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How to Make a Massive Minecraft Mess in an Instant with a Scatter Cannon

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Tired of building the same old TNT cannon over and over again? Looking for something explosive to occupy your time for the next few hours? Try making this addictive scatter cannon! It does not shoot TNT—it shoots gravel and sand—but I promise, it's a lot more fun than it sounds!

Chunks

In order for this cannon to work, you need to mark out a 16x16 chunk. Not just any 16x16 plot of land, it literally needs to be a chunk in your world. Chunks are generated around players when they first enter the world. If you do not have any mods, or the server you play on doesn't have plugins such as ChunkOwn or Factions to claim a 16x16 plot, there is still a way to find a chunk...

Hold down F3 on your keyboard while hitting the letter "F" repetitively—and fast! You will be able to make out chunks if you are looking at the ground. Be patient, because they're hard to see at first, but it will give you an indication of where to mark out your chunk!

Mark out a 16x16 chunk in a game environment.

Setup

Begin by heading to the back of your chunk and create a 4-block tall pillar. Using the top block on that pillar as a guide, place 5 more blocks directly in front of that to create a 6-block long line that is 3 blocks above the ground.

Instructional diagram for building a stone structure in a block-based game.

Water Trench

Build up around the back of your floating 6-long line. You will basically be making sides for your water trench. The sides will only be 1-block tall for now and wrapping around the back of your cannon (by your 4-tall pillar).

Minecraft structure made of stone blocks against a blue sky and ocean background.

Breakage

At the back of your cannon, by your 4-block tall pillar, break the back two corner blocks you just placed in Step 3.

Instructional Minecraft building guide showing a construction layout with text directions.

Stairs

At the block that is directly behind your water trench, you will need to create a staircase. This staircase, if you are at the back of your cannon, will be going to the left of your setup. Use the block that's directly behind where your water source will go (water trench) as a guide for making the staircase!

How to Make a Massive Minecraft Mess in an Instant with a Scatter Cannon

3D model of a staircase structure in a pixelated environment.

Pistons

Using 6 pistons (not sticky), place them at the front of your cannon. Look directly at the front of the block that is the floor of your water trench and place the piston there. The pistons will create a 3x2 platform at the front of your cannon.

3D structure resembling a building element in a virtual environment.

Platform

Looking up at the pistons from below, place two blocks attached to one of the pistons. It doesn't matter which piston you choose, so don't worry!

Minecraft structure with pistons and building instructions.

Break the top block you just placed that was connecting the bottom one to the pistons. This will leave a floating block that is 1 block above the ground.

Minecraft construction tutorial showing a hovering block above a stone structure.

Using that floating block, create a 3x2 floating platform directly under the pistons.

Instructional image showing building a floating platform in a block-based game.

Redstone Torches

Add redstone torches on each block on the floating 3x2 platform.

Redstone torch setup on a floating platform in a Minecraft environment.

More Platforms?!

In the front and behind the floating platform, you will make two more platforms. Each platform will be placed on the ground, 1 block away from the floating one. These two new platforms will be 3x2 as well... the same size as the floating platform!

Minecraft build schematic with dimensions labeled.

Repeaters

Add three repeaters on each side of the platforms that are on the ground. These repeaters will be placed on the inside of the platforms, facing the redstone torches. You do not need any delay on these repeaters!

Redstone circuit setup with repeaters and torches in a Minecraft environment.

Connection

Add redstone behind each repeater to connect them to each other.

Next, create a platform on the ground to connect both the front and back platform. Keep in mind redstone will be placed on this platform, so make sure redstone will be able to be placed without obstruction.

Minecraft redstone circuit tutorial with labeled components and instructions.

Place redstone on the platform you just created so that the front and back repeaters and redstone are attached to each other.

Redstone circuit setup in a Minecraft build.

Redstone contraption in a Minecraft build.

Last of the Repeaters!

You will need a total of 9 redstone repeaters for this step. These repeaters will be placed on the side that you made the staircase in Step 5.

Over at the platform you just created in Step 11, place 2 repeaters facing that platform. Next, place 1 redstone dust. Turn and heading towards the back of your cannon, you will need to place another 6 repeaters down so that they are all facing the front of your cannon.

