Homemade Nerf Blaster
Background
The goal of this personal project was to make my own homemade "Nerf" blaster utilizing original 3D printed parts from my new Creality CR-10. I wanted to create my own design while taking notes from other homemade blaster projects I had researched online. The materials for this project needed to be easily accessible and relatively inexpensive, and tools were limited to a drill, dremel, hacksaw, and other basic hand tools.
Ideation & Research
I brainstormed components, mechanisms, and methods of assembly to layout the design of the blaster and generate a parts list to purchase. I also researched other DIY Nerf projects online for inspiration.
Design & Build
The blaster is largely constructed of PVC piping and 3D printed parts. I designed a mount that screws into the body, and includes a rail geometry to accept the handle of a previously disassembled Nerf blaster. This handle mount also houses the catch and trigger mechanisms. The 3D printed trigger is connected to the mount by a torsion spring, which raises a nail through the body of the blaster into the plunger tube. This nail locks an 11" spring in compression when the blaster is primed. The plunger head is comprised of metal and rubber washers to achieve an airtight seal.
Handle Mount Iteration
My original 3D printed handle mount snapped when attempting to assemble the torsion spring and trigger assembly. I went through four major iterations of the design, creating an overall more rigid geometry that was able to withstand the spring force of the trigger pull while also considering design for assembly.
Firing Demo
Key Takeaways
This project involved a lot of hands-on prototyping, testing, troubleshooting, and design iteration to achieve a functional blaster. I learned more about 3D print orientation, and how to maximize the strength of the trigger and handle mount such that any stresses generated while using the blaster did not induce splitting along layer lines. Moving forward, I plan to create a stock for the blaster, which functions as a guide for the priming handle and a face guard for the plunger tube.