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How to Make a Marshmallow Gun or Marshmallow Shooter

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.
 
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Step 1Plans

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.)
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348 comments
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Jun 30, 2007. 7:09 PMshadowman2 says:
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.
Jul 1, 2007. 10:19 PMBran says:
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.
Jun 15, 2010. 3:00 PMfrenzy says:

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/

May 12, 2012. 11:23 AMBLUEBLOBS2 says:
This is awesome. I love how you used PVC pipe for this 'Ible. The safety goggles are awesome!
- BLUEBLOBS2
Mar 24, 2012. 5:13 PMradioloris says:
THANKS SO MUCH!

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

THEY LOVED THEM!
Oct 31, 2011. 6:55 AMramicaza says:
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
Aug 26, 2011. 11:36 AMssamuel3 says:
Marshmallow gun that shoot 80 mph.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2Iv_fwGGMY
Find the plans on "http://nxtutorials.com/"
Jul 30, 2011. 2:57 PMjjone538 says:
You should put how easy or hard a instructable is so u kno how hard it is
May 20, 2007. 12:30 AMBrass bum says:
do you reckon you could integrate a CO2 canister firing mechanism?
Sep 16, 2010. 11:42 PMrrrmanion says:
depends on the pressure of it, it migt be too igh for this plastic piping, but aluminium piping may be able to handle it
Jul 20, 2011. 11:22 AMskelly7447 says:
not at all, this stuff can take over 100 psi if glued properly. the main possible point for failure is the joints
Mar 27, 2011. 7:03 AMLego man 201 says:
send me the instructions
Dec 21, 2010. 9:11 AMtracyo says:
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
Jan 3, 2011. 12:51 PMandrouman says:
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
Dec 23, 2010. 7:30 PMilpug says:
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.
Sep 30, 2010. 8:20 AMilpug says:
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.
Dec 22, 2010. 4:13 PMmrschneeebly says:
What is different on those that he sells than the one here? It would be sweet to shoot a marshmellow 80 feet.
Dec 22, 2010. 7:43 PMilpug says:
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.
Dec 23, 2010. 1:52 PMmrschneeebly says:
Oh ok thanks, I'm going to try that design out.
Oct 1, 2010. 6:31 PMladieslilman98 says:
nice gun btw
Jul 21, 2010. 8:34 AMFireFreek says:
How does it not go into the handles?
Sep 21, 2010. 11:54 AMHikl says:
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.
Sep 19, 2010. 11:37 AMsoccer man says:
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! :)


Jun 24, 2010. 8:20 PMLaLaLolita says:
Is the basic model easy enough for a 3 year old to shoot?
Apr 21, 2010. 5:45 PMfruitkid101 says:
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
May 20, 2007. 8:44 PMacer73 says:
are the safety glasses nessesary
Mar 1, 2009. 3:04 PMbudd42 says:
my friend has an auto masmellow gun. it broke through 2 layers af drywall and 2 layers of plexie glass
Apr 16, 2010. 6:28 AMgb123 says:
i think the marshmellow would have evaporated after the first drywall... =-]
Mar 10, 2010. 6:01 PMKnexFreek says:
 im sure it did............
Jan 8, 2010. 4:21 PMGianniMora says:
 that is more of a lie than stevie wonder passing his driving exam.
Dec 22, 2009. 11:49 AMnanu2000 says:
dud dont lie not cool
Dec 20, 2009. 4:23 PMuser-name says:
no way you can make a marshmallow brake through plexie glass since plexie glass is bullet proof
Jan 7, 2010. 1:11 PMstephenniall says:
No only specially laminated lexan is bulletproof
May 4, 2010. 7:10 AMgeekzoid1 says:
 bullet resistant, nothing can be fully "bullet proof". ; )
Jan 15, 2010. 4:12 PMuser-name says:
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
Jan 15, 2010. 5:09 PMstephenniall says:
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.


Nov 22, 2008. 10:11 PMkelseymh says:
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 :-(
Mar 10, 2010. 6:02 PMKnexFreek says:
 You boring old parent sounding person! argg! LOL (jk)
:)
Mar 10, 2010. 6:14 PMkelseymh says:
:-D  Yeah, unfortunately you're right.  Check out most of my Instructables, and you'll see they're for my daughter :-)
Mar 10, 2010. 7:13 PMKnexFreek says:
 LOL i was jokin! ive seen most of your instructables... im pretty darn active on this site.... LOL  :)
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Author:ewilhelm
Eric J. Wilhelm is the founder of Instructables. He has a Ph.D. from MIT in Mechanical Engineering. Eric believes in making technology accessible through understanding, and strives to inspire others ...
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