Backyard Mythbusters
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Infiltrator
Member # 1092
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written Wednesday, April 26 2006 00:17
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I had an idea, on where ideas that may come up in a TV show may pop up, like a large slingshot made on a roof top capable of firing a few city blocks (Malcom In The Middle), and attempt to build it in my own backyard and see if it may work. Just seeing if anyone else thinks that it may be a very fun idea. -------------------- When you think you can't get any lower in life and hit rock bottom, God hands you a shovel. Why should I say somthin intelligent when idiots like you make me look intelligent in the first place. Posts: 615 | Registered: Friday, May 3 2002 07:00 |
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Infiltrator
Member # 3441
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written Wednesday, April 26 2006 00:19
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Go for it, I guess... Just don't use hard, damging projectiles. -------------------- "As our circle of knowledge expands, so does the circumference of darkness surrounding it." --Albert Einstein -------------------- Posts: 536 | Registered: Sunday, September 7 2003 07:00 |
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Infiltrator
Member # 1092
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written Wednesday, April 26 2006 00:22
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If anything ammuntion that may be flung shall be baloons filled with water. But I might need help building the props and people that may have heard these sorts of ridicolous ideas. -------------------- When you think you can't get any lower in life and hit rock bottom, God hands you a shovel. Why should I say somthin intelligent when idiots like you make me look intelligent in the first place. Posts: 615 | Registered: Friday, May 3 2002 07:00 |
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...b10010b...
Member # 869
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written Wednesday, April 26 2006 00:38
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I assume you mean "capable of firing over a few city blocks", because otherwise you'll need one hell of a big slingshot. -------------------- The Empire Always Loses: This Time For Sure! Posts: 9973 | Registered: Saturday, March 30 2002 08:00 |
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Infiltrator
Member # 3441
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written Wednesday, April 26 2006 00:40
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The furthest I've ever flung something was when I shot a marshmallow 73 feet. This was during the test run for a marshmallow launching competition that served as part of my grade for Introduction to the Engineering Profession. We had to shoot a marshmallow 50 feet using materials that cost less than $20. The idea was to get the marshmallow as close as possible to a target 50 feet away. We used a pressurized air cannon, which was a bad idea, seeing as the marshmallows gunked up the barrel and therefore didn't make it as far. One of the best designs was a simple bungee cord sligshot, it could shoot well over 100 feet and was also extremely accurate. I don't know if any of this helps much. -------------------- "As our circle of knowledge expands, so does the circumference of darkness surrounding it." --Albert Einstein -------------------- Posts: 536 | Registered: Sunday, September 7 2003 07:00 |
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Shaper
Member # 5450
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written Wednesday, April 26 2006 00:45
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That would be awesome. Try it. -------------------- I'll put a Spring in your step. :ph34r: Posts: 2396 | Registered: Saturday, January 29 2005 08:00 |
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Infiltrator
Member # 1092
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written Wednesday, April 26 2006 00:53
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I think surgical tubing may work, as it is very stretchy. Where would I get a pressurised air canon from? -------------------- When you think you can't get any lower in life and hit rock bottom, God hands you a shovel. Why should I say somthin intelligent when idiots like you make me look intelligent in the first place. Posts: 615 | Registered: Friday, May 3 2002 07:00 |
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Infiltrator
Member # 3441
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written Wednesday, April 26 2006 00:58
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We constructed it out of PVC piping. You put a tire air valve in an end cap on one end and a regular PVC ball valve on the other. Pump air into the tire valve, but don't get pressure above 30 psi or so, just to be on the safe side. Open ball valve and pressurized air flows out. It's pretty similar to a spud gun. As for the surgical tubing, you'll need lots of strands to get a high enough coefficient of elasticity. -------------------- "As our circle of knowledge expands, so does the circumference of darkness surrounding it." --Albert Einstein -------------------- Posts: 536 | Registered: Sunday, September 7 2003 07:00 |
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Electric Sheep One
Member # 3431
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written Wednesday, April 26 2006 00:59
