[Robotgroup] Ponginator Results #4

[Marvin Niebuhr]

Fill the balls with mercury like we did when I was a kid.   Prof. Conrad
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Ed Xavier Gonzalez<mailto:ohlaser at swbell.net> 
  To: robotgroup at puremagic.com<mailto:robotgroup at puremagic.com> 
  Sent: Tuesday, October 02, 2007 6:47 PM
  Subject: [Robotgroup] Ponginator Results #4


  Okay, with a shopvac-styled blower, just lots larger (about 500cfm), I was 
  able to reliably shoot a 38mm ball twenty yards  (the darn ball is so 
  light, it won't go any further).

  BUT, a quirk related to how the air flows around the ball dictates the tube 
  be blocked until the ball is let go, something akin to a gate 
  valve.  During the tests, the ball squeals like mad up until the tube is 
  blocked (because the ball is vibrating like mad as the air flows around it 
  within the tube), but the moment the end of the tube is allowed to flow 
  after the vibrations stop, ZING, the ball shoots out.  It looks neat!

  Sooooo . . . how to build/construct a gate valve before or after the 
  ball?  Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm . . .

  Ideas?

  Or should we stay with a compressed air styled cannon?

  Right now, time is a friend to no-one, so unless somebody else can get 
  another idea running and prove it works, I'm going to continue with what 
  I've got.

  Build it and they will ZING.

  <We all have the same 24 hours.  How we use them is up to us.>

  Ed Xavier Gonzalez
  Oak Hill Laser
  ohlaser at swbell.net<mailto:ohlaser at swbell.net>
  (512) 288-5243

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