Shannon Larratt is Zentastic

So when I saw that Weta was selling a range of “steampunk” rayguns, I was pretty interested because I like the idea of solving tech problems (like building a gun) using unconventional methods. Sadly, it turns out that the Weta models are just that — models, and non-functional. And in any case, they're fantasy rayguns, not guns that fire bullets.

But looking at that got me thinking about DIY airguns, and tossing the idea around in my head as to what would be needed to build a steam-powered gun. I mean, it's not that different from a potato gun or airsoft weapon — the main difference would be that you're generating your high PSI source from either steam directly or a steam pump (so your gun would operate on cold air, not hot wet air).

That dumb sketch is the idea of a paintball type gun with four (or more or less) chambers that would be the firing buffers (separate so you can fire this weapon in select-fire mode) that charge up from the main tank between shots. The reason for this is so that the main tank can be located separate from the rest of the weapon (and to make it easier to use different sources of power — you could power this gun with anything from electricity to gasoline to wood).

It's too bad; I have all of these ideas about stuff I'd like to build but I just don't have time to put it all together. What I'd really, really love one day is to have enough money to assemble a thinktank of people who just build all these funny ideas. I really need to buy a big farm soon… Any unemployed machinists reading this looking to drop out for a while?