Instructions for How to Make a Paper Cannon
A spitball gun, or a wad of paper in a straw, is enough to get the attention of or annoy anyone. But, you don't have to stop there. You can construct the ultimate paper weapon--the paper cannon. With a few, large poster boards, rubber bands and tape, you can create an impressive and relatively powerful device that can shoot a large ball of paper.
Other People Are Reading
Things You'll Need
- 4 black poster boards
- Large roll of invisible tape
- Ruler
- Scissors
- Large tube of super glue
- 2 very large rubber bands or 2 small bungee cords
- 6-inch piece of white yarn
- Large block of styrofoam (2 cubic feet)
- Styrofoam cutter
- Black paint
- Paintbrush
Instructions
-
-
1
Take three of the black posters and put them together in a stack. Tape the edges and sides of these posters so that they hold together tightly. Roll this stack of posters up lengthwise into a large, cylindrical tube with a diameter of 6 inches.
-
2
Cut another black poster in half lengthwise. Roll up one of these halves as tightly as possible into a tube and tape both ends of the tube so that it holds together. From the other poster board piece, cut out four circles, each 4 inches in diameter. Glue these circles, one on top of the other, to form a thick, circular stack. Glue this stack of circles to one end of the tube. Tape the circle stack to the tube as well for added reinforcement.
-
-
3
Cut open the rubber bands (do not do this if you are using small bungee cords). Tie one end of each of the rubber bands to the poster board tube from the previous step. Add tape to strengthen this connection.
-
4
Insert the poster tube with the attached rubber bands into the larger tube from the first step. Tape the rubber band to the top of the larger tube. Now, you should be able to pull back on the small tube and release it so that it shoots forward very fast.
-
5
Cut a trough into the Styrofoam block. This trough will hold the paper cannon and should be angled upward so that the cannon will point up. Place the cannon in the trough and use tape to secure it inside.
-
6
Paint the Styrofoam with the black paint. Lastly, glue the white yarn to the top of the cannon. (This will represent the wick that is used to light the cannon.)
-
1
Tips & Warnings
To operate, load the cannon with a large ball of paper. Pull back on the thin tube inside of the large tube and release it. The paper ball should be launched forward.
