Need help building a rollar coaster.....

[jcovercash]

So my GF calls me tonight and tells me that she needs help building a roller coaster for a school project, not wanting to let her down I tell her I will help her.....

Now I have no idea how to make this lol....

It needs to be a complete roller coaster track with a cart that will run the track... Nothing fancy but it needs to have a little design to it...


I have 3 ideas in mind so far...

#1 Using a Bike chain or something similar and a device to pull the cart up a hill and have it run down back and forth till it gets to the bottom, and repeat the process with the chain, there will be gears and a crank to make it go uphill.

#2 You know the magnetic trains you can make, I was thinking of something similar to that, but I have no idea how to do this, I have only seen them work.

#3 Buy the K'NEX Roller Coaster set .....



#1 is probally the best so far, but I have no idea how to make the track or cart... , If you have any tips or any other ideas or maybe a link to plans or something I would greatly apreciate it...


Thanks,
Josh

 

[geno]

have fun

 

[BennyD]

what kind of size are u talking about?

 

[yoda291]

iirc, real roller coasters run off momentum...the only time energy is put into the system is when you crank the coaster to the top. So just use materials that generally have little friction with each other and you should be ok. If the coaster doesn't make it all the way around...just make the initial drop higher. the magnet idea is good, very little resistance. Maybe oiled ball bearings on a smooth surface would be good with guide rails.

 

[jcovercash]

Originally posted by: BennyD
what kind of size are u talking about?

Not too big, she just has to present it to the class, So I imagine table top size, teacher arnt very detailed in the info they give.....


Budget is probally going to be 50-60 bucks...

 

[jcovercash]

Originally posted by: geno
have fun

Hahahaha, If it had a manual maybe ... I have never used K'NEX so they would be new, Lego on the other hand

 

[jcovercash]

Originally posted by: yoda291
iirc, real roller coasters run off momentum...the only time energy is put into the system is when you crank the coaster to the top. So just use materials that generally have little friction with each other and you should be ok. If the coaster doesn't make it all the way around...just make the initial drop higher. the magnet idea is good, very little resistance. Maybe oiled ball bearings on a smooth surface would be good with guide rails.

Yea im only going to use the crank to lift it up the initial hill. I would like some way to attatch the cart to the rails, I mainly need ideas for what to use on the wheels/rails, and from there I can probally get the rest...

 

[Syringer]

Hmm, what class is this for? Take pics of it when you're done!

 

[yoda291]

Originally posted by: AMDman12GHz

Originally posted by: yoda291
iirc, real roller coasters run off momentum...the only time energy is put into the system is when you crank the coaster to the top. So just use materials that generally have little friction with each other and you should be ok. If the coaster doesn't make it all the way around...just make the initial drop higher. the magnet idea is good, very little resistance. Maybe oiled ball bearings on a smooth surface would be good with guide rails.

Yea im only going to use the crank to lift it up the initial hill. I would like some way to attatch the cart to the rails, I mainly need ideas for what to use on the wheels/rails, and from there I can probally get the rest...

have you considered hanging the "people"/weights from a single guide rail instead of a track then? I imagine one rail would be better than two.

 

[jcovercash]

Originally posted by: yoda291

Originally posted by: AMDman12GHz

Originally posted by: yoda291
iirc, real roller coasters run off momentum...the only time energy is put into the system is when you crank the coaster to the top. So just use materials that generally have little friction with each other and you should be ok. If the coaster doesn't make it all the way around...just make the initial drop higher. the magnet idea is good, very little resistance. Maybe oiled ball bearings on a smooth surface would be good with guide rails.

Yea im only going to use the crank to lift it up the initial hill. I would like some way to attatch the cart to the rails, I mainly need ideas for what to use on the wheels/rails, and from there I can probally get the rest...

have you considered hanging the "people"/weights from a single guide rail instead of a track then? I imagine one rail would be better than two.

Hmm yea, Ill consider that...

I will take pictures when Im done.
And I have No Idea what class this is for, she called me at work and I didnt have long to talk, so I couldnt ask alot, Ill get more info tommrow..

 

[sciencetoy]

try this

seriously, pics of model roller coaster contest winners here

interesting information here

this is really cool here

have fun..

 

[HappyCracker]

I will tell you that a friend and I built that K'Nex rollercoaster a few years back, say about 6 or 8, and for one thing, it is an all day project. 2. buy some thimbles or something like that because your fingers get worn raw pushing this certain type of part on. Best of luck to you!