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One day my brother and I built a trebuchet on the beach near our cottage. Its first shot landed about 1 foot in front of the thing's front legs. After improvements we had it throwing fist-sized stones perhaps 100 meters, maybe a bit more. Our accuracy did not suffice to hit a one meter sandcastle, after many attempts. Eventually we built a new target sandcastle in the middle of the trebuchet's beaten zone, and got a couple of glancing hits. Our biggest trouble was that every shot made the whole structure buck and rear out of the sand, so that it had to be repositioned and re-dug-in every few launches. Our continual efforts to lock the structure more firmly into the ground culminated just as evening approached. With big spikes pounded into the bases of the legs, weighted under heavy rocks and buried deep in the sand, we were sure that we had finally made a stable firing platform. We fired, and it was a great shot. But it was our last. Without the freedom to jerk itself out of the sand, our trebuchet could not handle the shock of firing. The main throwing arm broke. Our device had been improved to death. We looked at each other solemnly, and went in to supper. -------------------- We're not doing cool. We're doing pretty. Posts: 3335 | Registered: Thursday, September 4 2003 07:00 |
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Law Bringer
Member # 6785
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written Wednesday, April 26 2006 03:05
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Try the book, Backyard Ballistics by Wiiliam Gurstelle, for suggestions. I sent it to a friend and he called asking for windage since he already had the GPS for my house, Posts: 4643 | Registered: Friday, February 10 2006 08:00 |
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Agent
Member # 6581
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written Wednesday, April 26 2006 03:13
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quote:Yes, try and then try to hit me here in Italy! :D I remember that I and some friends of mine tryed to do this. The main problem was the accurancy... -------------------- Download Geneforge 4: Rebellion You have 6 posts. Nobody cares what you think. - Thuryl Wikipedia may be your friend, but UBB is not. - Dikiyoba Posts: 1310 | Registered: Tuesday, December 20 2005 08:00 |
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? Man, ? Amazing
Member # 5755
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written Wednesday, April 26 2006 06:28
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When I was shooting at sealions the other day with a wrist rocket I had difficulty with aim. The ball bearings went the correct distance, but the design of the cup seemed underappreciated in that particular model I was using. In college we did similar roof-top experiments and ended up using a combo of NAPA bungee cords, surgical tubing, parachute cord, and piece of silk (for the cup). The limiting factor on distance was the ability to hold the anchor points stable. This may not be an issue with your application, but in the public setting we did not want to alter the building (the one we were on...) As far as projectiles go, I would recommend starting with kiwi fruit. Once the mechanics of the operation are smooth, try a tangelo or other orange. They would hurt a human but not injure them, and are unlikely to cause major damage to structures. Our construct was able to hit the broad side of a barn from about 140 yards, with the target being below the release point. Be sure you can trust any cohorts to keep silent, as inevitably you will be sought out for compensation. Consider yourself cautioned. There is a whole litany of things not to do, but common sense dictates they not get mentioned. There are too many insane peopel around these parts. -------------------- quote: Posts: 4114 | Registered: Monday, April 25 2005 07:00 |
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The Establishment
Member # 6
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written Wednesday, April 26 2006 06:38
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I see no laws of physics that would prevent it. By all means, knock yourself out. At any rate, what myth are you trying to bust? -------------------- Your flower power is no match for my glower power! Posts: 3726 | Registered: Tuesday, September 18 2001 07:00 |
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BANNED
Member # 2064
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written Wednesday, April 26 2006 07:31
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I think he moreover meant proving a myth true/possible. -------------------- I am an idiot. Posts: 775 | Registered: Friday, October 11 2002 07:00 |
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Lifecrafter
Member # 3171
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written Wednesday, April 26 2006 13:10
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On the topic of projectiles we made a spud gun out of a large pipe and a hell of a lot of hair spray. We fired it from my friends house into the ocean (which is a good 500-600 metres away). We thought this was brilliant so we fired it at a paddock. Unfortunitly it went over the paddock and slammed into a power thingy on the power pole, giving it one hell of a dint. Ah the joys of living in a small town in New Zealand. The police will come and investigate if someone is dying or robbing something, but past that they don't really seem to care. In fact there's a unofficial rule, if your on the this towns side of the bridge you're allowed to drive without a licence or a road registed vehicle. If you're on the other side of the bridge the law will be on your ass in an instant. Posts: 776 | Registered: Friday, July 4 2003 07:00 |
