Hot Construction Toys Posts
How To: Make a quiver full of larp safe foam tipped arrows
This tutorial is a great guide on how you can make a set of safe, foam-tipped arrows. You'll need to start with some hobby arrows, metal washers, wall anchors, a small NERF football, a hot glue gun, glue sticks, measuring tape and a foam golf ball or blue camping foam.
How To: Make LARP-safe werewolf claws or monster claws
This tutorial shows you how you create a boffer larp safe pair of werewolf claws. Start with some basic heavy gloves, like gardening gloves, then cut out your claws from foam (at least three inches long!), and then follow along with the tutorial to end up with your own awesome monster claws!
How To: Build your K'NEX Vertical Vengeance Roller Coaster
K'NEX is one of the most popular construction toys on the market, right next to Lincoln Logs and LEGOs, but what makes K'NEX stand out is the fact that children can build mechanically derived toys. Instead of blocks or little logs, kids use interconnecting plastic rods and connectors, which give them tons of contraptions to build and play with. Today, K NEX has even more possibilities with wheels, pulleys, panels and flexi-rods to make amusement park roller coasters, airplanes, animals, bikes...
How To: Make and build mousetrap powered car
Vroom! Power a balsa wood vehicle from the energy of a mousetrap! Fun and easy project brought to you by Make Magazine!
How To: Make a rubber band gun with legos
Need a new rubber band weapon? This video will teach you how to make a lego rapidfire rubber band gun! With this rapid fire gun you can fight crime as well as cats. Make a rubber band gun with legos.
How To: Paint your airsoft gun using Krylon paint
Airsoft is a fun and exciting tactical game that really gets you off your feet! And what really sets it apart from paintball is the guns! They look much closer to the real thing and add that extra depth to the game! But the paint jobs and wood finishes are never the best, but that's ok, because you can paint it yourself! In this video you will get a tutorial on how to paint your airsoft rifle using Krylon paint.
How To: Modify a Nerf Firefly toy gun
In this Hobbies & Toys video tutorial you will learn how to modify a Nerf Firefly toy gun by replacing the barrels with CPVC and adding a new spring. You start with the power blaster and open it up. Remove the turret by removing other parts as shown in the video. Remove the screws from the turret and pull it apart. Cut off one side of the front end of the turret. Now cut 8 x 3” CPVC barrels, wrap black tape around one end and ram them into the back of the turret. Then pull out the plunger, ...
How To: Build a LEGO house frame
This tinkerer's tutorial will walk you through the process of assembling a house frame from plastic toy LEGO blocks, a necessary component of any LEGO house. For detailed, step-by-step instructions, watch this free video how-to.
How To: Build a magic rollback can
This video tutorial in Hobbies & Toys category will show you how to build a magic rollback can. For this you will need a can with lid, rubber band, weight, tape, sticks and scissors. Make a hole in the center of the lid of the can and also on the bottom of the can. Attach the rubber band to the weight with the tape as shown in the video. Pass one end of the rubber band from inside the can through the hole in the bottom of the can and put a stick to hold it in place. Pass the other end of the ...
How To: Build a tampon gun
Well, this is not the most detailed tutorial, but check it out if you want a few tips to build a tampon gun.
How To: Build a LEGO Star Wars Imperial Scout Trooper
This video shows you how to create a LEGO Star Wars imperial scout trooper from Episode 6...The Return of the Jedi.
How To: Build a Lego Pac-Man
See how to build Namco's classic video game icon Pac-Man out of legos.
How To: Make sanity reducing creepy Cthulhu tentacles
Now you too can build your own prop of eldritch horror! Guaranteed to induce a SAN check in anyone who sees it, this tutorial shows you how to build a set of flexible Cthulhu tentacles out of one inch furniture foam, half inch furniture foam, steel wire, pantyhose, one inch PVC tubing, epoxy and a jar of latex.
News: Hack a Nerf gun for superior fire power
Store bought Nerf guns don't always achieve the velocity necessary for an effective assault. Zach Scott's solution: mod the toy. Known for his fantastic cat videos, Zach claims this hack increases trajectory by at least 25%! Every bit counts when you're in an all out foam war.
How To: Make a Bridge Out of Popsicle Sticks
Do you have free time? Then build your own bridge out of Popsicle sticks. Bre Pettis goes over the basics of building bridges. As a bonus, you get to watch other people stand on their own bridges and break them.
How To: Make an air vortex cannon
You've seen what a vortex cannon can do, so now it's time to build your own! Okay, this air vortex cannon is not huge, but it's definitely a fun thing to construct if you have some junk plastic laying around, and it works really well for its size. Grab a cheap plastic container and follow along to the video instructions and build yourself a homemade vortex cannon!
How To: Build a spy periscope
This video is to show you how to construct a super cool spy gadget! You'll need some toilet paper tubes, tape, scissors, glue and an old CD. Then, just like that you'll be able to make home made spy gear in no time.
How To: Use the DAP adhesive to construct foam boffer weapons
This video shows you everything you need to know when constructing foam boffer weapons with Weldwood brand DAP contact cement adhesive. Always make sure you buy the red can, and don't get the gel formula. Also make sure you buy a timer for extra precision.
How To: Make an easy switch blade knife
This is an easy to follow step by step video explaining how to make a switch blade out of easy to find objects. This is not a real knife but still has the function of a switchblade.
How To: Make a jumping paper clip toy
How to make an amazing toy: Let me show you how to make it in ONE minute with TWO paper clips, it can jump up to 2 meters high.
How To: Make boffer weapons using the latex methods
Want to go beyond the basics of larp weapon making? This tutorial shows you how to use latex and foam to make any sort of larp weapon you can imagine, from a sword to a spear to even a mace or halberd.
