Paul Simon is prescient.
cue: Emma Blowgun’s Last Stand
I’m astounded that anyone might need a laser to shoot a blowgun accurately. You’re already sighting down the tube, it generally takes about four practice shots at different ranges to become deadly accurate. On the other hand, at less than $3 why not?
That last image would have been so different with a pointy death dart.
Heads-up: know your local laws. http://usblowgun.com/legal.html
These aren’t legal everywhere.
pvc tubing in that length alone cost 3.00, nevermind the camouflage tape, pvc adapters, hot glue or blue putty, post it notes, then the laser.
under 15.00 maybe.
This is one point where the new animated gif functionality actually got me to look closer at a post I otherwise would have skipped past. “Blowgun that shoots nail darts” + “apparently shooting the blowgun at a pretty girl” = “I’d better go back to that one and see wtf it’s all about”.
But yeah, I’m not sure how this is doable for under $3.
I know what I’m doing this afternoon.
Wow, misdemeanor in CA
2005 California Penal Code Sections 12580-12583 Article 4. Blowguns
PENAL CODE
SECTION 12580-12583
- “Blowgun,” as used in this article, means a hollow tube
designed and intended to be used as a tube through which a dart is
propelled by the force of the breath of the user. - “Blowgun ammunition,” as used in this article, means a dart
designed and intended for use in a blowgun. - Any person who knowingly manufactures, sells, offers for
sale, possesses, or uses a blowgun or blowgun ammunition in this
state is guilty of a misdemeanor. - Nothing in this article shall prohibit the sale to, purchase
by, possession of, or use of blowguns or blowgun ammunition by
zookeepers, animal control officers, Department of Fish and Game
personnel, humane officers whose names are maintained in the county
record of humane officers pursuant to Section 14502 of the
Corporations Code, or veterinarians in the course and scope of their
business in order to administer medicine to animals.
Hmm, if I run a tube over to a friend and use their breath, will I be ok?
Hmm… so using compressed air would be ok?
Seriously though, F California’s laws. Good god.
Just call it a mashmellow launcher and you are covered. Like how you can still buy knuckle dusters and call it a paper weight.
Not really. If you’re running around terrorizing people with a blowgun, they don’t want you to be able to say, “it’s legal, so ha-ha!” I don’t imagine they have a Blowgun Confiscation Squad running ballistics tests on your spitballs.
They are a prohibited weapon in Canada, covered by the same laws that prohibit things like full-auto firearms and armour piercing ammunition, for some reason. I suspect bureaucrats who read too many spy novels, myself.
Anyway, here’s the list of illegal things in Canada: Regulations Prescribing Certain Firearms and Other Weapons, Components and Parts of Weapons, Accessories, Cartridge Magazines, Ammunition and Projectiles as Prohibited or Restricted
If you’re terrorizing someone with a blow gun - is that even a thing? - then you would be guilty with assault if you are actually shooting it someone, or menacing if you are threatening to.
“Blowgun Confiscation Squad” careful, Feinstein may hear you.
The anti-gun control part of me wishes to snark up at some of the comments here drawing parallels to the comments here vs firearms (holes on both sides and all).
The human side of me appreciates the humor for what it is.
Human side wins today. 
Go out and be less shitty to each other heh.
It’s been said, but I don’t see how this is even remotely close to being under $3. I’d love to see the video maker list the cost of materials as he goes along- even if you assume some common household things like the hot glue or scotch tape don’t count, it looks like any one or two ingredients will exceed the $3 cost easily, and that’s even before adding the camo tape and quiver.
It’s still awesome, probably still fairly cheap, and looks like a lot of fun to make and use! A family member of mine made a potato gun once and I think it might still be lying around the garage, but I’m afraid it will explode if I try to use it (and it might be illegal as well). The blowgun seems a bit safer, though it looked like firing marshmallows down someone’s gullet at high velocity might pose a choking hazard.
Well, he mentioned near the end that if you build these blowguns in bulk they might come under $3 a piece.
What kind of potato gun do you have lying around? I’ve built one of the hairspray combusting kind as a teenager and it all but vaporized potatoes when shot at brick walls, leaving little less than a tiny wet clump and moisture around the point of impact. After leaving it in the cellar for more than a decade I wanted to have a go again, so I just cleared out some cobwebs and put in new batteries for the igniter and it worked the way it did on its first day. Apparently polypropylene tubes are built to last…
I have no idea, I’m afraid, I haven’t even seen it in years. I just remember a vaguely L-shaped thing made out of PVC pipes, with a switch on one end.
What does Feinstein have to do with California state laws?
