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DIY Marshmallow Gun

Marshmallow guns are outdoor toys made from PVC pipe that allow children to fire miniature marshmallows at targets. They are easy and relatively inexpensive to construct at home, as they only require a few items that can be purchased from any hardware store. Assembling a DIY marshmallow gun requires no special tools, but it can be a fun project to do with your child.

Supplies Needed
- To make a marshmallow gun, you will need five 6-inch pieces and one 8-inch piece of 1/2-inch-wide PVC pipe. The gun also requires two 1/2-inch PVC end caps, two 1/2-inch T-shaped PVC joints and two 1/2-inch elbow PVC joints. Additionally, you should get a bag of miniature marshmallows to use as ammunition and a pair of protective eye goggles.
Making a Marshmallow Gun
- Hold one of the elbow joints so that the openings are pointing to the right and toward the floor. Slide a 6-inch length of PVC pipe into each hole. Place an end cap on the pipe extending down.
  
  Connect a T-shaped joint (with the center opening pointing toward the ceiling) to the end of the pipe extending from the right-facing hole of the elbow joint. Push a 6-inch pipe into each of the remaining openings of the T-shaped joint. Attach an elbow joint to the top of the pipe extending up from the center hole of the T-shaped joint. Make sure the other hole in the elbow joint is pointing to the left, then slide a 6-inch PVC pipe in the opening. This where the marshmallows are loaded into the gun.
  
  Slip a 6-inch length of pipe into the remaining right-facing opening of the T-shaped joint. Fit the opposite end of the pipe with the remaining T-shaped joint. Position the joint so that the center opening is pointing down. Slide the last 6-inch PVC pipe into the downward-facing opening of the T-shaped joint. Cover the exposed end of that pipe with an end cap.
  
  Push the 8-inch length of pipe into the final opening in the T-shaped joint. The 8-inch pipe acts as the barrel of the gun.
Firing the Gun
- The marshmallow gun is quite easy to use once constructed. Grip the gun by holding onto the two end-capped lengths of pipe extending from the body. Load a miniature marshmallow into the opening of the pipe extending from the elbow joint on top of the apparatus. Hold that opening to your mouth and blow hard while aiming the opening of the 8-inch pipe at the target. The marshmallow will shoot out the barrel of the gun.
  
  To fire several marshmallows at once, load a row of them into the barrel instead of the upper pipe.
Safety and Cleaning
- Though miniature marshmallows are soft projectiles, they can still cause injuries if fired at others' faces. Make sure that children wear protective goggles when playing with these guns to minimize the risk of eye injury. In addition, users can choke if they inhale while their mouths are on the loaded gun; for that reason, only allow children to play with these toys under adult supervision.
  
  From time to time, the guns will get gummed up with marshmallows and saliva. To clean a marshmallow gun, unscrew the PVC pipes from the joints and run hot water through all openings.

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