How to Make a Snowballzooka

The Snowballzooka is a great way to add some fun and style into your neighborhood snowball fight. It's simple design and ease of use make it a great addition to your arsenal of snowball firing machines.

The materials needed to make your very own Snowballzooka include the following:

(**ENSURE THAT THE SMALLER PVC PIPE CAN SLIDE INSIDE LARGER PIPE WITHOUT TOO MUCH FRICTION**)

- 24" length of 2" PVC pipe

- 18" length of either 1 3/4" or 1 7/8" outer diameter PVC pipe

- 2 bungee cords of at least 2.5' length

- Packing tape

- 2 scraps of 2x4" wood at least 1' in length

- A pipe clamp large enough to fit around your 2" PVC pipe

- 2 steel "L" brackets

- 4x 1 1/2" steel "C" brackets

- An assortment of different length wood screws

- 2 thin washers

- Zip-ties

The tools needed for this project are minimal, they include:

- Screwdrivers

- Saw

- Drill

Start by marking the 2" pipe at 20" long; proceed to cut the pipe at this length.

Next, mark the smaller diameter PVC pipe at 18" length and cut to this length.

Now that you have the plunger cut to length you can finish it by doing the following:

First cover one end with packing tape, this end will push the snowball out of the barrel so make sure the tape adheres to the pipe well and is taught.

Next take the 4" of excess 2" PVC pipe and cut it lengthwise so that it can be compressed to seat tightly around the smaller diameter PVC plunger.

Fasten this piece of 2" pipe to the opposite end of the packing tape with 8 screws evenly spaced around the pipe.

Now drill holes on opposite sides at the end of the pipe to attach the bungee cord hooks to. This is done at the end opposite the tape.

Finally, at the end opposite the tape again, drill a hole straight through both walls of the PVC to attach your zip-tie handle to. Attach the zip-ties together to form one longer zip-tie if necessary.

Start by cutting two 1' lengths of 2x4. Angling the corners is an optional safety measure. Cut 1 1/4" V notches into both pieces of wood as pictured, ensuring both are centered.

Next, drill 2 holes spaced evenly at 3 3/4" to each side of the center of the notches and 1/2" above the horizontal edge on the notched side. These holes need to allow a bungee cord to fit through them. Refer to pictures. (Disregard the two larger diameter holes unevenly spaced in picture, they were pre-existing)

Start this step by marking drilling points offset 90 degrees from each other 3/4" of an inch in from one end of the 2" PVC barrel. Next drill the holes making sure that they are large enough to accommodate a screwdriver shaft.

Place the end of the pipe that you just drilled on one of the V notched 2x4's with the holes lined up directly across from the notch face as pictured above.

Fasten the pipe to the wood using two flat faced screws with washers to provide extra support. (drilling optional pilot holes in the wood may prevent the wood from splitting)

Start by drilling 4 holes 3/4 of the way down the narrow edge of the 2x4" that is already fastened to the barrel. This will allow you to inset the screws and screw the pieces of wood together around the barrel as pictured.

Next take your "C" brackets and fasten them around the bungee support as pictured. Fasten them with screws as tightly as possible.

Lastly, screw the "L" brackets to the bungee support and then tightly secure them to the barrel using a pipe clamp.

Put the plunger in the barrel and attach each bungee cord to the plunger by putting the hook through the holes drilled earlier.

Next cut the hook off of the other end of the bungee cords and push the cord through the holes you drilled in the bungee support.

Pull the bungee cord so that there is some pre-tension in the cord and then tie a knot in it to prevent it from being pulled back through the wood.

Load snowballs from the front and pull back on the plunger. Releasing the plunger results in a snowball being fired.