Party Popper Confetti Trap

After New Years I kept finding these tiny party poppers all over the house and my spawn were being mischievous, so this was my response. 

This uses the cheap confetti party poppers as an explosively fun trap. 

Use at your own risk. I am not responsible or liable for your use of this product. This includes, but is not limited to, hurt fingers, hurt feelings, hurt relationships, blindness from awesomeness, injury, or death.

Materials needed: Mouse trap, fishing line string or thread, champagne style party popper, drill with bit, and this print.

 How to use:

• Drill hole behind bait pedal of the mouse trap.

• Feed line through the hole from the back side of the trap and tie to the bait pedal.

• Attach the other end of the line to a fixed point. A simple piece of tape will work.

• Insert bait pedal side of the trap into the lower base. 

• Insert Party Popper into upper printed piece with the pull string pulled through.

• Tie Party Popper string to mouse trap striker bar.

• Pull back striker and hold while you place the top assembly on the mouse trap. The "neck" and string side should be facing the hardware side of the trap.

• Continue holding the striker and position the trap so that the line is stretched but has a little slack.  Pay attention to where the confetti will shoot. Don't aim it at your eyes while setting it up.

• Set the trigger hook of the trap while slowly releasing the striker. It should be set.

• Wait for your mark. 

• Get a dopamine rush when it works.

This can be a really sensitive trap so it's more versatile than an ordinary trip wire. 

A few of my favorite places to set it have been:

• Walking paths

• Next to beds and attached to sheets.

• Next to the toilet and attached to the seat or lid (made a kid wet themselves with that one)

• Inside cabinets.

• Dresser or desk drawers.

• Inside cars with seats that automatically move forward when the car turns on.

  • Other cars will work too, but a loud bang with a vehicle in motion may cause harm.

• Behind open door. Nobody looks behind them before closing.

• On top of refrigerator and attached to the door.

• Attached to chairs that are tucked in under the table or desk.

• High drag line across air vent

Leave a comment and share some of your most devious locations to place this.

There are two different styles of tops, one that shoots the confetti at a 45 degree angle and one that shoots it nearly vertical. Choose the top for your needs. 

I made the walls fairly thick to hold up being thrown across the room by the subject of interest.

I print the tops with the cylinder side down with brim and supports. I tried a few prototypes without supports and they would tip and come off the plate. I have since shortened the overall height and increased the barrel contact area. It may work now, but I have not checked. Printing with the rectangle down got hard to remove supports in the cavity. I've been printing/modeling for less than 4 weeks now so it's entirely possible that I'm just ignorant of some better settings and someone can leave a comment on a better way to print them. 

Enjoy!