How to Make Your Own Paint Mines

Paint mines are used in the sport of paintball. This recreational game allows players to divide into two teams and fight over turf using paint, paintballs and paintguns. Players even booby trap the landscape with paint mines that shoot paint up onto an opponent when stepped on. These devices can be expensive to purchase for each new game. However, with a few basic materials, it's possible to build a homemade paint mine on your own.

Things You'll Need

  • Composite board tube, 12 inches
  • Long plastic baggies
  • CO2 cartridges
  • Camouflage duct tape
  • 3-inch screw ring
  • 2 1/4-inch rubber bands
  • Scissors
  • Handsaw
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Instructions

    • 1

      Cut the 12-inch composite paperboard tube in half. Your local hardware store can usually make straight cuts for free.

    • 2

      Wrap the outside and one end of the composite board pipe securely with duct tape. The duct tape bottom must be watertight.

    • 3

      Cut two rubber bands open. Tape the rubber bands crosswise to the top or open end of the pipe with about 1 inch of leeway over the top of the pipe. These act to secure the pin in place. Slide the rubber bands over the sides of the pipe until later.

    • 4

      Wrap duct tape around the center of the body of the 12-gram CO2 cartridge until its diameter is wide enough to fit inside the composite board pipe with about 2 mm of space between the two items.

    • 5

      Wrap the ring of the ring screw with the duct tape to camouflage it.

    • 6

      Slip the CO2 cartridge into a plastic baggy about 6 1/4 inches tall with the seal cut off. Wrap the baggy once around the tube and cut the excess plastic off. Seal with duct tape. You'll end up with a customized plastic tube around the CO2 cartridge with the top end open.

    • 7

      Slip the plastic tube into the composite board pipe. One-fourth inch of plastic will stick up from the top of the pipe.

    • 8

      Fill the inside of the tube with paint to just below the top of the pipe.

    • 9

      Place the ring screw in the tube so that the bottom of the screw rests just on top of the puncture point of the CO2 cartridge. It should stick 1/2 inch out of the pipe.

    • 10

      Secure the ring in place with modified rubber bands.

    • 11

      Bury the paint mine in the ground.