Now with video: Toilet Brush Machine Gun

[JoergS]

I am working on the full auto version of the toilet brush shooter.



I want the same performance (excellent!), but I want four of these deadly cleaning items sent downrange in under one second.

This is basically a supersized version of my pistol dart shooter, just with only four rounds instead of eight (due to size restraints). I also had to employ a battery drill instead of a power screwdriver, the heavy parts need more momentum.



I first tried a more compact "fork wheel", but a misfiring occured and the toilet brush blew the 18mm plywood away. So I made a much larger wheel and had to adapt the frame accordingly.





I only attached one band set so far, more tests tomorrow.

[lowjohn19]

Awesome!

[Skull_Hide]

That's a lot of power.

Joerg how's that kick starter project coming? How about we just send you a big box of money for it.

[Storm Crow]

I am working on the full auto version of the toilet brush shooter.

I first tried a more compact "fork wheel", but a misfiring occured and the toilet brush blew the 18mm plywood away.

You realize that these statements have never, ever been made by anyone else in the history of man, don't you?

[jamoni]

I am working on the full auto version of the toilet brush shooter.

I first tried a more compact "fork wheel", but a misfiring occured and the toilet brush blew the 18mm plywood away.

You realize that these statements have never, ever been made by anyone else in the history of man, don't you?

[azrael99]

[JoergS]

Worked some more on the weapon today. Added a nice front handle, Moorhammer style. Banded all four forks up.



I quickly encountered a huge problem: Return to senders and misfirings!

Those returners are dangerous. I mean seriously dangerous. One hit the door right next to my head... two inches to the right and I'd be in trouble now.

I don't really know what is going on - what I found out is that it works as long as you turn really slow. The fast spinning action of the battery drill is probably too much, destabilizes the "bolts" in flight.

I attached thin rubber bands to at least avoid the return to senders - this works fine. But there is still the issue of the tumbling bolts. About half of them do that. It must have something to do with the rotation - no problems at all if I turn by hand and push the bands up one at a time.

If all else fails, I will convert this baby to manual repeating action.

But it does look cool!

[NT2C]

How about mounting it in a vise and remote firing it from a safe place and filming it in high speed? The resulting slo-mo might let you see where the problem is.

[NT2C]

I suspect you'll find that the central axle is flexing and torquing as the bands release, causing uneven stress.

[Smü]

I think they roll out a red carpet, serve champaign and have a box of pygmys around Jörg to make sure he feels comfortable when he enters his local home depot.

[JoergS]

Actually they gave me a platinum customer card

[jamoni]

Actually they gave me a platinum customer card

Is it possible that the "centrifugal force" of the heavy brushes is causing them to flare out when it turns, so that instead of shooting straight out they are whipping around in a curve, causing them to hold on to the rubber too long, and flinging them back at you? I would also like to see a slow-mo video.

[JoergS]

The four shot toilet brush gun did not work in full auto (power drill mode). The rotation destabilized the "arrows" too much and they tended to entangle, even return... way dangerous.

But I invested too much time into the weapon, and the toilet brushes are just too much fun. So I converted the weapon to a manual repeater.

You unlock the "drum" by pressing the lever to the front, then you turn the whole thing 90 degrees. The new position automatically locks in place. Then you pull the "spoon" trigger and the shot falls.

This way, you can fire four "rounds" very quickly - and safe. A lot of fun.

Another TV team will come tomorrow, we will film the episode together.

[JoergS]

Did some shooting with the thing.

Just amazing! Once loaded, I can fire a shot every three seconds or so.





The bravest photo ever:



The accuracy is mind boggling. This from 10 meters - without ANY sights.

[Sworbeyegib]

Those last two pics just made me smile like an idiot. Kudos!

[NT2C]

World's Greatest Lawn Dart Launcher

[AmnJoker333]

Now to really dial it in. A toilet brush splitting another toilet brush, Robin Hood style, would be priceless.

[NT2C]

BTW Joerg, if you want to "fine tune" those brushes one way you might be able to do it is to chuck the brush in a drill and spin the bristles against a belt sander. You should be able to change the shape of the bristle end that way, and adjust for the minimum amount of drag needed for stability without excessively slowing the projectile. That will also increase your range.

The concept comes from an old friend of mine, long dead now, who was a machinist and production machinery designer. He got asked to make a machine to make paint roller cartridges (back in the 60's when they were still fairly new) and while he had no problem making a machine to wrap the fabric around the core, glue it then cut it to length, he needed a way to slightly bevel the nap at the ends. Spinning the rollers at high speed against a moving sanding belt was the way he solved the problem.

[Halfapint]

I was cackling like a maniac when I saw the last few pics! HAHAHAHAHAHA seriously Joerg, I would gladly take the toilet brush machine gun into the ZPAW!!

[JoergS]

[TheLastRifleMan]

As usual, awesome!

Some long range tests would be in order, I think!

[Blacksheep]

this is how it goes for me EVERYTIME..

*scrolling through active topics*
*reads topic*
"Three round burst hamster gun"
*WTF is that?*
*clicks thread*
*reads*
*oh, just Joerg*
*reads more*
*watches video*
*is amazed how how someone can turn hamsters into stuff of nightmares, as they rain down on you engulfed in flames*



ETA, I don't always follow all of your awesome contraptions...
but I love your gatling slingshot, you should upscale it to have more shots, like 20 or so

[NT2C]

Okay, now... There has to be a way to make it pedal powered (feed, load, cock) and belt or hopper fed.

[bumblingbear]

I want to see this concept taken to its eventual conclusion: cleaning supply siege weaponry!