Ultimate Airsoft Sambucus Gun

Hello everyone!

When I was a kid, I used to play with this gun, it is easy to make and very fun to play with.

Sambucus (elder or elderberry) is the type of wood that has a hole through the trunk, this hole is filled with some spongy material which has to be removed for this project, I'll guide you through the whole process of making this gun.

Step 1: Operation Principle

The principle is, you have two caps each on one side of the pipe, when you're pressing one cap close to another one you are compressing the air and then that compressed air pushes the second cap out of the pipe.

Step 2: Tools and Materials:

You'll need:

-saw

-a metal rod

- knife

- elder

- hemp ( that's what google translate translated, I don't know exact english word for that, I know that this thing is often used for caulking the pipes, but in further steps I'll call it hemp)

Step 3: Find Elder and Right Shape of Wood

I put some descriptions in pictures.

So, the task is simple, find the elder and cut the piece of it. The best elder for this is usually about 3-4 years old, then the hole is right diameter.

Step 4: Preparation

Do as shown in pictures. :)

Step 5: Removing the Spongy Stuff

Take some long metal rod and try to push it all through the whole wooden part, that way you should remove spongy stuff. That's the way how I was doing it, if you have some other better idea just post below because I'm searching for some better way.

Step 6: Adding Wider Cap on Metal Rod

It is smart to do that because that way metal rod can't pass through the hemp cap and it can not damage the pipe.

Step 7: Cleaning the Pipe

Make some balls from hemp so they can fit in the hole, soak them in the water and then push'em through the pipe couple of times.

Step 8: Finding the Right Side

It is not the same if you try to push the hemp cap through one or other side, it is because the wood is conical shape. You know that you find the right side when you are pushing harder and harder through the pipe, it is good because then is seals gaps and stops the air from passing through.

Step 9: The End

Here is some test shooting, the sound is not something special because it is GoPro camera but it is prof that it works! :D

Thanks for watching and having interest in my project! If you have some questions or anything, just post below in comments!
Please vote!

Cheers

Comments

[lukesh15]

Oh okay well nice instructable

[ivver]

Thanks :)

[flamesami]

The fibre is indeed called "plumbers hemp" it comes from the hessian plant (used for hessian bags too). Hemp ain't the same as pot, which has much more THC than hemp (and doesn't give nice "strings" either, I think) Nice instructable :)

[ivver]

Well, thank you very much for explanation, I've been searching this for a while. Thanks! :)

[lukesh15]

Hemp is pot XD lol

[ivver]

I know it is :-P. That what I used are fibers made of something, it is possible that this is some industrial cannabis from which are made those fibers, but I really don't know other English word. :-)

[bartworker]

Long time I didn't see those! At the time, I used to keep a dozen of sambucus/elderberry berries in my mouth and use this pipe as 'spitgun'. It worked extremely well, especially on passing cars ;)

[ivver]

Totally agreed! :)
I knew to use peas or green cherries to make caps, they are also great for that if you find right size. Spitgun isn't that strong as this thing can be if you do it on the right way, but still it is one variation which is not bad :)

I plan to make some more instructables about those "once I had that" things because there is almost no tutorials how to make it. :=)

[nodcah]

Awesome project! It's cool how you used wood for the body. =D

[ivver]

Thanks! :-)
China is not only place where you can get materials for making something :-)

[Danger is my middle name]

This is so cool! It's like the natural version of the PVC pipe gun!

[ivver]

Yes, it is.
Thank you :-D