I came across this project on the Popular Science website. My first attempt didn't work out so well. I made the barrel/matchstick channel too deep on one clothespin, so the matchstick dives under the spring instead of cocking it back into firing position.
I used super/krazy glue to attach the two halves of the clothespin since I didn't have any wood glue handy, and just pried it apart after it didn't work. And I used my Dremel tool to drill the barrel channel instead of my utility knife, 7/64" at first, which was too tight for the large matchstick, then 1/8" which still had some friction but any larger and it would probably fall out too easily.I was also thinking one matchstick gun would work with different size matchsticks and toothpicks, but if it fits the largest one, the smaller ones are also more likely to go under the spring as well, so I probably would have to make separate clothespin guns for each size projectile to get it to work just right, or maybe I just wasn't paying enough attention to the instructions, lol...
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