"In the world of spuds today"

[jackssmirkingrevenge]

Congratulations have a virtual cigar

[POLAND_SPUD]

congrats

[Ragnarok]

More congratulations from here.

Have a virtual cigar

That reminds me of something my brother said the other day:
"These days, Ewok sounds like it should be the name for an internet frying pan."

[psycix]

Congratulations have a virtual cigar

And get virtual cancer?

[THUNDERLORD]

Congratulations have a virtual cigar

Thanks Fellas,
On the smoking thing, I had some spyware removed that was doing malicious things, but it kept pointing me to:"Smoking everywhere Cig And other sites as "home page"...Geez, most of that crap I wouldn't need,
I chew dip (skoal straight) but plan to get the "patch" soon.
That looks sort of "cool" for smokers though, one model, the end lights up on "drags" and it emits fake smoke even and contains nicotine of a whole pack!...(Had the same idea similar when I was very young)

ITWOST: I was jacking up the "ThunderVan" to fix a brake problem and noticed the force necessary on the jack could easily be applied with an air wrench (@100 - PSI)...Then saw a 12 V motorized scissor jack with crankcase at harbor frieght...
Harbor frieght (contrary to first impression) sort of makes me sick (all the made in china crap), don't even sell pressure washer parts (maybe because like none of their stuff is any quality(?))

Anyhow, the crankcase on the jack w/ motor could easily auto cock a crossbow (or piston).
edit:(12 V elec. OR LP tank to air wrench).

Dang! I'm building a sketch book for future concepts/ projects and how-to's.
(My current semi/full auto pistoned pneumatic project, a "y" shaped bulk waste BBMG with ball detent, some captive bolt designs, semi/full auto hybrid with BFB, spring plunger pilot work, combustion with piston -to pneumatic design, poppet full auto pneumatic...etc..etc.)

I plan to post a pic including myself soon (missing a cable for my camera right now). 8)

[Ragnarok]

Figured I'd drop this in here. My absence over the weekend (if anyone noticed) was because I went to go and study some rather large (and old) "full-auto pneumatics".
Or if you prefer, I went to the "Severn Valley Railway" for their autumn Steam Gala. Either way, I enjoyed it.

A few photos for those of you not acquainted with British steam locomotives...


LMS Stanier Mogul at Kidderminster. Only remaining example of the class, so strictly "The Stanier Mogul".


One of the GWR "Hall Class", Kinlet Hall, southbound out of Highley.


LMS Ivatt Class 4 (Also a unique example, known as "The Flying Pig") at Bridgnorth.
A class that was considered by some to be the ugliest locomotives made in Britain.


And one of the more entertaining locos present - a 57xx class GWR Pannier tank at Hampton Loade. Although relatively small at about 50 tonnes, they're always one of the better ones to be behind going up Eardington Bank.
Because the line has a relatively low speed limit, the bigger locos don't really break a sweat. A relatively small loco trying to do 30 mph up a 1 in 100 gradient with eight heavily laden coaches however... then they start to sound like they're working.

They may not be as efficient or powerful as their modern equivalents, but they're rather more interesting in my opinion.
Whatever others think, I think it was a good use of my weekend.

[jackssmirkingrevenge]

Anorak's wet dream, good stuff

[c11man]

today i took a hacksaw to my .22cal coax gun.
but it was for the better. i changed it to a .25cal so i can shoot 1/4in ball bearing but i can still fire .22 pelets by sliding anougher alluminum tube inside the barrel.
i also used a peice of nylon to increase seat size for faster piston, and tapered the inside hole of the nylon to the barrel for better flow. my next piston may have a cone on it but idk.
i also upgraded the chamber (or degraded bepending how you think about it). my c:b was very large so i shortened the chamber by about 3inches. this will make for less pumping and about the same power

[Ragnarok]

Anorak's wet dream, good stuff

Yeah, the SVR's autumn gala is pretty much the premier event of the year for UK steam enthusiasts. Unless I've forgotten any, they had twelve different steam locos going over the weekend:

