Homemade Lawn Darts

You can't buy real lawn darts, but you can craft an equivalent out of stuff you probably already have.

Lawn darts, once a popular outdoor game, have been banned from sale in the U.S. since 1988 due to dart-related injuries. The objective is similar to horseshoes or darts; players toss large darts towards a target and score points if the dart lands within the ring. The ban has been in place long enough that lawn darts have become difficult to find even secondhand, but an easy homemade version can be fashioned from plastic soda bottles for those who choose to play at their own risk.

Things You'll Need

• 4 common nails, 6D
• 4 bolts, 3/8 inch x 1 inch
• J-B WELD adhesive
• 4 soda bottles, 20 oz.
• 3/8 inch drill bit
• Electric drill
• Utility knife
• 8 washers, 3/8 inch
• 4 nuts, 3/8 inch

Instructions

1. Clean the heads of the nails and the bolts. Squeeze out equal portions of J-B WELD from the black and red tubes and mix thoroughly.

2. Attach the head of each nail to the head of a bolt with the mixed J-B WELD. Clean up any stray adhesive with soap and water before it dries, and allow the bonded surfaces to cure for 24 hours.

3. Drill a 3/8-inch hole in the center of the cap of each soda bottle. Cut the bottom off of the bottle 1 inch below the label.

4. For each of the four darts, place a washer on the 3/8 inch bolt, followed by the bottle cap (so that the top of the cap is flush against the washer), another washer, and a nut. Tighten the assembly and screw the cap onto the bottle.

Tips & Warnings

• Ensure that the hole in the bottle cap is centered, or the dart will be off balance.

• Lawn darts are not safe for children.

• Do not stand near the target during a game.

References

• U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission: Lawn Darts Are Banned and Should Be Destroyed