How to Make a Self Propelled Ping Pong Ball Launcher

Measure and cut two 2-inch by 4-inch by 5-foot pieces of wood. Measure and cut two 2-inch by 4-inch by 2-foot pieces of wood. Frame the wood together, placing one 2-foot board at each end of the 5-foot boards. Be sure all edges are flush. You now have a 2-foot by 5-foot frame out of these pieces. Secure the frame together using two wood screws at each corner of the frame.

Measure and cut a 2-foot by 5-foot piece of plywood. Place the plywood over top of the frame and secure with wood screws. Allow 6 inches between screws until you have secured the entire perimeter of the frame.

Measure and cut two 2-inch by 4-inch by 6-inch pieces of wood. Measure and cut one 2-inch by 4-inch by 2-foot piece of wood. Position the 6-inch brackets vertically and place the 2-foot piece on top. Each 6-inch piece should be flush at each end of the 2-foot piece. Secure the pieces together with two wood screws in each corner to create a three-piece frame.

Flip the large frame on its side. Ask an assistant to position the bottoms of the 6-inch brackets on the three-piece frame flush against the plywood top of the large frame surface. The three-piece frame should be positioned at the edge of the large frame surface. Secure the three-piece frame to the large frame by screwing into the 6-inch brackets through the plywood from the underside of the large frame. Place the large frame right side up. You now have a large ball launching surface and a guide frame attached.

Screw a clamp to the left and right side at the opposite end of the ball launch frame. In other words, the clamps should be secured at one end, while the guide frame is secured at the other end.

Cut a 2.5-foot piece of occupational therapy elastic band. This band is made of high density rubber. The band is flexible enough to stretch and strong enough to whip the ball over the launching surface.

Tape a 2-foot wide target to the wall. The target should be 5 to 8 feet away from the launcher and low enough to be in line with the guide frame.

Clasp the band between the two clamps. Position a ping pong ball in the center of the band and pull back. Aim the ball towards the target through the guide frame. Release the band. Watch the ball sail over the launching frame, through the guide frame and hit the target.