“You’ll shoot your eye out.”

“You’ll shoot your eye out.” -- Major Mary Keti to her 12 year-old son, Ben.

The Red Ryder BB Gun of Ghana is a fantastic double barrel needle launcher (that I had to admire after Mary left for the kitchen).

What you need: 1 rigid stick roughly 9”-12” in length (small scale lumber (1”x2”) will work well) 2 old ballpoint pens 2 clothespins a hand-full of rubber bands a small arsenal of pine needles (toothpicks, broom bristles, or any other slender projectiles)

What to do: clean the stick of any stray knobs or twigs, ending with a straight shaft disassemble the ballpoint pens discarding all but the shafts. to create the double barrel, place an empty shaft (point out) flush to the end on each side of the stick, and secure with many rubber bands make sure to leave at least 1/4” between the end of the launcher and the first group of rubber bands in alignment with the barrels, secure the two clothespins, grips out, pinchers towards the barrels at the opposite end of the stick thread a rubber band between the stick and a ball point pen, it should rest in the 1/4” space left between the end of the launcher and the first group of rubber bands thread the other barrel to load the launcher, feed a needle (base first) into the barrel, stretching the threaded rubber band around the needle base before pinching them with the clothespin pinch the clothespin to release the rubber band, therefore launching the needle

Note: You really could shoot your eye out. The distance between the barrels and the clothespins should be no longer than your shortest needle. Keep a small supply of rubber bands on hand incase the threaded band snaps. Although the launcher is best designed for those around pine trees, I think a shorter, modified gun could do mildly impressive damage with toothpicks