So you're all sophisticated and drink wine, but you also live in a state of arrested adolescence. What do you do with all of those corks you have been collecting? Does a pop gun sound like fun? Yeah that's what I thought. Lets blast those corks around.

Step 1: Hit the Store and Buy Supplies.

We are going to make this thing out of PVC pipe so lets head to the store and get some stuff. Conveniently one inch PVC fits inside one and a quarter and a wine cork fits snugly in a thee quarter inch pipe. We will need these three sizes of PVC.

What to gather:

1 1/4 inch PVC pipe 2 foot long, for cylinder chamber

1 inch PVC pipe 2 1/2 foot long, for piston rod

3/4 inch PVC pipe any length, for barrel (I used about an 8 inch length because it looked right)

1 1/4 inch coupler

1 1/4 to 3/4 inch reducer

3/4 inch threaded plug (this is not the right piece but it fits snugly enough into the end of 1 inch pipe)

PVC cement

#64 O-ring 1 5/16" o.d. X 1 1/8" i.d. X 3/32"

corks (drink up!)

Tools: (be creative, run what you brung.)

Safety glasses

Chop saw

Table saw

C clamp

rat tail file

miscellaneous others (tape measure, utility knife, awl, huge pipe wrench)

Step 2: Chop, Chop!

Cut those pipes to length:

Two feet felt like a nice length for the cylinder of the gun. I wanted enough length on the piston for a good hand grip so I cut that at two and a half feet. I had a 16 inch piece of 3/4 so I cut that in half for the two barrels (did I mention that two is more fun than one?)

Step 3: Glue Up

Use you huge pipe wrench to get the top off the glue. I didn't bother with PVC primer because I am cheep and the can says that it may not be necessary if code allows in my area. If you haven't glued PVC before it couldn't be easier. Once you get the pesky can open use the swab to apply glue on the inside and outside of the joint then push together and give a 1/4 turn. Done.

Step 4: Oh Oh O-ring

This is the tough step. I made several practice cuts and adjustments before I cut the final piece. We are going to cut a grove into the one inch piston to hold the o-ring in place and give us an airtight seal, or mostly airtight.

You can cut this slot before or after gluing the 3/4" cap into the end of the piston. I think before is slightly easier.

Warning! I don't think this is the safest way to cut the slot for the O-ring but it worked for me.

Set up:

In the photo you can see that I use a C-clamp to hold the miter gauge from my table saw in place. I made sure that when in place the pipe is positioned ever so slightly behind the arbor.

Raise the blade to just above the surface of the table. Maybe 1/16th of an inch to start.

Set the fence for your desired location of the O-ring

With the saw still unplugged do a few practice runs of the cut.

Hold the pipe parallel to the table and firmly against the miter gauge and fence. Lower it slowly to the table top and then rotate with the top coming toward you held firmly in place. Once you are comfortable with the move you are going to do it with the saw running. Start the saw with your piece above the blade. When it is at speed carefully lower away and make the cut then without removing the pipe turn off the saw and let is slow to a stop.

Now you can put on an O-ring and check the fit. My first six or so attempts where ugly, to shallow, to deep, or just bad. I beveled the inside lip of the 1 1/4" pipe to help everything slide together easily. Practice, adjust, and repeat as needed until you get a nice straight grove that makes a good, tight fit.

Now cut your final piston. I put two o-rings on mine and I am getting a tighter seal.

Step 5: Finish Up

Lube is always helpful. The only lube that I had in the garage that wasn't going to make a nasty mess was chain lube for my bicycle. Anything will work but this was nice and clean wax based stuff. I smeared the o-rings and slide the piston home.

I beveled the inside of the barrel so that corks are easier to load and I sharpie-d a ring on the piston so that I know where to load the cork without pulling the piston all the way out.

Grab a fist full of corks, load em up and see if you can knock a few cans off the back fence.

With the piston pulled almost all the way out stuff a cork in the end. With one hand on the cylinder and one on the piston sharply drive the piston forward. Pop!!

You can also shoot from the hip. Put the but end of the piston on your hip and draw the cylinder to you. Pop!!

I was thinking about dressing this thing up with some had grips and stuff to make it look less like a over grown syringe.

Have fun.