People buy 3D printers for all kinds of reasons. I recently saw someone cite their hobby of throwing NERF darts as the catalyst for purchasing their printer. The more I delved into the scene, the more I realized that 3D printing and NERF are a perfect match.
Here are some interesting projects for both beginners and fans.
NERF alcohol cannon
One of the wildest projects I’ve ever seen.
He NERF alcohol cannon It’s one of the wildest 3D printing projects I’ve ever seen. The name alone draws attention, and that’s before you’ve seen the explosive mechanism of action. If nothing else, it’s an interesting scientific experiment (and one that should be approached with caution).
Using a piezo lighter from a cheap electric lighter, a splash of isopropyl alcohol, and a few extra screws and bolts, you can launch foam darts across the room at high speed. You’ll even get a satisfying “crack” sound when the alcohol vapor ignites. If you like the concept, you should check out the comments to see what variations other creators have come up with.
Blaster LYNX 300FPS
A serious project for the blaster connoisseur.
NERF blasters are a lot of fun, but can they fire darts at 300 feet per second? The answer is no, so if you want that kind of performance, you’ll have to do it yourself. An example of darts that has great power is the Blaster LYNX 300FPS.
This is a very complicated construction. The author recommends printing in ABS to improve strength (you will find some PLA drops in the comments) and you will need additional components in the form of aluminum flat bars, acrylic tubes, sealing rings and springs.
Mini NERF Z
A weapon for your next NERF battle
Not all NERF projects need to be involved or ridiculously powerful. Take the Mini NERF ZFor example. this little one print-in-place model It allows you to fire NERF darts, one by one, over relatively short distances. Its appeal lies in its simplicity, low material cost (with only 31g of PLA) and fast printing time.
The author has already reworked the model to make it stronger than the one in the video above. Some reviewers in the comments point out that you can make it even more effective by adding an elastic band.
NERF handheld crossbow
Just add a rubber band
NERF already produces a range of bow dart blasters, including some with a blocky appearance minecraft-thematic. Now you can 3D print yours with the handheld NERF crossbowa design that can be printed in PETG or PLA depending on the filament you have available.
The model can be printed on a single plate and only requires an elastic band to operate. The band you use will determine the power of your shot.
NERF blowgun
Just add pipe
Being proficient at firing a blaster or drawing a bow is one thing, but what about accurately landing a shot with a blowgun? Give him the NERF blowgun Try adding another skill to your NERF arsenal. This model includes a mouthpiece, a clip to store the darts, and a tip to hold the loaded dart. These are connected to standard M16 electrically conductive tubing, which you should be able to get at a hardware store (and cut to the size of your choice).
Auto reset targets for practice.
Improve your skills outside of battle
You can’t have a NERF battle every day, so why not work on your aim by printing out some auto-reset targets? There are plenty of these models in repositories like MakerWorld, perfect for when you’re tired of collecting empty cans and plastic cups.
There is Models that use counterweights like pennies. which can be made from PLA, or PETG models designed to take a beating. If you are using blasters that are more powerful than standard NERF blasters, keep in mind that you may need a stronger filament.
Unique and experimental darts and tips.
Foam experiments
You can 3D print your own darts from TPU instead of buying them, but this could be an expensive way to do it (and TPU is notoriously difficult to print). If you’re going to print your own darts, you should at least try out some experimental designs.
One of the most interesting designs is the experimental spiral NERF dart (and the experimental NERF mini dart from the same creator). These require 0% infill and give you the option to increase the number of top layers to give weight to the tip.
Alternatively, to put a fun touch on your existing darts, consider printing some tips for whistling.
If you liked these NERF-adjacent 3D prints, then you might like them 3D print some classic children’s toys.