Place 1 redstone dust after those repeaters at the back. If you're standing at the back of your cannon, look to your left. The last repeater will be placed in that direction directly next to the first stair.

Instructional diagram for building a cannon in a block-based game, featuring redstone components.

The delay on all repeaters will be set to 3 (three right-clicks on each repeater).

Redstone

Add redstone dust to the back staircase, leading all the way to the block that is directly behind your water trench.

Minecraft redstone cannon design layout.

Platform... Again?!

At the back of your cannon, look to your right. You will need to build a 3x3 square. It will be on the opposite side of where your stairs are at the back. The block that has redstone on it does not count as part of this square, so keep that in mind!

Instructions for building a 3x3 square structure in a Minecraft cannon design.

Add redstone along the outside of the 3x3 square you just created. Do this on three sides and leave the inside alone as we are about to build up the water trench wall!

Diagram showing instructions to add redstone around a 3x3 square in a game.

Trench

Build up the walls on your water trench so that they are 2 blocks high.

Minecraft structure featuring sand blocks and redstone circuitry.

Zig-Zags!

Using the 3x3 platform at the back of your cannon as a guide, build out the side of your cannon. You will be creating almost a zigzag along the side of your water trench. Because your 3x3 platform is powering the top level of your water trench walls, you will next need to power the bottom block to the side.

You will basically be going down, up, down with your platforms. Each platform will be 1 block wide and 2 blocks long.

Aerial view of a Minecraft structure with a cannon and building instructions.

Add two blocks "hovering" over your lower zigzags. This will help separate our redstone so that the redstone will power the TNT inside the water trench.

Minecraft building tutorial demonstrating redstone and block placement.

Place redstone all over the block levels you just created. Redstone dust will not be placed on the two floating blocks.

Redstone circuitry on a sand structure in a game environment.

Opposite Zigzags

Do the exact same thing on the opposite side of your water trench. The only difference is that everything will be opposite! If one layer is powering the top level of the water trench walls, on the other side that row will be powering the bottom level.

So basically, if one layer is up on the left, it will be lowered on the right. If one layer is lowered on the right, it will be raised on the left!

Redstone circuit diagram in a block-based game showing instructions for construction.

It will look something like this when you are finished:

Last Stair

On the right side with the repeaters, add 1 block to create a "stair." This stair will help us connect the redstone from the zigzags to the redstone on the back stairs!

Redstone circuit setup in a game with instructions for connecting components.

Add redstone dust to the block you just placed. This redstone will connect the zigzag redstone to the stair redstone.

Redstone wiring diagram in a block-based game tutorial.

Button

Add your button to the back. It will be placed on the block that is directly behind where your water source is about to go!

Minecraft redstone contraption with instructions for button placement.

Water!

Add your water to the back of the cannon, inside the water trench.

Aerial view of a Minecraft structure featuring a pool and surrounding pathways.

Load It Up!

Add a total of 6 gravel at the front of your cannon. 1 block of gravel will be placed on the top of each piston.

Next, add a total of 8 TNT inside the water trench. The TNT line will be 4 blocks long and 2 blocks tall. Do not put TNT on the water source (at the back) or at the absolutely front of your cannon (next to the pistons).

Hit your button when you're all set!

Minecraft structure building guide with instructions for adding materials.

Don't Blink!

If you followed every step carefully, you shouldn't have any issues! Shoot gravel and sand for the next few hours and get a feel for the cannon.

Invite friends to join you and have fun!

3D rendering of abstract shapes in a digital landscape.

Aerial view of a Minecraft building project with water features and landscape.

Finished Product

You can cover it up, play with the delays, and show off to your friends!

Redstone contraption in Minecraft with a layered structure and wiring.

Aerial view of a Minecraft built structure with a pool and surrounding pathways.

Questions for the Audience:

What kind of experience do you have with scatter cannons?
Did you enjoy and learn something from this tutorial?
What kind of tutorials would you like to see in the future?

I would love to hear a few words from the audience, so please... don't be shy!

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