Pixel Minecraft Nerf

In this instructables I am going to show you how to build a Nerf gun that looks like it has escaped from Minecraft. After seeing this foam pistol I immediately wanted to build a functional version. After searching a Nerf gun that I could use I stumbled over the Nerf Zombie Strike Clear Shot which perfectly fitted my needs.

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Materials

• 3 mm plywood or HDF (plywood is better)
• Nerf Clear Shot (e.g. on amazon.com)
• Paint
• Primer
• Filler
• Three 20 mm long M3 screws with nuts and washers
• Wood glue
• Masking tape
• Sanding paper
• Two component glue
• Replacement spring (optional)
• Grease (optional)
• Teflon tape (optional)
• KS140, KS139 brass tubing (optional)

Tools

• Laser cutter (or any laser cutting service)
• Metal saw
• Spatula
• Screw driver
• Clamps
• Tube cutter (optional)

In its stock performance the Clear Shot is pretty weak. So I decided to modify it. You can skip this step should you be happy with its strength.

Drill a 17/32" hole into the plunger tube to fit the KS140 tube (as shown in the first picture). Then cut the KS140 tube so that it has about the same length as a Nerf dart without the tip. Next cut an about 3 cm long piece from the KS139 tube and glue it into the KS140 tube.

Next laser cut a disc that has the same outer diameter as the plunger tube and an inner diameter of about 9 mm. It will later prevent the dart from being sucked into the plunger tube. It has to be glued to the front of it, as shown in the fourth picture. Now glue the brass tubes into the hole you drilled before and push it all the way to the disc. The KS139 piece has to be facing the plunger tube.

To get a better seal, remove the O-ring from the plunger rod and remove all the grease, afterwards wrap some Teflon tape around it, as shown in the last picture. Once you are done reapply some grease.

Start by laser cutting the parts from the files attached to this step from 3 mm ply wood or HDF (the thick black part in the trigger file has to be engraved, everything else should be cut).

As you might have guessed from the file names, "frontBack" are the front and back plates and "catch" are the pieces you need to build a housing for the catch.

Start by gluing the first seven layer from the catch housing together. The order is the same as in the file (going from the top left part along the first line over to the second line.). The last two layers will later be glued into place. Place a screw through the hole and hold it in place with a nut.

Glue the assembled trigger holder to the top right corner of the back plate as shown in the last picture of this step. Next glue the plunger holder in place. The plunger has to touch the trigger holder, as shown in the picture.

Start by assembling the trigger as shown in the pictures. Shorten the screw, so that it is about 7 mm shorter than the spring. I dipped the screw into some glue, to make it smooth and to prevent the spring from getting caught on it.

Next assemble the trigger rail as shown in the pictures. Make sure that everything moves smoothly before you go to the next step.

Next assemble the plunger rod holder, as shown in the first picture of this step. If you want to paint the plunger rod, do so beforehand.

Now assemble the last layers from the catch case and the part that holds the trigger spring.

I decided to rather stack the pieces from the borders on top of each other instead of designing them with notches. Cut each of the pieces from the "border"-file nine times and glue them in place as shown in the pictures.

Last assemble the front of the blaster, attach the spring and glue the top plate in place.

How you paint the Pixel Gun is obviously up to you. In this step you can see my suggestion.

Fill all the cracks with filler. When you are sanding, make sure to hold the gun in a way that the dust doesn't enter the plunger, else the firing power will decrease.

I had to paint the gun twice, because I used coated HDF and my primer didn't properly stick to the surface. So make sure that you get the right primer or sand thoroughly.