- GNR Class N2 0-6-2T (#1744)
- LMS Ivatt Class 2 2-6-2T (#41241)
- LMS Ivatt Class 2MT 2-6-0 (#46443)
- LMS Ivatt Class 4 2-6-0 (#43106 - "Flying Pig")
- LMS Stanier Mogul 2-6-0 (#42698)
- PTR Hudswell Clarke 0-6-0ST (#813)
- GWR 51xx Prarie 2-6-2T (#5164)
- GWR 56xx Class 0-6-2T (#5643)
- GWR 57xx Class 0-6-0PT (#5764)
- GWR Hall Class 4-6-0 (#4936 - Kinlet Hall)
- 2x GWR Manor Class 4-6-0 (#7802 & 7812 - Bradley & Erlestoke Manor)

... More than they were capable of using at any one time, at least! There's a heap more photos of all those, but I think I've done enough anoraking for now.

[jackssmirkingrevenge]

... More than they were capable of using at any one time, at least! There's a heap more photos of all those, but I think I've done enough anoraking for now.

Which reminds me, I ought to share some pics from Kubinka...

[rcman50166]

In the world of spuds today, my design evaluation for my t-shirt gun has been set off another week. We are approaching a month now since the design was completed. Today the excuse is one of the members of the design evaluation team can't be present because they are swamped down with work to do. It's beginning to get frustrating. Every week there is an excuse to delay the evaluation.Also since I am building the cannon through ASME, I have to approach the whole build by engineering standards. That means gannt charts, safety factors, the whole deal. I just want the funding so I can go ahead and build the damn thing. If I built this my way it would have been done two weeks ago. But alas, the engineering approach is supposed to make things faster and more efficient no? Oh, how I'd like to believe it were true...

[Technician1002]

In the world of spuds today, my design evaluation for my t-shirt gun has been set off another week. We are approaching a month now since the design was completed. Today the excuse is one of the members of the design evaluation team can't be present because they are swamped down with work to do. It's beginning to get frustrating. Every week there is an excuse to delay the evaluation.Also since I am building the cannon through ASME, I have to approach the whole build by engineering standards. That means gannt charts, safety factors, the whole deal. I just want the funding so I can go ahead and build the damn thing. If I built this my way it would have been done two weeks ago. But alas, the engineering approach is supposed to make things faster and more efficient no? Oh, how I'd like to believe it were true...

Welcome to the world of engineering. High performance is on the edge of destruction (race car engineering) and low performance, over engineering for safety and long life (bridge engineer). PVC is not approved for any compressed air. For the relatively short life and risky construction of spudguns, it is common. The first step is to define your design goals. Part of the design goals you have imposed is cost. The other is time. These are real world constraints on most engineering projects.

I have suggested low cost materials that have pre esisting certifications for pressure (DOT certification) and design ideas with a proven track record for repeatability, a requirement for any targeting competition. It is time to pick the final designs and compare the probability of high repeatability and use one that can meet all your design goals including accuracy, cost, and time to build and calibrate.

If I get time later, I may tripod mount a launcher of mine and lob a dozen golf balls to see the spread at 20 meters.

[Ragnarok]

As my signature explains, my laptop's graphics "card" has blown up (not entirely literally), which limits me to using an older desktop.

Curiously, I've been reading the laptop's insurance policy. Apparently, my laptop is not covered against damage caused by pressure waves caused by supersonic flight, or damage caused by nuclear explosions.
It specifically sets out those two points (Clauses 8 & 7b respectively), I'm not just picking specific circumstances that fit within various "exemption" categories.

Evidently, this policy was written with spudders and similar people in mind.

[psycix]

I remember some company selling "indestructible" notebooks. Until some guy bought one, drove over it with his jeep and threw it off a building.

Insurance policies need to be very specific. If they aren't the company will have to fix every broken product caused by people's stupidity.


I also remember a story about some guy who broke his graphics card, but the company said it was his own fault and refused to give him a new one.
So, he put the card into the microwave and returned it again. This time the product was labeled as a manufacturing error, and he got a new one!

Moral of the story: if they wont refund your hardware, microwave it and try again.

[c11man]

today my two ebay orders shipped out. The first is a air conditioner compressor that i will be using for the air source on my next cannon. i will be adding a air inlet to the in side of the compressor to allow for a pressureised input. this input should speed up fill time and put less strain on the motor.
also my two brass tees shipped. they are 3/4in and machined out of a solid block of brass, and rated to 1200psi.
oh and i paid $13vfor both those tees shiped