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How to Build a Jelly Bean Launcher

By Franklyn Gallup of BibleFree.info

Occasionally I like to write about something light and funny. How to make a jelly bean launcher is just such an Intel. A jelly bean launcher is a machine that operates on biodegradable fuel. It is excellent for a parent/child project. It could also be a competition with parent/child teams competing against other parent child teams in organizations like Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, or Awana. (See picture 1 below)

Items you will need(See picture 2 below)

-A two foot long 2x6 piece of wood
-Two 6 inch long eye bolts
-Three Milky Way bars
-Jelly beans
-Three small bolts with nuts and washers
-A plastic bottle cap
-A drill (electric or manual)
-Two drill bits 1/8 inch and 1/4 inch
-A 4 1/2 inch rope cleat
-A screw driver
-One large rubber band
-One large paint stir stick
-One pencil or pen

Steps to make a Jelly Bean Launcher

First lay the paint stir stick on the 2x6 and then place the rope cleat on the paint stir stick. (See picture 3 below)
Then mark on the 2x6 where the 6 inch eye bolts should go. (See picture 4 below)
Using the 1/8 inch drill, drill two holes in the paint stir stick. These holes should match the holes in the rope cleat. (See picture 5 below)
Drill two pilot holes for the 6 inch eye bolts. (See picture 6 below)
Using a screwdriver drive the 6 inch eye bolts into the 1/4 inch holes. (See picture 7 below)
Using the small bolts and washers (See picture 8 below) attach the rope cleat to the paint stir stick. (See picture 9 below)
Carefully drill a hole through the end of the plastic bottle cap and through the end of the paint stir stick and attach it with a small bolt, washers and nut. (See picture 10 and 11 below)
Place the ends of the rope cleat in the eyes of the eye bolts and attach the 3 Milky Way bars as shown with a rubber band. (See picture 12 below)
Load a jelly bean in the plastic bottle cap. Pull the cap down to the 2x6 and let go.

Uses of a jelly Bean Launcher

You can have competitions to see who can assemble one the fastest.
You can have competitions to see who can send a jelly bean the farthest.
It is a great conversation piece if you bring it along to a party. Experiment with different things in the plastic cap such as M &M's, Peanuts, popcorn, Chex cereal, small pieces of watermelon, ketchup or pizza sauce on small pieces of paper towel. It could get messy but lots of fun.
Give each person a bowl to see who can collect the most amount of ammo after the launching is done. This can be really fun if you shoot it out on the lawn.
Experiment with heavier items to replace the Milky Way bars.
See who can improve on the design for better distance. A roll of quarters works good here for example.

Even if you don't make a jelly bean launcher I hope you have had fun reading about it and imagining the fun it could be.

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Items you will need to make a Jelly Bean Launcher

First lay the paint stir stick on the 2x6 and then place the rope cleat on the paint stir stick as shown

Then mark on the 2x6 where the 6 inch eye bolts should go.

Using the 1/8 inch drill, drill two holes in the paint stir stick.

Using a screwdiver drive the 6 inch eye bolts into the 1/4 inch holes.

Using the small bolts and washers attach the rope cleat to the paint stir stick.

The rope cleat attached to the paint stir stick.

The plastic bottle cap attached to the paint stir stick.

Place the ends of the rope cleat in the eyes of the eye bolts and attach the 3 Milky Way bars as shown with a rubber band

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I am more concerned with someone eating the Milky Way bars than I am about them melting.

Do you have to double load the milky ways (or other type weights) in order to launch more than one or two Jelly beans?

There is lots of room to improve the design. This is just the first prototype. I am going to try fastening a roll of quarters to see how that helps for distance. Perhaps I will take it to my Hour4hour meeting for some interesting conversation.

Kaloaina Oct 21, 2011 14:52

appreciated

After seeing this in "real - live" we tested it out. A jelly bean was launched and then disappeared! while everyone was looking for the missing jelly bean, I was munching a yummy beanie!
Good job Franklyn!

tink-r Oct 23, 2011 03:05

appreciated

This looks like fun. I will try it out with my young girls at summer camp next year. They will have a blast. Thanks for the great pics!

Liz Norris Oct 27, 2011 14:51

I love this! Excellent! Will show this to my kids :)

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