18 replies to this topic

[STZman]

There is an official Nerf dart box (available here) but it strikes me as a little unorganized, so I'm trying to work out making my own.

If you're not willing to spend $20 on darts per game, then chances are you go pick them up afterwards. Chances also include that they sometimes get stepped on. And even then, having darts in a clip for too long deforms them.

So I want my ammo box to help fight the squished-dart blaster-jamming problem.

So far my list of materials includes:
- cardboard
- 1/4" hardwood dowels

I first measured the dowel into roughly 2.5" sections, then I used a scroll saw to cut the dowel into multiple tiny pegs.
After that each dowel was sanded down on both sides with a belt sander.

Next up is cutting the cardboard to make a box. I used a laser cutter at my local hackerspace.
Attached here is a link to my .svg image.

Right now the box is just held to together with tape. I'm hoping to either epoxy or bondo the finished box and then paint it with some sort of rubberized truckbed liner. That said, the darts fit well, and I can already see that storing deformed darts with the dowels helps push them back to normal.

The cut template:


The grid to mount each peg in:


The box:




Also, I'm not quite sure where to put this thread. Is it a mod? ehh, not really. A home made blaster? eh, also not quite. It is discussing darts? I'm not sure.

Edited by STZman, 22 May 2013 - 06:22 PM.

[mangonerf]

This is pretty cool idea. It should probally go in the darts subforum. Another way you could do it is with cpvc or something similar instead of pegs.

Edited by mangonerf, 22 May 2013 - 07:23 PM.

[Draconis]

I'm all for organization, but.... What. You just made a proprietary dart storage box which is incapable of storing homemade darts. You spent time over engineering a box... to make it less able to do it's job. I'm not sure whether to commend you on your fabrication skills (because indeed, you did a great job there) or just shake my head in confusion.

[Pointman9]

I'm all for organization, but.... What. You just made a proprietary dart storage box which is incapable of storing homemade darts. You spent time over engineering a box... to make it less able to do it's job. I'm not sure whether to commend you on your fabrication skills (because indeed, you did a great job there) or just shake my head in confusion.

He wants this to be able to store STOCK darts. That was, at least, my interpretation.

[DartSlinger]

It's a nice idea, but I think that you're wasting too much time and effort on something this simple. Tossing darts into a box is quicker than manually putting them onto a post, and squashed darts can be easily returned to their original shape by rolling them between your fingers two or three times.

[481IceDragon]

I'm all for organization, but.... What. You just made a proprietary dart storage box which is incapable of storing homemade darts. You spent time over engineering a box... to make it less able to do it's job. I'm not sure whether to commend you on your fabrication skills (because indeed, you did a great job there) or just shake my head in confusion.

If he wanted to store homemade darts I'm sure he would have made a way. PVC pipe instead of dowels, BAM.

It's a nice idea, but I think that you're wasting too much time and effort on something this simple. Tossing darts into a box is quicker than manually putting them onto a post, and squashed darts can be easily returned to their original shape by rolling them between your fingers two or three times.

Well it's his time to waste, eh? He never made you make the box, or use it. And if this PREVENTS the darts from being deformed in the first place, I'm all for it. Once they're deformed, they aren't as stiff, and they keep getting worse and worse.

I really don't understand why people have to be so critical. It's a box. With pegs in it. Is it incredibly genius? No. Is it pretty nifty idea? In my opinion yes.

You may think it's stupid, and you guys have every right to your opinion, but don't go criticising his design telling him it's pointless, or a waste of time.

[Xellah]

I used a laser cutter at my local hackerspace.

You used a laser cutter... to cut cardboard? No criticism necessary here, none whatsoever.

It's a neat idea. Not applicable to any nerfers that attend outdoor NIC events, but probably viable for the HvZ crowd.

[andtheherois]

Woah Bro. Getting a little defensive over something that isn't yours. Take a chill pill. The point is that this is a cool box, but it's still just a box. For something like dart storage at least. The effort would have been better used something else.

[azrael]

Tell us more about hackerspaces.

[Zorns Lemma]

Tell us more about hackerspaces.

Most of them have you pay way too much a month in membership fees for basically a garage where dudes come to play with LEDs and feel smug.

A few of them are excellent places where you can gain access to machinery that would be prohibitive to buy yourself.

[azrael]

Hahah, I had a feeling it was like that. A lot of guys shit bricks over the fact they can build 3x3x3 Arduino based LED cubes.

I looked it up, didn't seem like some of the ones in San Diego had fees, though. Might be worth looking into, for myself.

[Hammy]

I think "good job".

