Introduction: Zoob Shooter!

The Zoob Shooter is a joint invention by my 6-year-old son and 9-year-old daughter.  It snaps together three Zoob pieces to make a toy that can shoot out a round-headed dart up to about 7.5 feet at a target.

Be careful to point away from people and fragile objects.

Basic Zoob pieces have different combinations of two kinds of ends, a ball end and a socket end, which you can combine to make all sorts of things.

Ingredients:
  • Three Zoob pieces: two socket-and-ball and one double-ball (variations are possible--but it is crucial that two pieces have at least one socket and one have at least one ball)

Step 1: Select Three Pieces

Choose three pieces, ideally:
  • two ball-and-socket pieces
  • one double-ball piece
One of the ball and socket pieces will be the dart.

Step 2: Join Two Pieces

Join the double-ball piece with one of the ball-and-socket pieces by snapping the ball into the socket.

Step 3: Bend at the Joint

Bend it as far as you can along the joint to make a vee shape.

Step 4: Add Third Piece

Snap the last piece's socket onto the point of the vee to make a Y-shape.  This socket should be rotated 90 degrees from the socket already at the vee.

Step 5: Fire!

Spread the arms of the Y to fire.

Be careful to point away from people and fragile objects.