Alright, so let's talk about waterguns. Not those flimsy things you buy that break after one good squeeze. I mean, really getting into it.

It all started last summer. The kids had these pathetic little squirt guns, and they were more frustrating than fun. You'd pump like crazy and get a dribble. I thought, "I can do better than this." Famous last words, right?

My First Attempts Weren't Pretty

So, I decided I was going to build something decent. My first idea was to modify one of those cheap store-bought ones. I took one apart – what a joke. It was all thin plastic and tiny tubes. I tried to rig up a bigger water tank, using an old soda bottle. That was my first mistake. Getting a good seal was a nightmare.

I messed around with different glues, some silicone sealant I had lying around. Let me tell you, water finds a way. It was leak city. More water on me than on any target.

Then I thought about the pump. The original pumps are just terrible. I tried to see if I could fit a bigger piston, maybe something from an old bicycle pump. That involved a lot of cutting and hoping. Snapped a few bits of plastic, that's for sure. Patience isn't always my strong suit when things aren't fitting.

Getting Serious (Sort Of)

After a few duds, I figured I needed a different approach. I actually sat down and sketched out a basic design. Nothing fancy, mind you. Just trying to get the core mechanics right: a decent reservoir, a solid pump, and a nozzle that actually, you know, shoots water.

I hit the hardware store. This time I was looking for PVC pipes. Yeah, PVC. I saw some folks online making cannons out of them, so I figured it could handle water pressure for a souped-up watergun.

• Picked up some various PVC pipe diameters.
• Grabbed some end caps and connectors.
• Found a decent check valve – that was key, I learned, for the pump action.
• And of course, PVC cement. That stuff stinks.

Putting it together was an adventure. Cutting PVC straight is harder than it looks when you're just eyeballing it. I dry-fitted everything about a dozen times. Then came the cementing. You gotta work fast with that stuff. Made a few smudges, but it held.

For the reservoir, I stuck with a sturdy, screw-top plastic bottle. Drilled a hole, fitted a connector, and used a ton of sealant. Still had a small leak at first. Had to go back, clean it up, and really layer on the goop. It ain't pretty, but it's functional.

The pump was basically a plunger system inside a larger PVC tube. I used a wooden dowel for the rod and some rubber washers to try and get a good seal. That took a lot of fiddling. Too tight, and it was impossible to pump. Too loose, and it wouldn't build pressure.

The Moment of Truth

Finally, I had this… contraption. It looked like something out of a post-apocalyptic movie. But it felt solid.

I filled up the reservoir, took a deep breath, and started pumping. First few pumps, nothing. My heart sank a bit. Then, I felt the pressure build. I aimed it at the fence (didn't want to scare the neighbors just yet) and pulled the trigger – well, it was more of a lever I rigged up.

Wow. It actually worked! A solid stream, way further than any of those store-bought toys. Not a super-soaker mega-blaster, but a definite upgrade. The kids were ecstatic.

It wasn't a perfect build. It's a bit heavy. It still drips a tiny bit if you hold it at the wrong angle. But I made it. From bits and pieces and a fair amount of swearing under my breath.

So yeah, that was my journey into custom waterguns. Learned a bit about basic plumbing, I guess. And that sometimes, just diving in and trying stuff is the way to go, even if you make a mess along the way. It’s definitely more satisfying than just buying something off the shelf.