Maybe you could use straws instead of dowels to keep costs down

[481IceDragon]

Woah Bro. Getting a little defensive over something that isn't yours. Take a chill pill. The point is that this is a cool box, but it's still just a box. For something like dart storage at least. The effort would have been better used something else.

I'm not getting defensive. I'm just sick of people on this site being so damn critical, and making snide comments about something some put up. If you think his box a stupid worthless piece of shit, cool, but you don't have to post it in a smartass way. Just keep it yourself. It's just something that really irritates me, and there's no need for it.

[boobie817]

The guy takes pride in what he does and it shows. Great job. I think ill make one for my 2 year old so he'll stop crushing darts

[Draconis]

I'm not getting defensive. I'm just sick of people on this site being so damn critical, and making snide comments about something some put up. If you think his box a stupid worthless piece of shit, cool, but you don't have to post it in a smartass way. Just keep it yourself. It's just something that really irritates me, and there's no need for it.

And yet, you've wasted a lot more time and effort arguing about it than any of us whom have derided the topic of discussion. My whole point was that he put too much effort in. He easily could have used the same laser cutter and cut 1/2" diameter holes instead of 1/4" holes for the pegs. Then it would work for any dart he wanted, rather than ONLY streamlines. I was trying to caution about over-engineering at the cost of functionality and flexibility.

On a related note, you irritate me and there is really no need for you. If you don't enjoy the dynamic of this site, then don't come here.

[481IceDragon]

And yet, you've wasted a lot more time and effort arguing about it than any of us whom have derided the topic of discussion. My whole point was that he put too much effort in. He easily could have used the same laser cutter and cut 1/2" diameter holes instead of 1/4" holes for the pegs. Then it would work for any dart he wanted, rather than ONLY streamlines. I was trying to caution about over-engineering at the cost of functionality and flexibility.

On a related note, you irritate me and there is really no need for you. If you don't enjoy the dynamic of this site, then don't come here.

Well he didnt. If you think that's he it should be done, YOU make a write up and take Time out of your day to do it, which you won't of course. If he wants to put in time and effort, let him! We're playing with children's toys here... For a toy, Removing an AR is "putting too much effort in" but we like the results, and we think its worth it. so we do it. And the way you said it was NOT "cautioning" it was speaking as if the box and the creator are so beneath you, and your vastly more intelligent, which perhaps you are.

If someone enjoys something, time isn't an issue. I enjoy doing bodywork, and painting, so I have no qualms spending an entire work day hand sanding a car, or wet sanding the paint smooth, even though it looked good already, or would have been quicker to just clear the car, and get it back to the customer. Maybe he enjoys building boxes and using the laser cutter. Maybe you should support his attempts to learn a skill, instead of following most of our generation and plugging in to Xbox.

I Irritate you? Really. Why, exactly? Becuase I said something you didn't agree with, or approve of? Perhaps I "put too much effort" into my response. I enjoy this site greatly, it's just assholes like you that I don't like here.

I'm done arguing on this thread. If you would like to continue chatting, drop me a PM.

Edited by 481IceDragon, 24 May 2013 - 12:45 AM.

[mangonerf]

Ice Dragon I hate it when people say children's toys because toys that can punch a whole through cardboard like a plus bow or Pump Snap aren't children's toys they are well crafted and engineered homemades that are not made for children to play.
This is a cool idea but who really uses streamlines in the NIC.

Edited by mangonerf, 24 May 2013 - 06:44 AM.

[Griever 2112]

It's called constructive criticism. The design is good,but like mentioned it is only for stock darts, and the fact that straws would be cheaper to use then the dowel rod is a valid point, also for the majority of us who use slugs and domes and so on, that don't have holes in the back, we either A] can't really use this. or B] Need to modify this to fit our needs, and thus really negating the function. Also the fabrication method while yeah it works, it way overly complicated, a laser cutter? on card board? this could have been done just as well with a sharp razor blade, and a 1/2" drill bit in a drill press.

The design is sound, I would have simply made the holes 1/2" instead of 1/4" to hold the dowel rod in place and moved that piece up and rested the darts directly in the holes. And if you wanted a grip to them, then put straws at the bottom like your rods originally were.

Edited by Griever 2112, 24 May 2013 - 07:47 AM.

[Daniel Beaver]

Let me summarize what happened in this thread:

STZman: shares his dart storage box, provides pictures, materials and instructions for how to build
Everyone else except Icedragon: shits on the carpet, yaps on and on about how the carpet was ugly and their shit stains are a form of artistic criticism
Icedragon: Gets so mad about the carpet he spontaneously combusts

Edited by Ice Nine, 24 May 2013 - 03:18 PM.