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Infiltrator
Member # 1092
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written Wednesday, April 26 2006 17:50
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More or less ballistic weapons seen in a game or TV show, if they are capable of what the show or games says it's supposed to. Or any home done jobs would be very interesting. -------------------- When you think you can't get any lower in life and hit rock bottom, God hands you a shovel. Why should I say somthin intelligent when idiots like you make me look intelligent in the first place. Posts: 615 | Registered: Friday, May 3 2002 07:00 |
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Lifecrafter
Member # 3171
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written Wednesday, April 26 2006 18:07
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Things made at home are usually more powerful as you can have some crazy additions to them. Too bad they're usually far less safe. I remember a story about someone using a flamethrower made from a fire extinguisher which brings about this image. Posts: 776 | Registered: Friday, July 4 2003 07:00 |
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Law Bringer
Member # 6785
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written Wednesday, April 26 2006 19:45
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PBS had a miniseries about ancient builders. One episode was on the British trebuchet. They found in testing it that having it on wheels increased the range. It had something to do with changing the center of mass of the system to increase the path length before release, After they tried it out they showed how it worked better than they planned. Posts: 4643 | Registered: Friday, February 10 2006 08:00 |
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Infiltrator
Member # 5576
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written Wednesday, April 26 2006 19:54
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I believe that part of the explanation given was that the falling counter weight was able to follow a straighter path to the ground as the trebuchet moved. This makes some sense as the falling weight would then waste less energy trying the whole trebuchet horizontally. This would also hopefully alleviate the problems that Student of Trinity encountered with self destruction. -------------------- Überraschung des Dosenöffners! "On guard, you musty sofa!" Posts: 627 | Registered: Monday, March 7 2005 08:00 |
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Infiltrator
Member # 1092
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written Thursday, April 27 2006 01:49
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I have decided as the first thing me and a few mates are doing is a dismountable, swivel turret air canon. We have also chosen where it is to be tested. The only problem is we are drinking to it's sucess, whether it is working or not. -------------------- When you think you can't get any lower in life and hit rock bottom, God hands you a shovel. Why should I say somthin intelligent when idiots like you make me look intelligent in the first place. Posts: 615 | Registered: Friday, May 3 2002 07:00 |
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Law Bringer
Member # 2984
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written Thursday, April 27 2006 03:38
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That may affect the actual success, though. -------------------- Encyclopaedia Ermariana • Forum Archives • Forum Statistics • RSS [Topic / Forum] My Blog • Polaris • I eat novels for breakfast. Polaris is dead, long live Polaris. Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair. Posts: 8752 | Registered: Wednesday, May 14 2003 07:00 |
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By Committee
Member # 4233
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written Thursday, April 27 2006 04:05
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Be sure to test it well away from people and property that people care about. (Sorry - my torts exam is on Monday.) [ Thursday, April 27, 2006 04:05: Message edited by: Drew ] Posts: 2242 | Registered: Saturday, April 10 2004 07:00 |
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Guardian
Member # 6670
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written Thursday, April 27 2006 09:46
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Forget all that. Get some calcium carbide and an old MILK can and go celebrate in a quasi-legal fashion! EDIT: Oops. Though exploding butter might be fun... -------------------- CaC2 + H2O ---> Ca(OH)2 + 2C2H2 2C2H2 + 5O2 + Heat Source ---> 4CO2 + 2H2O + Fun! [ Thursday, April 27, 2006 17:56: Message edited by: Dintiradan ] Posts: 1509 | Registered: Tuesday, January 10 2006 08:00 |
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...b10010b...
Member # 869
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written Thursday, April 27 2006 15:55
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Butter comes in cans now? -------------------- The Empire Always Loses: This Time For Sure! Posts: 9973 | Registered: Saturday, March 30 2002 08:00 |
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By Committee
Member # 4233
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written Thursday, April 27 2006 16:20
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Maybe he means a butter spread tub. Or perhaps an old peanut butter can:  Posts: 2242 | Registered: Saturday, April 10 2004 07:00 |
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