How To: Build a Hovercraft with Plywood and a Leaf Blower
This tutorial video will show you how to build a hovercraft using plywood, a leaf blower, and various other materials. This hovercraft works best on a smooth, flat surface.
How To: NASA Engineer Shows You How to Build a Mini Curiosity Mars Rover Out of LEGOs
You might have seen our post on this last week: It's a working reproduction of the Mars Curiosity Rover made with LEGOs, but it's a bit complicated for anyone without a decent amount of robotics knowledge. Plus, you need to have some Mindstorms NXT and TECHNIC parts lying around. If you want something a little simpler than programming a working LEGO rover, you could always build a scaled model of the MSL out of regular LEGOs. Not only is this easy to build and looks great, but the step-by-ste...
How To: Make a Soul Eater scythe out of cardboard for cosplay
Soul eater is one of the most popular manga and anime series in the world, and the scythe that protagonist Maka uses against the souls of the damned is one of teh cooler weapons in modern anime. This video will teach you how to make an excellent cardboard replica of it for cosplay.
How To: Make a 300-style Spartan chest piece with paper mache
This is Sparta! If you find yourself yelling that line from the film and graphic novel 300 before doing all sorts of intense tasks, than this two-part video is for you. It will teach you how to make your own wearable replica of a Spartan chest piece out of cardboard and paper mache at home. Never be harmed by Persian arrow again!
How To: Build a LEGO chicken
If you've ever wanted to learn how to build a LEGO chicken, today is your lucky day. First you'll need a 1x1 red LEGO stud, flat square with claw, smooth white, orange with a tooth, flat square, and a flat square with a circle coming out of the side. Starting with the claw, but the stud on top. Now take the piece with the claw and attach that to the opposite side of the claw. Put your flat square on top of that, then the flat with the tooth and another flat square goes on top. Now you're done...
News: Deviously Clever Prison Contraband
We've featured Temporary Services before, but we thought they deserved a full spread. In this post, we've included some of their How-To drawings and examples of recreated prison art.
How To: Make an automatic Lego crossbow
This video tutorial shows how to assemble an automatic Lego crossbow. Learn how to build and operate an automatic toy crossbow made out of Lego bricks.
How To: Do a Jacob's ladder string trick
Learn how to do Jacob's ladder with string. You will be able to amaze your friends!
How To: Make a Tesla vortex
Take a journey to the center of a vortex. A beautiful whirlpool is created by the magnetic coupler inside a tall CD cover, driven by the Tesla CD Turbine on faucet water pressure.
How To: Make a simple Knex gun with trigger
These are assembly instructions for a simple Knex gun with trigger
How To: Make a homemade stirling engine
Are you looking to build a cool home science experiement? Why not try out a Stirling engine? Wait, what IS a stirling engine? Well... a Stirling engine is a heat engine operating by cyclic compression and expansion of air or other gas, the working fluid, at different temperature levels such that there is a net conversion of heat energy to mechanical work. This project was made from parts around the house and you should be able to do the same. This is a great project to explain how gears work,...
How To: Make a fast and easy tennis ball trebuchet
In this tutorial, we learn how to make a fast and easy tennis ball trebuchet. This tool will throw tennis balls easily so you can hit them without having a partner around. This only needs a few pieces of wood and 2x4's along with dumbbells. There isn't a whole lot to this, it's very simple to build. Use two 10 lb dumbbells clamped with a hose clamp onto the top of a 2x4. Use a dowel to go through this, so it will help it rotate. Down at the bottom is the release mechanism and on the sides wil...
How To: Construct your own replica of a keyblade out of craft foam
If you're looking for how to make the perfect cosplay prop, this tutorial is for you! You can construct your own replica keyblade! You'll need some heavy craft foam to sketch out the keyblade design, and then a sharp craft knife to cut it out. Then cover it and paint!
How To: Make a larp safe throwing weapon out of foam
All you need is some 3/4 inch pipe insulation foam, 1 inch pipe insulation foam, rice filler, electrical tape and some blue camping foam. Layer the insulation foam, add some blue camping foam and then tape everything up and apply paint or Plasti-dip as desired.
How To: Turn a Cobra Crossbow into a larp safe crossbow
If you're only fighting with foam, you don't want a professional hunting weapon. But you can refit a commercial crossobw and make it larp safe. Starting with the Cobra crossbow, you can modify it to safely shoot foam tipped arrows at a boffer larp.
How To: Make a mini K'Nex pistol
This video tutorial is in the Hobbies & Toys which will show you how to make a mini K'Nex pistol. Chris Swartzentruber shows you how to do this in this video. First make the trigger mechanism with the green, white, blue and orange parts as shown. Next make the handle using the parts as shown in the video. One end of the handle is green and the other end is orange. Then you make the handle support, barrel, magazine, rod pusher and the firing pin as demonstrated. Attach the handle to the barrel...
How To: Modify your laser pointer
In this video, learn how to modify your laser pointer to make fun, new shapes. This video will show you how to make an extremely cool new toy and impress everyone. Imagine what your class reaction will be when you start pointing to things with a funky shape instead of a typical pointer. Laser pointers are great for presentations, cat toys and just general fun. Why not modify yours and make it your own?
News: LEGO 1858 Remington .45
Meticulously crafted LEGO replica of a Remington .45, circa the Wild Wild West, 1858. Created by Flickr user Arkov.
How To: Make an animatronic hand
Ever feel like you don't have enough hands? Build a third one! You will need a 3 foot aluminum rod, a piece of 2 inch by 4 inch wood, a 25 pack of 1/8 in by 2 inch toggle bolts, #6 by 1/2 inch metal screws, an electric drill, drill bits, 14 inch cable ties, and a hacksaw or chop saw. Watch this video tutorial and learn how to build an animatronic robot hand.