Introduction: K'NEX Skunk Rifle

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About: I am obsessed with design...
This instructable will build a model rifle that fires blue K'nex rods or wood dowels. The range and sturdiness of this model is amazing; shooting rods at up to 65 feet on a flat trajectory. This is a great rainy day toy to break out and do some plinking or trick shots.

This model shoots projectiles with potentially dangerous force. Please be mindful where you point the model, and do not aim at people or animals... unless a skunk is in your house...

Step 1: Aquire the Following...

Before you you start you will need to have a few items. Some of these tools I list are subject to one's own preference, but definitely suggested. Please use caution and take your time during these instructions.

1. Large file folder rubber bands. Atleast one will do, but I would not do more than 3. At 3 bands it is awfully hard to pull back, and I cannot guarantee the safety and reliability after 3 bands!

2. A rubber band for the sear. This is the trickiest one to install, but is the highlight of the mechanism.

3. 2 rubber bands for the pin and pin guide. These are needed to strengthen and dampen the shock on the knex pieces.

4. At least 1 rubber band for the flip up sight.

5. Quality vinyl or electric tape. This tape is stretch taught and wound around itself. Good tape will stay taught when applied. This is crucial in our application.

6. Pruning sheers are the best tool to cut these knex pieces(in my opinion). It is a lot safer than any sort of knife.

7. Needle nose pliers are great for popping off stubborn pieces or snapping multiple knex pieces in a series. It is optional, but this will save your fingers immensely.

8. Lastly, not known below, is a flat metal file. This is used to shave our sear down just slightly to work efficiently under heavy loads.

Step 2: The Barrel Pt.1

This is the beginning of the barrel. Blue spacers are used inbetween connectors of the same white rods.

Step 3: The Barrel Pt.2

Using a long gray rod, you are filling in the gaps creating a "tube" barrel.

You will need to use 6 gray axle connectors and cut off half of the ring so that it looks like a "u" as opposed to an "o".

Pass a knex rod(preferably a white or blue rod) through this cut piece to ensure it glides smoothly through. If not, you may want to use a flat file to smooth the edges down.

Step 4: The Barrel Pt.3

This is the front top of the barrel with the bullet catch using uncut axle connectors.

That black piece is a ball joint hinge used as a forward sight.

Step 5: The Barrel Pt.4 - the Sear

Add the trigger now in this order so installing the one rubber band is not an issue at the end.

The trigger calls for a cut green rod and the shaved orange connector.

Step 6: The Barrel Pt.4 - Continued

From the trigger, add these pieces up top. The axle connector serves as the rear site.

Now remember the rubber bands we looped on the blue rod? Starting one at a time, pull them off and cross them over the top on the tan clips to the opposite hooking them on to the ends of the two yellow rods we just added.

Step 7: The Body Pt.1

We move on to the frame. It is a shell type of construction, meaning there will be two outer pieces. This is one of the two sides.

Step 8: The Body Pt.2 - the Handle

This is the next layer. We start working on the handle because it is easier to work from there forward along the barrel. Ignore obvious connections, orange connectors are inserted where you see the blue spaces later on.

Step 9: The Body Pt.3 - the Trigger

This is the middle layer that includes the trigger. Now you will be able to use the other half of that cut green rod shown in picture # 2.

The red connector + gray rod form the pin guide. This segment will fail unless reinforced! As found in picture # 5, you will want a rubber band wrapped around the base of the rod against the connector, and then wrapped tightly with vinyl tape.

This tape must be wrapped tight up to the connector where the rod meets the connector.

Pictured is a rubber band a little larger than what is needed. This wrapped section has been subject to over 100 pin strikes and I don't see the need to replace it yet. Considering how hard it is to break down to get back to this point, I would stress doing this right the first time.

Step 10: The Body Pt.4 - Body Continued

Three layers deep, the trigger is now sandwiched together and secure. In this step, we are filling in the foregrip part of the body.

The two rods forming in the back make the hand guard below the pin guide.

Step 11: The Body Pt.5 - Completed

The fourth layer here completes the main portion of the model, but we are only half done!

Step 12: The Pin

The pin is made of 3 pieces. These pieces must be wrapped together for strength and survivability!

As seen in picture # 2, the longevity of your pin will be determined on how well you wrap it with the rubber band and vinyl tape. This pin here has seen almost 200 strikes.

Eventually your pin will need to be re-wrapped, but thankfully, in this model, you can easily release the pin to be serviced as you will see later in these instructables.

Step 13: The Stock Pt.1

The stock is more straight forward, but still just as many steps. The orange connectors are used as crossbeams. This helps lower the amount of blue rods as pins.

As you can tell, the firing pin guide can now be connected to the stock, and can be easily detached to remove the pin.

Step 14: The Stock Pt.2

Now the stock is being attached to the rest of the gun down at the bottom with the green connectors. It will be this way for the next two layers in these instructions.

Step 15: The Stock Pt.3

Just filling the shell, the same as previous step.

Step 16: The Stock Pt.4

More filling. Almost there!

Step 17: The Stock Pt.5 - Stock Completed

This completes the stock; however, there is one component left, the flip up sight. It is optional of course, but the flip up sight made the skunk rifle. With it, you can quickly aquire your target and is accurate between 15 to 25 ( I would use two bands to power the gun for increased range ).

Step 18: Flip-up Sight (condensed)

The flip up sight is held together by white rods. Don't worry if you see them slip as they are pinched by the inner layer and will never fall out.

You can use atleast 1 rubber band for the snap action. Loop them per picture # 5

Step 19: Charge Pin

Picture # 1: Shows completed steps.

Picture # 2: Loop your rubber bands like so. It is important to stretch them evenly on both sides so your rubber band wears out over more of the band rather than one spot.

Picture # 3: the band runs along the top grooves of the gun that make up the barrel.

Picture # 4: Like # 3, this shows that the band runs under the bullet catch. This helps add tension to the round.

Picture # 5: Finally, these bands loop towards the end. Top most band loops on yellow, bottom bands loop to white rods.

Watch this video if you have not already to get acquainted with the Skunk Rifle. You will learn how to load it, and firing considerations.