# How To Make Paper Darts



## Lightgeoduck (Dec 8, 2012)

This is my first "How to" Blowgun vid.

Honest opinions are welcomed






my opinion is that I am not sure if I like it or not 

LGD


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## GrayWolf (Dec 11, 2012)

LGD,

As always, great vid and tutorial. I've made some paper darts but I havent' used anything as a tip except the paper itself. The styrofoam I'm using really is soft and hasn't hurt the darts....yet. I've just used stick glue for keeping them together and it makes the tips fairly rigid. So far I've made them for my home made 1/2" pvc blowgun and my cheap .40 cal one. The smaller darts don't fly very well, but they are pretty short...they were my first attempt and I haven't had time to try any different ones.

Have you found any of the clear plastic/paper that was shown in some of the other tutorials? I watched some of the competition videos and a lot of the people were using that type of material....must be something to it.

keep up the great work.

Todd


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## NightKnight (Dec 5, 2012)

Good tutorial! Thanks for posting it. Btw, you are a braver man than I am setting the target where you did. If I accidentally hit the couch my wife would have my hide!


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## Lightgeoduck (Dec 8, 2012)

GrayWolf said:


> Good tutorial! Thanks for posting it. Btw, you are a braver man than I am setting the target where you did. If I accidentally hit the couch my wife would have my hide!


Thanks! Meh, it's government loaner so it's the tax payer's dime :O (I didn't just say that).. I'm always careful and believe I never make mistakes


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## Carbon (Dec 22, 2012)

Awesome idea Duck! I have been using paper for the cones for years, but never for the body of the dart. For durability against elements/water from breath I laminate both sides with colored packing tape. I use coat hangers and the dart body, but may try this for indoor shooting.


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## NaturalFork (Dec 7, 2012)

I like the toothpick technique!


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## treefork (Dec 8, 2012)

Well done! I use a jig for my paper cones on the bamboo shafts. Consistent weight and shape.


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## drfrancov (Dec 28, 2012)

Nice video LGD. Just gp started with blowguns. Same problem here, too cold and too much snow outside. Still ss in basement but blowguns rock too!


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## drfrancov (Dec 28, 2012)

Have you guys seen this site?:

http://www.tomshiro.org/pdart/index.html

I used to make them like this while growing up in Peru! Very cool! Magazine paper works the best 4 me.


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## orcrender (Dec 8, 2012)

I forgot to comment on this after watching the first time. Good video Duck.


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## superman365 (Dec 11, 2012)

thanks for the vid


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## neondog (Dec 29, 2012)

GrayWolf said:


> So far I've made them for my home made 1/2" pvc blowgun and my cheap .40 cal one. The smaller darts don't fly very well, but they are pretty short...
> 
> Todd


I was coming up with very short darts when attempting 40 caliber paper darts also but found a solution of sorts. By cutting the paper strips in such a way that I had a tab to hold that stuck out of the center of the cone I could get a much tighter wrap. Adding a little weight to the tip is also helpful for most paper darts.

Here's a picture that is worth at least a hundred words.


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## NaturalFork (Dec 7, 2012)

neondog said:


> So far I've made them for my home made 1/2" pvc blowgun and my cheap .40 cal one. The smaller darts don't fly very well, but they are pretty short...
> Todd
> 
> I was coming up with very short darts when attempting 40 caliber paper darts also but found a solution of sorts. By cutting the paper strips in such a way that I had a tab to hold that stuck out of the center of the cone I could get a much tighter wrap. Adding a little weight to the tip is also helpful for most paper darts.
> ...


This is the greatest thing ever. Thank you so much for sharing.


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## GrayWolf (Dec 11, 2012)

Neondog, thanks for the suggestion. I will definately be trying that when I get a little time. I did find that reducing the width of the paper helped in getting the longer cone. I was using a half of a magazine page (approx 4")...I reduced it to 1/3 of a sheet (approx 2 1/2") after watching LGDs video. In doing that, I can make a cone that is small enough that it won't work in my .50 cal BG. I also started using small finish nails in the tip for weight and for tip strength and that also helped.

I have a friend that will make me some wooden forming tools if I can get him some measurements. If I can get something made that will work well, I can have him make me a bunch of each of the sized that are commonly used....40 cal...50 cal.....625 cal. So if anyone has any of the measurements, we can get these available.

Todd


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## orcrender (Dec 8, 2012)

Todd I think one tool would work for about all the sizes need. Would they need different angles to make paper darts long enough to fly straight?

Wayne


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## neondog (Dec 29, 2012)

orcrender said:


> Todd I think one tool would work for about all the sizes need. Would they need different angles to make paper darts long enough to fly straight?
> 
> Wayne


Almost all the Japanese shooters are going with 13mm. bores (about a .51 cal.) and darts around 20cm. or eight inches long. A .625 cone with the same taper might be too long to handle recklessly.

Also, exact measurements are not needed since you want about 20% more shaper that in takes to make the dart. A little extra for wiggle room plus an extra inch or two to hold while wrapping the film or paper.


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## GrayWolf (Dec 11, 2012)

I keep looking at the tools in the videos. To me, it looks like they are a little shorter than the paper, allowing room for the wire or nail on the tip. I will have my friend make me one for a 8" dart for each of my .40 cal and .50 cal. Once I get something that works I will post it here.

Thanks for the help.

Todd


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## drfrancov (Dec 28, 2012)

Here is a video I really like:






I will try to buy a round bezel maderl to do this.


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## orcrender (Dec 8, 2012)

I really liked that video. Was he using a chopstick as a form?


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## NaturalFork (Dec 7, 2012)

I like that video as well. Keep checking the forum ... I will be giving away a shaping mandrel in the very near future.


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## drfrancov (Dec 28, 2012)

Here is another video on making paper darts:


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## neondog (Dec 29, 2012)

Still amazes me how well a rolled paper point can punch through a target. Not real durable but then sometimes, like when the price is half a page of yesterday's news, working once is good enough.


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## drfrancov (Dec 28, 2012)

I'm gonna try some mylar to make this kind of darts. Nail for a tip. Fukiya style!


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## NaturalFork (Dec 7, 2012)

Here is my paper dart video I made a long time ago. I love plinking with paper darts. Free shooting.


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