old parent :-(}}

[KnexFreek]

 You boring old parent sounding person! argg! LOL (jk)
:)