Make Your Own Throwing Darts From Household Materials

this instructable will, uh, instruct you on how to make a functional throwing dart from a drinking straw, nail, electrical and regular tape, blu-tac and a memo pad.

Step 1: Get This Stuff

for each dart you will need:

a single drinking straw (the larger the inner- diameter the better)

a 50mm (2 inch) nail (i used zinc-plated because they are shiny)

a pad of square paper (you will only need one sheet, but only square will work)

a lump of blu-tac (i used a cheaper brand)

scissors

electrical and regular (clear) tape.

Step 2: Making the Fletching

take a sheet of memo paper, then:

(for origami-ists, fold a preliminary base)

1. fold the diagonals (photo 2)

2. on the other side of the paper, fold the horizontals (photo 3)
(fold so that the crease from the horizontals "points up" and the diagonals "down"

3. hold as shown in photo 4 (use both hands, one at each side)

4. move held points together to form fins (photo 5 and 6)

5. tape fins closed at open end (photo 7)

Step 3: Making the Shaft

to make the shaft:

1. cut the straw at the bendy part so you have the longer section uniform

2. cut four opposite slits in one end to fit the fins you just made

Step 4: Joining the Shaft and Fins

to start putting it together:

1. insert the fins, point-first into the slits in the shaft

2. tape each cut section of straw to the crease between two fins.

Step 5: Making the Head

to make the business end:

1. roll a small amount of blu-tac and insert into the straw

2. insert the nail about halfway into the blu-tac (it will be difficult to grip the straw while you push the nail in, i reccomend holding the straw by the part with blu-tac inside)

3. shape a head onto the straw out of blu-tac (experiment for balance, penetration and smoothness of flight)

4. cover in whatever you see fit, i used electrical tape because it was close at hand. (experiment for functionality, aerodynamics and aesthetics)

5. throw at something! (note i said something not someone)

Comments

[MamaCantomagica]

I'm gonna go eat a chimichanga...lol!

[Lithoboli]

Icepick, i don't copy any of my instructables or the items in them. this is a THROWING dart anyway, next time READ the instructable before taking a shot at someone, kay? ;p also, what is a chimichanga?

[bestbballrebounder1]

well u copyed an a chimichonga is like a barito

[Icepick]

GOOD FOR YOU ! :-) Sounds like all the other dart gun plans. Did you COPY!? Be Honest! RESPOND! If You dont respond you can go eat a chimichanga for all I care!

[Lithoboli]

if you used bamboo skewers you would either have to split the skewer with a knife two ways (and risk slicing yourself, not fun. always listen to a voice of experience)or use a different dart fin and method of attachment.

[Junkernaut]

Maybe bamboo Skewers would make a better body.

[Lithoboli]

good idea, i did as you suggested and also compared my darts to store-bought ones. i found the center of balance on the bought darts just over halfway up the head (from the point) so around that area would be ideal. it will make it much easier to experiment once the dart is marked.

[zorahunter]

i have a suggestion, it would be helpful to the flight of the dart if you were to find its center of balance and then mark it off with tape or something at the end of the last step

[Lithoboli]

the problem with doing that is the nail wouldn't have enough stopping it from going up the straw, so it wouldn't stick into anything. notice how it compacts the blu-tac a fair bit when sticking it in.

[acaz93]

what about putting first the nail and then the blu.tac?