How to Make Toys Out of PVC Pipes

Several kinds of toys can be built out of PVC parts but guns are some of the best fitting and easiest to build. A powerful water gun can be built out of PVC pipes and a few additional seals and fittings with only a few tools for less than forty dollars in only an hour or two.

Things You'll Need

• 3/4 inch by 24-inch PVC pipe
• PVC pipe, 1 1/4 inch by 2 inch
• 2 inch by 24-inch PVC pipe
• Sandpaper
• Hacksaw
• Drill
• Drill bit, 1 1/4 inch
• 2 PVC caps, 2 inch
• PVC cap, 1 1/4
• PVC cement
• 3/4 inch PVC tee
• Reducer bushing, 1 1/4 inch by 3/4 inch
• PVC coupler, 1 1/4 inch
• 1.6 inch by .21 inch O-ring
• Vaseline

Instructions

Preparation

1. Cut your ¾-inch PVC pipe down to 24 inches using the hacksaw. Sand the edges one the cut end of the pipe.

2. Cut two inches off the 1 ¼-inch pipe and sand the cut edge of the two-inch piece.

3. Cut 24 inches off the two inch PVC pipe and sand the cut edge of the pipe.

4. Drill a single 1/4-inch hole in the center of the PVC cap to crease your nozzle piece. Drill a 1 1/4-inch hole in another PVC cap to create the piston guide.

Assembly

1. Apply PVC cement to one end of the 3/4-inch PVC pipe that was cut to 24 inches. Insert the end of the pipe in to the center of your tee creating an easy to grab handle with the other two ends of the tee going off in either direction.

2. Slide the piston guide up the 3/4-inch PVC pipe with the drilled side facing the tee at the end of the pipe. Apply PVC cement to the other end of the 3/4-inch pipe and slide the reducer in to place. Apply cement to the other end of the reducer and slide the coupler on to it.

3. Apply cement to either end of the two inch section of 1 1/4-inch PVC piping. Insert the pipe in to the coupler and slide an O-ring over the opposite end of the pipe.

4. Push the piston cap firmly on to the other end of the pipe sandwiching the O-ring between the piston cap and the coupler.

5. Apply cement to one end of the 24-inch section of two inch PVC piping and push the nozzle firmly over the cement. Apply a glob of Vaseline to the inside of the open end of the pipe. Slide the pipe over the small 3/4-inch pipe and firmly push the end of the pipe in to the piston guide finishing off your water gun.

Tips & Warnings

• Wear protective eyewear when operating power tools.

References

• MIT; The Continuous Refill, Short-Burst, Hand-Powered Water Toy; Long Lam; 2010
• Waterzooka; Build Your Own Pair of Dueling Waterzookas; Funtelligent; 2009
• Super Soaker Central; PVC Basics; 2009