by Jarn

Created on: June 02, 2008

"How To Make A Stun Gun"

A stun gun is an electrical device used in self-defense that is designed to stop or incapacitate an assailant by delivering a high voltage shock of electricity to his body. This shock will cause the assailant's muscles to seize and he/she will normally collapse for a few moments. This will typically give the person with the stun gun a chance to remove themselves from danger by running away or more permanently incapacitate the assailant. This device is easily available to anybody in America over the age of 18 and can be carried legally anywhere except on specified government or private property. It would seem unwise to entrust a person's safety to a homemade device, so I would not recommend building one for defense against potential attackers. The homemade version that this guide will teach you how to make generates less than one quarter of the voltage of a professionally made model. Because of that I would suggest its use as a deterrent against dogs rather than people. Personally I live in an area with no leash laws and some very large, wild dogs and have found this an effective way of getting dogs to leave me alone when I go out for walks. In this guide you will find instructions on how to build your own stun gun.

Things You'll Need:
Soldering Iron
Solder Wire
Wire Cutters
Screwdriver
Glue
Disposable Camera With Flash
Scissors
Thick Sheathed Copper Wiring
Five Star Binder/Planner

Building Your Own Stun Gun
Step 1:
Use your screw driver to pry open the back of the disposable camera.

Step 2:
Remove the batteries from the back of the camera.

Step 3:
Find the miniature light bulb that is the camera's flash. Pull it out to the full extension that the wires connecting it will allow. If the wires are soldered in place then cut them with the wire shears. If the wires are wrapped around contact points then just unwrap them carefully.

Step 4:
Cut two equal lengths of copper wire (About three or four inches should do). Wrap each of them to the wires that had been connected to the flash bulb. Touch some soldering wire to the joints and melt it into place with the soldering iron. You now have two much longer wires protruding from the camera. They should never touch, but be within a few inches of each other at all times. The thicker and stiffer sheathed copper wiring you use, the easier it is to accomplish this. Set this aside for the moment.

Step 5:
Cut the plastic cover of the five star binder free using the scissors. Try to keep it in a single piece if possible.

Step 6:
Place the thick plastic coating on the camera in order to sheath the exposed circuitry. Cut out holes for the flash and shutter buttons on the camera, and put the batteries back in place. Then glue the covers in place. You should end up with something that looks a bit like a thick appointment planner with two stiff wires sticking out of the top. Press the shutter button and watch the sparks fly!

Tips & Warnings
Though stun guns have a very high voltage payload, they have a very low voltage amperage. It is amperage and not voltage which can endanger human lives, making these devices non-lethal most of the time. Unfortunately they can cause heart attacks in people with heart problems.

When working with anything of an electrical nature, there is the possibility of being shocked. This particular device doesn't have enough strength to do more than make the muscles of the shocked area convulse, but as a good practice always makes sure to keep yourself grounded, free of static electricity, and always be aware of any body part near the electrical device.

Learn more about this author, Jarn.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.