Rubber Band Gun

by Madrias357

7.2K814

Intro: Rubber Band Gun

A simple rubber band gun made from wood that looks similar to a revolver or duelling pistol.

Materials needed:
  • Coping Saw for the curves
  • Hacksaw for straight cuts
  • Wood
  • Clothespin
  • 2- small #2 Phillips head screws
  • 1- 2 inch long #2 Phillips head screw
  • Staple gun and 5/16 staples

STEP 1: Plan It Out!

I didn't lunge in and start cutting this thing immediately. Nope, I sat here and sketched it.

I wanted mine to look similar to a duelling pistol or a Revolver. It would be single shot, though.

Decide what you want yours to look like and start sketching.

STEP 2: Start Cutting!

Your best bet would be to cut the main straight lines with the Hacksaw. When you reach the curves, use the coping saw.

STEP 3: General Assembly

Sorry for not really well documenting this step. I was in a rush to assemble it.

Drill 2 holes in the clothes pin and top of the gun, and put 2 screws in.

Drill one hole in the back of the 2 parts of the gun (if you used multiple parts) and put the longer phillips in there.

Cut a notch in the front of the gun for rubberbands to slip into.

STEP 4: Load and Shoot!

To load, pull a rubber band from the notch back to the clothespin.

To shoot, aim at your target and pull down on the back of the clothespin and it should shoot.

STEP 5: Customize, Plus Little Hints

I'm currently working on a false cylinder for mine to make it more 'revolver' styled.

Also, something to think about: when lining up multiple pieces, be careful not to cut too much off of one. Otherwise, you might have to improvise on it.

At this time, the only thing I feel I've yet left to do is to color it black with sharpie for the battle.

I would also recommend not using oak if cutting by hand, or using power tools to cut oak.

14 Comments

Posh Josh 8 years ago

Dude, sand your marks off! Nice ible though.

Madrias357 14 years ago

Thanks. This was the first of many I've made and used. My friends love them and often buy me supplies to make these things. Then pay me anywhere from 3 to 15 dollars depending on what they wanted. I've had 4 rifles in 3 days that I cranked out (finishing is their job, I just cut them out and make the gun fire), and 7 pistols this week. Our poor drill and jigsaw are probably in need of a good break, but when it's senior year and you aren't getting homework, it's nice to kick back, relax, and build something. Making money on the side is a bonus. Someone actually paid me 25 dollars to make them a triple-shot pistol. They got one, all right, and it's become a hit with rubber band wars. Fire 3 shots in any order, or pull the trigger to squeeze all 3 clothespins at once to release all remaining shots. Scared the crap out of the first friend he fired that off at. I've worked on my fair share and passed on basic knowledge. I will, eventually, put up more of these, but not that triple shot. That was a pain to assemble and get to fire.

junkfactory886 14 years ago

Finishing it in urethane or other stain and a few coats of black paint, and this thing could look SWEET. Great job!

Madrias357 14 years ago

Thanks! Unfortunately, my friend got to it first and attacked it with black sharpie. So I threw it at him. Since this one, I've made a few others and adapted a handful of designs. One of my favorites is a double-shot rifle. Currently set up as a Time Rifle, non firing variant (one of my friends is making a movie, and insisted I make a gun look as cobbled-together as possible so I can appear to be a 'soldier of time' in this stupid 30 minute movie), but capable, with 2 screws removed, of shooting a pair of rubber bands, or one at a time, either side, non dominant In other words: I can shoot right, then left, or left then right, or both at once, not mattering what order they were attached in.

lmuli3 14 years ago

try sanding it it will look way better and it'll be cumfy in your hand

Madrias357 14 years ago

I'll remember that for the rifle version I'm working on now. Though I didn't notice any discomfort while using this during a battle against a friend. Though, I do appreciate comments like this that allow me to know what I should improve on.

lmuli3 14 years ago

nice but i think you should sand the edges smooth so that it is cumfy in your hand & it will look even better

Madrias357 14 years ago

I understand that. The only reason I didn't sand it is because I was working under a challenge by a friend and would have had to do so by hand, which would have taken hours. The only sandpaper I have here is 1000 grit. That's not nearly course enough to take down rough edges. I do, however, have a belt-sander with a 100 grit belt on it, but I would have lost the challenge and then had to pay my friend the cost of the parts. As for the comfort factor, I noticed nothing rough on the handle that bothered me. A friend of mine who shoots left handed stated there were a few rough spots, but holding it right handed was no problem. I lasted through the entire 5 hour battle with the rougher grip. As usual, I appreciate these kind of comments as they help me to learn what I can do better.

amtdude 14 years ago

notin new. well first for instructables but everywere els

Madrias357 14 years ago

True. In fact, I was inspired by one I had when I was much younger. Only reason I put it up here was because I documented each step (or almost all of them) for a friend who dared me to complete this with only a drill and handsaws.

lord voldamort 14 years ago

shouldnt the trigger be inside the trigger guard

Madrias357 14 years ago

Actually, that was a mistake I'd made. Note step 5, the second hint. I learned that by experience. Second, I didn't want to make a complex mechanism to pull down the back of a clothespin and insert a problematic item into a situation that needed simplicity. Third: I would rather someone spend their time improving it than make it hyper-complex to where people who don't have any special tools couldn't make it. I did this also to prove to a friend that I could make one using only hand tools and a drill.