So, I got this idea, right? A motorised water gun. Sounded super cool, especially with summer around the corner. I figured, how hard could it be? Grab a motor, a pump, some wires, a battery. Easy peasy.

Well, let me tell you, it wasn't as straightforward as I thought. Not by a long shot. It kinda spiraled into one of those projects, you know?

Getting Started - The Dream vs. Reality

I started by gathering what I thought I needed. My workbench looked like a disaster zone pretty quick. I had this vision of a sleek, powerful water blaster. What I got, at first, was a leaky mess that barely dribbled.

First off, the pump. Oh boy, the pump.

• The first one I tried was tiny. I thought, "compact!" It was more like "useless." Barely had any pressure.
• The second one was a bit bigger, but then it started leaking everywhere. Water and electronics, not a good mix, right? I spent more time sealing that thing than anything else.

Then there was the motor to drive the pump. Had to make sure it was strong enough but not so power-hungry it would drain the battery in two seconds. Finding that balance? A real pain. I burned out one motor, not kidding. Smelled awful.

The "Brains" and Power - More Headaches

Okay, so I eventually got a pump and motor combo that sort_of_ worked. Next up: powering it and controlling it. I wanted a simple trigger, like a real water gun. This meant a switch, a battery, and wiring it all up.

The battery was another thing.

• AA batteries? Forget it. Lasted about 30 seconds.
• Needed something beefier. Ended up using a rechargeable LiPo battery, but then you gotta be careful with those, right? Charging, discharging, the whole shebang.

And waterproofing the electronics! That was fun. Tried stuffing everything into a plastic box. It was bulky. Looked less like a cool water gun and more like some weird science experiment. Which, I guess, it was.

Building the Body - Making it Look Like a Gun

I didn't want to just hold a bunch of parts. I needed a body for this thing. I thought about 3D printing something, but my design skills are, uh, basic. So, I ended up trying to modify an old, broken toy water gun. Gutted it, and tried to cram all my new motorised bits inside.

Let's just say fitting everything was like a game of Tetris, but with wires and tubes that didn't want to bend the way I wanted. Lots of cutting, lots of hot glue. Lots of frustration.

Why did I even go through all this? My nephew, he's obsessed with water guns. The ones you buy in the store are either flimsy or cost a fortune for the decent ones. I told him, "Uncle can build you an awesome one!" Yeah, famous last words. I thought I'd be a hero. Instead, I spent weeks tinkering in the garage, muttering to myself.

The Grand Finale? Sort Of.

So, after all that, did it work? Well, yeah, kinda. It squirts water. And it's motorised. The range isn't going to win any awards, and it's a bit on the noisy side. And if I'm honest, it still leaks a tiny bit if you hold it wrong.

It’s not the super-soaker destroyer I imagined. It’s more of a… quirky, homemade water gadget. My nephew thinks it's "okay," which I guess is a win? He mostly just liked watching me get frustrated, I think.

But hey, I learned a bunch. Learned about small pumps, DC motors, and just how annoying waterproofing can be. And I learned that sometimes, just because you can build something, doesn't always mean it's going to be the glorious triumph you picture in your head. It’s a process, right? And this one was definitely a process. A messy, slightly damp process.