In this instructable I will show you how to build a dart gun that shoots a foam dart. It only takes cardboard, rubber bands and some other basic materials, most of which you will probably already have in your house. If you like this don't forget to vote for it on the cardboard contest! Let's get started!

Watch video of it working at: https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/s/?view=att&th=15bc0fc5cbe38f50&attid=0.1&disp=attd&safe=1&zw

Step 1: Tools and Materials

Tools:
Hot glue gun, rubber bands (one of them smaller than the others), snips (something that can cut the skewers), a pen, and a pair of scissors.

Materials:
Duct tape, wooden skewers, a couple cardboard snack boxes, and paint (optional).

Step 2: Cutting the Cardboard Box

Start with a small cardboard box like what most crackers come in. Cut off the flaps. Then cut the box in half vertically but make one half somewhat bigger than the other like in the picture.

Step 3:

Trace around the cut side of the larger half of the box on to another piece of cardboard. Cut around the line leaving about a quarter of a an inch to spare. Hot glue to the cut side of the large piece and trim off the excess sticking out.

Step 4: The Handhold

Find another box that's the same depth. Cut it in half. Glue the cut side of the box to what used to be the cut side of the bigger half of the bigger box. Make sure that the closed end of the handhold is flush with the closed end of the box.

Now cut a triangle into the open end of the handhold as shown. Fold down the flap and glue it there.

Step 5:

Cut a hole in the front of the big piece as shown by the picture.

Step 6:

Next take a small strip of cardboard and fold it as shown. Assuming the handhold is on the bottom in the front, you should glue this piece on the left side towards the back and in the middle vertically. You may want to reinforce this with more hot glue.

Step 7:

Next cut out a strip from the smaller half of the cardboard box. It should be on the left side assuming the cut end is in the front. Make sure it's approximately in the middle and goes mostly through the whole side. You may want to reinforce the ends with hot glue.

Step 8:

Make a hole in the middle on the top of the big piece towards the cut end. Do the same for the smaller half.

Step 9:

Cut a strip of cardboard the length of the smaller half of the box. Make it about 4 cm wide. Fold it in half along its length. Trace the open end of the bigger half of the box into another piece of cardboard. Next glue the smaller piece of cardboard to the end of the folded piece. Now glue the other end of the folded piece to the bottom on the inside of the smaller half of the cardboard box. Make sure that the smaller half can still slide over the top of the bigger half. Also the new piece you just added should slide into the bigger half.

Step 10:

Using the snippers cut the dowels. Cut a piece 9 cm long, three pieces 6 cm long, two pieces 4 cm long, and a piece 8 cm long.

Step 11:

Hot glue the two 5 cm pieces and the two 4 cm pieces into a rectangle. Then tape it down as shown.

Step 12:

Glue and/or tape the 8 cm piece of dowel at an angle as shown. It should be able to dip in and out of the hole. Now loop one end of a small rubber band on the end of the dowel that's sticking out and the other end should be taped down so that it inserts a small amount of tension on the dowel and holds it in the hole.

You should look at the pictures because they'll show you much more than I can explain in words.

Step 13:

Make sure that the dowel sticking into the hole sticks out about and quarter inch out of the other side.

Step 14: The Trigger

Take the biggest dowel and the last dowel and tape it into an acute angle. Take the end of big piece that's exposed and hot glue it on as shown. Next take the exposed end of the smaller piece and tape a piece of tape on it. Have most of the tape sticking out the end. Tape the other end of the tape onto the dart gun as shown.

Your almost there!

Step 15:

Cut some rubber bands so that they're not a loop. Then either tie them or glue them together to form a longer strip. Slide the two halves of the box together and rap the rubber bands around the whole dart gun. Join the strip of rubber bands at the ends.

Step 16: Finishing Touches

You should be able to pull back the top part of the dart gun and have it stay there. If it doesn't than you can trim the end of the dowel that sticks in the hole. Or you can adjust the tension of the small rubber band. Then you should be able to flick the trigger and have the top part slide into the other part. I used some foam darts from some kit and I'm sure nerf darts would work. If you don't have either of those then you can use parts of a dowel and some hot glue and cardboard to make one, look at the picture for ideas. You can paint it but be careful because the paint can warp the gun and you may have to reinforce it useing some more dowels and glue.
If you want to see it in action there's a video of it working in the intro.

I hope you enjoyed it and don't forget to vote!