Mini Weapons of Mass Destruction: Build Implements of Spitball Warfare (1)

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved. Mini Weapons of Mass Destruction Build Implements of Spitball Warfare By John Austin Chicago Review Press IncorporatedCopyright © 2009 John Austin All rights reserved. ISBN: 978-1-55652-953-5 Contents Introduction, Play It Safe, 1 Small Launchers, 2 Bows and Slingshots, 3 Darts, 4 Catapults, 5 Combustion Shooters, 6 Minibombs and Claymore Mine, 7 Concealing Book and Targets, CHAPTER 1 SMALL LAUNCHERS BB PENCIL The BB Pencil is a small, pocket-sized rifle designed to elastically launch a single BB. Requiring limited supplies, this is a great mechanical gun with incredible accuracy. The pencil retains its original form, making it easy to conceal in plain sight — the perfect double-agent tool. Step 1 Dissect your inexpensive mechanical pencil using brute strength. Pull out the innards and snap off the pencil tip. If you are unable to perform the decapitation by hand, use pliers. Once removed, the pencil tip can be discarded. The outer housing of the pencil becomes the barrel of the BB Pencil. Make sure the housing pathway is unobstructed by any plastic fragments that might have broken off during disassembly. Step 2 Carefully use scissors or a hobby knife to remove the tapered end of the plunger. This will make room for the BB to sit in the barrel, waiting to be launched, and will prevent it from falling out. Next, securely fasten a wide rubber band to the eraser end of the plunger with tape. If the eraser is newer, cut a slit in the eraser head to slide the rubber band into for additional support. Step 3 Once you've modified the plunger, slide it back into the pencil housing barrel. Lay the rubber band on top of the pencil housing. Eliminate any slack in the rubber band and securely fasten it to the pencil housing with tape. Any malfunction during operation will be directly related to the taping of the rubber band, so make sure it's secure. Step 4 Your BB Pencil is now fully operational. Load a single BB into the muzzle end of the barrel and choose your target carefully. Then pull back the plunger and let it rip! This mechanical marvel is capable of firing BBs with incredible force and can cause damage. It is important to remember this MiniWeapon is homebuilt and not always accurate. If you wish to test your BB Pencil, basic targets are available in chapter 7. Alternate Construction With a few simple additions, you can modify your BB Pencil by incorporating an advanced laser targeting system with additional ammo rounds at your fingertips. Using an emptied-out pen housing, cut a small BB-sized door at the open end. Then use a small piece of tape to cap the open end. The housing should hold about 30 BBs and can easily be dumped out for a quick reload. Next, tape both the pen housing and a small, inexpensive laser pointer onto your BB Pencil. Turn on your pointer when you are ready to fire. COIN SHOOTER Everyone on the ground — the party's over! The Coin Shooter is an amazing, inexpensive elastic launcher with an incredible range. Because the gun housing is made from a recycled toilet paper tube and a balloon, you'll not only be firing pennies, you'll also be saving them. Step 1 Using scissors, cut one standard-sized latex balloon in half as shown. Throw the mouth end off to one side; you will not be using it for this build. Step 2 Now it's time to manufacture the barrel of your elastic cannon. Toilet paper tubes are ideal for this component. If toilet rolls are not available, you can find thick, sturdy tubes inside rolls of paper towels, aluminum foil, and wrapping paper. Pull the balloon head over the end of the cardboard cylinder. Once in place, tape it securely into position without denting or crushing the tube. Once taped, pull the balloon back to test your adhesive restraint. Add more tape if needed. It is important that you do not alter the tube diameter when securing the tape. This will affect the efficiency of the launcher. Step 3 Now load your coin in