Every year where I work they have what they refer to as excellence week, which is a bunch of patting yourself on the back for a job well done. This year they gave us a project. We had to build a device that would launch a ping pong ball onto a target a certain distance away. They gave us paper bags full of popsickle sticks, springs, a toilet paper tube, rubber bands, dowels, metal rails, tacks, tape, fishing line, straws, plastic fasteners, paper clips and a clothes pin. While a bunch of people are trying trebuchet/catapult setups, we opted for a pinball machine plunger design. We're gonna win, the ball flies far and true and judging by the other labs' offerings I think we've got it all sewn up.
Pic
Here's the finished product. For the barrel we used the toilet paper roll. We used two springs end to end placed in a U shaped channel that was created using three popsickle sticks. They were secured by, as you can see in the picture, lots of duct tape. The channel ensures that the plunger travels straight down the barrel. We then ran the dowel through the channel to use as our plunger, to which we fastened the rubber bands to use as our energy source.
Pic
This is a shot down the barrel (not the best pic I know). We used the paper clips to secure the U channel in the middle of the barrel and fastened the other ends of the rubber bands to the paper clips.
Catapult Design
Pneumatically Powered
This one wins the distance contest easily.
Cannon Design
Handgun Design
This one is my personal favorite, too bad it shoots worth a sh!t. Rotate the pic in your head 90° to the right.
Pic
Here's the finished product. For the barrel we used the toilet paper roll. We used two springs end to end placed in a U shaped channel that was created using three popsickle sticks. They were secured by, as you can see in the picture, lots of duct tape. The channel ensures that the plunger travels straight down the barrel. We then ran the dowel through the channel to use as our plunger, to which we fastened the rubber bands to use as our energy source.
Pic
This is a shot down the barrel (not the best pic I know). We used the paper clips to secure the U channel in the middle of the barrel and fastened the other ends of the rubber bands to the paper clips.
Catapult Design
Pneumatically Powered
This one wins the distance contest easily.
Cannon Design
Handgun Design
This one is my personal favorite, too bad it shoots worth a sh!t. Rotate the pic in your head 90° to the right.
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