22 replies to this topic

[the guy who unleashed hell]

i've been making homemade stefans and was wondering... What else is there to use besides fishing weights. I've tried small screws instead but when firing it out of my crayola barreled Eagle Eye it put a knick in th wall. Is there any household iteams that a 12 year old can use besides weights. Please help Thanks.

[NinjaBob]

BBs, or tacks.

[cxwq]

It's not a household item, but the weight we're using most frequently in west coast wars now is 1/4" steel slingshot ammo. You can get 200 of them at WalMart for about $3.

BBs, tacks, and most other household items are too light for anything but low powered guns. Screws can work well but are dangerous in high powered guns. One local group has used washers with mixed results. They tend to work well but you have to make sure the hot glue goes all the way to the edge.

[THIRST]

Ive found that #6 washers work better than slingshot ammo, but whatever is availible for you.

Edited by THIRST, 21 January 2004 - 05:35 PM.

[Oroku Saki]

If you are looking for something besides metal objects, I have heard of people using eraser chunks, or airsoft bbs. Anyone else have any ideas?

[racoon]

If you are looking for something besides metal objects, I have heard of people using eraser chunks, or airsoft bbs. Anyone else have any ideas?

Too light probably for medium-powered guns and anything more powerful than that. What you could try and do is take some rather thick copper electricity wire. Just ask your dad if he has some left from your house's electrical installation. I don't know if it's different in the US, but in Europe, we use 220V and it's colors are brown (phase 1), blue (phase 2) and yellow/green (ground). Either one of those should be enough.

If you're going to have to go out for something, I'd grab something heavier, preferably metal, instead of something light as BB's. Weighting stops your dart from making funny moves and makes it land with it's top part first. If you've ever made a bow and arrow, the arrow's heaviest part should be the tip.

[Groove]

I've used tiny washers, I think they were #6 ... I've gotten excellent results with them out of my high-powered guns. They're dirt cheap, too.

[Alexthebeast]

How dirt cheap?

[sporkboyofjustice]

In the states we use similar heavy copper wire for home wiring. The last time I bought some it was 14 gauge and $0.56 per foot. I think it comes in 12 gauge as well which is thicker. You need some pretty good wire cutters and you will end up making a sharp point in the wire when you clip it so watch out for that. When you buy a foot you get a foot of each strand so you really get 3 foot of usable wire.

I'd suggest experimenting with small rocks as they are cheap and easy to find.

[Nerfer16]

I've used tiny washers, I think they were #6 ... I've gotten excellent results with them out of my high-powered guns. They're dirt cheap, too.

How many washers do you put in each dart Groove?

[racoon]

Care to give a physical description of a washer? I've heard the name before, but noone outside of the US seems to know what a washer is

[Jangadance]

Oh, wait now I know what you mean.



Dictionary.com says a washer is "A flat disk, as of metal, plastic, rubber, or leather, placed beneath a nut or at an axle bearing or a joint to relieve friction, prevent leakage, or distribute pressure." Ironically, one of the alternate definitions is 'a name for a common raccoon'.

[snyper]

One time I couldn't find anything to use, I used bluetack.
I made a deep hole and put quite a bit in and enough to weigh it down.
I normally use fishing sinkers.

Edited by snyper, 27 January 2004 - 07:39 AM.

[Groove]

How many washers do you put in each dart Groove?

I put 2 washers on top of each other in each dart and coverly lightly with hot glue. Similarly I tried 1 washer in a few darts just to test, and they didn't do so well. The ones with 2 in them work perfectly. I didn't put any holes in the back.

Ironically, one of the alternate definitions is 'a name for a common raccoon'.

Shut up, you racoon. Go forrage for food outside my house like you always do.

[THIRST]

Gr00ve, you use 2 #6 washers? I use one and they work awsome. Im gonna go try that.

THIRST

[Groove]

Don't quote me on the size of the washers, I'm still not entirely certain they are #6. All I know is they fit almost perfectly on top of a micro stefan, with a little room around the edges. I cut my darts to be roughly 1 & 3/4", if that helps any...that, and I don't use alot of hot glue - I put a smidgen on, and move it around with the tip of my hot glue gun until there's a small little dome.

[Talio]

Dictionary.com says a washer is "A flat disk, as of metal, plastic, rubber, or leather, placed beneath a nut or at an axle bearing or a joint to relieve friction, prevent leakage, or distribute pressure." Ironically, one of the alternate definitions is 'a name for a common raccoon'.

Smart Ass!

[Spectre2689]

Has anybody tried using nuts as weights? Not edible nuts, not sexual nuts, metal nuts. I was just screwing around with a mega I have here and put a nut in the tip, glue-tipped it, and it flew pretty well. Anyone else tried nuts?

[THIRST]

Gr00ve, Im pretty sure those are #6...

Stevo123 uses nuts, his darts are really heavy, but perform well. Nuts work fine.

[Ares]

Lets see:
golf tees
little beads
screws that you actually SCREW into the foam WAY down deep into the foam

[Nerfer16]

Lets see:
golf tees

Golf tees are probably too big and too light to be effective.

[Jangadance]

I don't use alot of hot glue - I put a smidgen on.

Okay, thanks alot, Martha Stewart.

And by the way, I'm going to keep foraging in your trash like a raccoon until I find enough gene samples to create a sex slave clone of you. By the way, you're supposed to use Kleenex to blow your nose!

[Groove]

You're damn skippy, bitch. I'm the Martha Stewart of foam.