RUBBER BAND ENGINEER BUILD: SLINGSHOT-POWERED ROCKETS RUBBER BAND RIFLES UNCONVENTIONAL CATAPULTS * AND MORE GUERILLA GADGETS FROM HOUSEHOLD HARDWARE LANCE AKIYAMA CONTENTS INTRODUCTION Notes from a Rubber-Band Tinkerer HANDHELD SHOOTERS MANY-THING SHOOTER PVC SLINGSHOT RIFLE CROSSBOW BOW AND ARROW MINI SIEGE ENGINES PYRAMID CATAPULT ENHANCED MOUSETRAP CATAPULT FLOATING ARM TREBUCHET DA VINCI CATAPULT HYDRAULIC + PNEUMATIC POWER HYDRAULIC AND PNEUMATIC SYSTEMS: THE BASICS PNEUMATIC MAGIC BOX EXTENDING GRABBER ROBOT ARM HYDRAULIC FIGHTING ROBOTS FLIGHT IMPROVISED DARTS SLINGSHOT ROCKET RUBBER BAND HELICOPTER OTHER GADGETS + CONTRAPTIONS PAPER PLANE LAUNCHER WIRE LOOP GAME PROPELLER-POWERED CAR APPENDICES Material Sources About the Author Index INTRODUCTION NOTES FROM A RUBBER-BAND TINKERER “Whoa, that shot a lot farther than I thought it would!” Shooting far, flying high, and delivering way more exciting results than expected are the goals for the gadgets in this book. Discover unexpected ways to turn common materials into crafty contraptions that range from surprisingly simple to curiously complex. Whether you build one or all of these designs, you’ll feel like an ingenious engineer when you’re through. Best of all, you don’t need to be an experienced tinkerer to make any of these projects. All you need are household tools and materials, such as paper clips, pencils, paint stirrers, and ice pop sticks. Oh, and rubber bands. Lots of rubber bands. So grab your glue gun, pull out your pliers, track down your tape, and get started on the challenging, fun, and rewarding journey toward becoming a rubber band engineer.