Turning a Toy Into a Kegerator Bar Gun

Intro: Turning a Toy Into a Kegerator Bar Gun

An inexpensive "Soda Fountain Pro" toy from Target is converted into the agoraphobic alcoholic's dream gear: a home-use Bar Gun. With two buttons on the gun, this enables you to automatically dispense any two-beverage combo.

This project requires a CO2 system - making it the perfect add-on project for someone already outfitted with a kegerator.

Dispense shots like a madman, mix drinks while you are dispensing them, or even use it for (gasp) actual soda dispensing.

This project is very, very easy - so easy, in fact, that it should probably be regulated by your state's Liquor Control Board.

STEP 1: Acquire a SODA FOUNTAIN PRO

This particular product was located in the Clearance section of the local Target. It is part of the "Wild Time Gizmos" series of fun party-oriented toys. The product was a mere $3.48 - a bargain at twice the price.

STEP 2: Buy the Plumbing Fittings to Connect This to a Kegerator

Since the Soda Fountain Pro product was designed for kids to use, there is a hand pump in the gun. In fact, this might be part of the fun for kids in using it. However, in field trials with adults and alcoholic beverages, the hand pump operation became a problem shortly after the fifth or sixth drink.

Plus, the goal is to have a bar gun - and the bartenders out at real bars don't have time to pump. So, it was clear that CO2 was the best option for driving the pump on a continous basis.

So, in order to hook up the gun to a CO2 system, you'll need the appropriate plumbing fittings to connect the small tube to the standard size CO2 air system.

I did this by purchasing a 1/4" hose barb to 1/4" female adapter and a 1/8" inch hose bard to 1/4" male plug. Cover the male fitting in teflon tape and screw it together.

Don't forget the teflon tape - it will ensure a good seal between the fittings and costs less than the CO2 gas you'd otherwise lose.

Cost for this whole lot at a respectable hardware store should run about $5-$6.

STEP 3: Remove the Tube From the Hand Pump

At the base of the gun are three clear tubes. Two of the tubes connect to the buttons and the dispensor. The middle tube connects to the hand pump.

At the base of the gun, pull the tubes apart all the way to the bottle mounting fixture. Then snip the middle tube off at the base of the gun.

Attach this tube to the 1/8" hose barp on the fitting you created in the previous step.

STEP 4: Hook It Up to the Kegerator

My kegurator's CO2 tank had a Y fitting after the regulator, which was not used in my current setup.

I attached the other end of the fitting into a length of CO2 hose and connected to this output. I used a stainless steel hose clamp as well as a plastic hose clamp.

Open the CO2 valve and we had pressure. The two liter bottles held all of the pressure in my current keg setup. It is probably worth it to make sure you use good, sturdy 2 Liter bottles.

STEP 5: Prepare Your Poison

Vodka and tonic is my drink. I bought a two liter bottle of tonic water and filled an empty two liter soda bottle with Vodka.

Take off the caps for the bottles and screw on the Soda Fountain Pro's manifold.

And there you have it.

STEP 6: Drink Up.

Press one button at a time for individual dispensing or press both buttons at once for a mixed solution.

It is a pretty quick stream of liquid - so you might want to hold on to the cup.

That's all that it took for me. Or at least all I can remember now. A warning: demonstrating this for your friends too many times may result in a nasty headache the next day.

I guess I should get to work on an aspirin dispenser.

Comments

[master key]

WHERE CAN I GET A SOADA FOUANTAIN PRO!

[loppy96]

ebay

[master key]

besides ebay beacause I hate ebay

[dnmonsen]

try to search on google

[erie94550]

 Cant find it on ebay

[mtheadxc]

Update to my post from yesterday. The 3-way dental syringe that I just purchased on eBay was $14.99 and $10 for shipping. Tubing connects into the syringe via hose barbs. I can't for see and major difficulties in subbing this into Unabill's design. I'll let people know how things work out.

[martin01p]

Sorry late response but did you ever get around to using this design? If so how did it go? I think of subing the Soda Fountain Pro for this. Thanks

[mtheadxc]

I actually never got around to putting it together. I was travelling for work when I ordered it. Now I'm back to travelling, and had completely forgotten about it until now. I did however put some tubing onto the barbs and pressurize via blowing through the tube. In theory the dental syringe will work, but I think the hose barbs are too small to be effective. They are 1/8" threads x 1/16" barb. Very little flow. If 1/8" thread x 1/8" barbs can be obtained in 316SS and swapped out it might be a little bit better. As far as the look and feel of the dental syringe very cool.

[Unabill]

How did it work? I've got a few soda fountain pros left from my conversion and am excited to hear if you were able to make the dental syringe work on the front-end.

[bwpatton1]

On the hand pump it came with, does that pump create suction or is it just an air pump? B/c if it is just an air pump than you could just attach an fish tank air pump to it and PRESTO!! you now have a soda fountain pro without the annoying hand pump

[2 stroke]

he said in step three the center tube goes to the hand pump so you can cut the middle tube and attach the fish tank air pump

[TheBlackBird]

Does anyone know if these can be found anymore, because I searched everywhere and they seem to be gone.

[Unabill]

I have 6 or seven of the soda fountain pro's left over from my multi-headed project. Anyone interested in one of them can email me. I'd prefer to trade for something of equal value.

[bwpatton1]

Oh do you still have some of those left? I only need one.

[maker12]

pvc is toxic eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeek!

[lucek]

only some pvc. pex for instance isn't.

[tulayozyurt]

but you pass potable water thru pvc

[Derin]

oops i left a comment with my moms account

[JoeyJaroz]

Asprin Gun lol

[santy22]

you could make a aspirin-water solution, and put that in one of the tubes, so one button is the disease, and the other is the cure