Introduction: Cardboard Shooting Gallery

Hello everyone! This is my first Instructable and my grandfather and I decided to do a cardboard shooting gallery (although you probably read the title so you already know that). So, let's get right into it with our supplies list. Note: To cut out the cardboard, you will need something sharp, such as a knife or scissors. Be careful with such items.

Supplies

  • Medium-Large sized cardboard box
  • Something sharp to cut cardboard(a utility knife is ideal)
  • A square angle(for measurment)
  • At least 1 roll of strong-ish tape(we used Duct tape)
  • 2 metal rods
  • 4 or 5 plastic drinking straws that fit around the rods
  • At least 1 spool of string or yarn(we used nylon string)
  • A pencil or pen
  • Paper to design your project
  • Coloring materials
  • A good imagination
  • 1 toy gun + ammo

Step 1: The Design

Take your idea and put it on paper. This helps during building to have a point of reference, and also to say "Yeah, this'll work just fine" or "Nah, that's not gonna work" or to add things to your design. Your design could differ from the original design. That's fine. More on that later.

Step 2: Get Ready to Work

Gather your materials and head to your workplace. Enough said. Also, remember that square angle I was talking about? See that metal ruler looking thing in the first picture? For those who don't know, that is a square angle.

Step 3: Cutting and Drawing

First, draw an outline around where you want to cut and cut out one side of your cardboard box. This part requires the sharp tool, so I ask anyone under the age of 10 to ask an adult for help, please. Then use your sheet of cardboard that you cut out to cut out your targets. After that use the same sheet of cardboard to cut out strips of cardboard like the ones shown in the pictures above. You can also draw designs on your targets. A little creativity goes a long way!

Step 4: Make Your Target Hangers

Cut your straw(s) into sixths just large enough to fit on the bottom of your cardboard strips, while peeking a little bit over. Then wrap them in tape as shown in the pictures by having one strip of tape wrap around the top of the straw, then wrap another strip of tape around your strip of tape going over the top of your straw. You will need to make however many of these as you made targets.

Step 5: Hang Your Target Hangers

Attach your target hangers to the metal rods by guiding the straw on your target hangers into the metal rod as shown in the picture. But first,you need to poke 4 holes in your box for your metal rods to go in and out of. After that you'll need to put string through your box in front of the target hangers so they'll stand up and fall down when you shoot them. But, you'll notice if you flick the top row back it will knock back and hit the bottom row. To fix this, put a line of string about 4 inches behind your top rod. You'll want all your string reasonably tight on this step, but not too tight that it knocks over your targets.

Step 6: (Optional) Color Your Targets

For this step, colored markers are ideal. I drew out bullseyes and ducks when making targets, and I decided to color them. You don't have to follow this step exactly, however. You can cut out any target shape you like, and color it any way you want!

Step 7: Attach Your Targets

Attach your targets to your target hangers with tape or glue.

Step 8: Enjoy!

Congratulations! Your project is finished and you can now shoot your targets and set them back up as you please. I hope you enjoyed this project and if you made it be sure to tell us!

Cardboard Speed Challenge

Participated in the
Cardboard Speed Challenge