Batabult : Balloon Powered Catapult

by cherishcherub in Outside > Launchers

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Batabult : Balloon Powered Catapult

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 Please Vote For Me - this is a great april fools day prank, go on annoy your enemies!!

This is a great little catapult using only two materials which are virtually free...

It fires any ammo of your choice whatever size really far...

Trust me, It's great!

Nope, You're not seeing things...

Supplies

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 Materials

- Balloon - 
Make sure its a regular balloon, e.g. not modelling or water balloons

Small Pringles Tub - If you don't have one of these, cut off 1/2 a toilet roll and use that.

Some form of ammo - e.g. scrunched up piece of card/paper or similar object

  Equipment

- Scissors or X-Acto Knife -If you can't rip rubber, you're gonna need these  
 
Can opener - Electrical ones are best because you need to have smooth edges so you don't cut your hands...

Preparing the Balloon

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  Get the deflated balloon (Without air) and tie up the bottom as you would normally do when you've blown it up.

Then cut a line 1/3 from the rounded top (see the second picture)

The balloon's prepared...

Eating the Pringles...

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 Eat the Pringles...

Yum...

If you're using toilet roll, too bad, skip to step 4...

Preparing the Pringles Tub...

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 First, take the lid off,

Using the can opener , take off the bottom so you get a tube,

The Pringles tub is now ready.. yay

Now to put everything together...

Putting It All Together

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  Stretch the balloon over the top of the tube (doesn't matter which side of the tube), 

making sure the knot is inside the tube (see the second picture)

Firing It Up...

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  Put the "ammo" on the top of the balloon (on the other side of the knot (see the picture)

Aim and pull back the knot as far back as possible and release to fire!

Tips and Tricks...

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  - You might want to put an elastic band over the rim of the tube to hold down the balloon.

- Chewed up Chewing gum is ideal for the ammo as it sticks to your "target" and disgust the enemy.
  

----- User Submitted Tips ----

bilham says:
 
 It's a great project for kids, who can then have  gum / M&Ms / popcorn / acorn battles!