SpudFiles

Yeah we need to decide what the nature of the beast shall be.

@mrcrowley
that just got me thinking... wouldn't it be a good idea to set a competition that would look like this: (I am missing the right word so I have to describe it)

a jury, mod or some member set some specifications, such as:

we want a gun that meets the following criteria:
1. is fully self contained
2. has a rate of fire of at least 3 RPS
3. its overal lenght is < than 100 cm
4. weight is lower than 5 kg
5. has muzzle velocity of at least 200 m/s and muzzle energy of 50J
6. can penetrate one 3/4" plywood at 50 meters
7. doesn't require machined parts

contestants design the guns, build prototypes and test them... then the guns are presented and the best design wins


you know what I am talking about right ?? sort of like government contracts for a multi-role fighter or something like that... there are somespecs and criteria that the project has to meet and different companies try to design and then build a prototype... the design that performs the best, is the easiest to make or the cheapest wins

Yeah I see what you mean, as long as the guidelines aren't as strict as your example

I think your example described the cannon we should try to design for this community project.

Definitely would be a helluva challenge

that was just an example... but if the guidelines are strict it will spring creativity and will be more interesting

you could even set specs for several completely different guns so that everyone would find something they like

but I have to stress that It would be improtant to prepare a good set of guidelines...

I really wouldn't like to see something along the lines of 'only PVC is allowed' but rather something like 'overall weight lower than 10 kg' and 'must be able to penetrate 1/4" steel plate'... (sorry I just can't get over that thing about PVC and the penetration contest)


this way it would make more sense as contestants would be given complete freedom but they would have to work hard to meet all criteria... so either they reduce weight by using PVC but have to find ways to get more power or they use metal but have to find a way to reduce weight a lot

it will be more 'natural' this way as it would be more like real-life engineering

so... everybody what do you think ??

MrCrowley wrote:Yeah I see what you mean, as long as the guidelines aren't as strict as your example

I think your example described the cannon we should try to design for this community project.

Definitely would be a helluva challenge

Challenge? Pshh. PFFFFT!

After reading, I would happily volunteer my lathe, tools etc to build this if the plans are suitable. I am happy to purchase whatever stock. I have access to a lathe, mill, taps/dies, mig/tig/arc welders, most materials (I can cast any larger parts needed) etc. I'm happy to pour as much money as it needs into it to make it work if I like the design.

Or, if I am not lucky enough to be selected (by the way, I could only do a small bore gun, and not 1x combustion) I can machine any SMALL parts that would not cost much to ship internationally to whoever is building it.

Designing also sounds fun.

I'll go ahead and say that personally I think this is a great idea.

Poland_Spud's idea of certain guidelines struck me as very interesting. I would very much like to see and possibly participate in such an event. I don't have to tools to build anything too precisely (I can't even center a hole ) but I have plenty of little ideas here and there.

Well, lets begin then. If we know what we want, people can start coming up with idea's.

Well, lets begin then. If we know what we want, people can start coming up with idea's.

Before we do, it needs to be organized first. It can't just be everybody pitching ideas into a thread at the same time. That would lead to chaos, which would lead to failure almost immediately.

I'm thinking that one person is the designated "thread starter". This is announced and persons send him/her some ideas. The "thread starter" organizes the ideas and creates the Community Project thread.

we want a gun that meets the following criteria:
1. is fully self contained
2. has a rate of fire of at least 3 RPS
3. its overal lenght is < than 100 cm
4. weight is lower than 5 kg
5. has muzzle velocity of at least 200 m/s and muzzle energy of 50J
6. can penetrate one 3/4" plywood at 50 meters
7. doesn't require machined parts

This, right here, is the exact thing I had in mind. This is almost identical to how the goals would be laid out.

...but I have plenty of little ideas here and there.

And that's the precise idea for starting a project such as this, to get a lot of little ideas and make one big idea.

7. doesn't require machined parts

If this is a community project, shouldn't we take advantage of the fact that some members have the skills and equipment to actually machine parts?

It would be cool if we made an "Airbus style" project with parts coming from all over the world and put together in one place. Question is, who would get to keep it

jackssmirkingrevenge wrote:

7. doesn't require machined parts

If this is a community project, shouldn't we take advantage of the fact that some members have the skills and equipment to actually machine parts?

It would be cool if we made an "Airbus style" project with parts coming from all over the world and put together in one place. Question is, who would get to keep it

As said before, I'd be happy to put a lathe, mill etc towards this. Also, if someone else is designated to build it and the part required isn't too large I can have it shipped off.

jackssmirkingrevenge wrote:If this is a community project, shouldn't we take advantage of the fact that some members have the skills and equipment to actually machine parts?

Indeed, surely the concept is to allow the best of design and the best of construction to come together on one launcher.

If we're just doing a community design then I can see why you'd want to keep machined parts off the list, so it's within the capacities of most builders, but if the whole cannon is the project, then there should be only minimal restriction on parts - if it can be made, then it's pretty much acceptable.

Question is, who would get to keep it

Good question. I'd say whoever has the capacity to build it. Another option is, if persons are willing to machine and ship parts to whoever, that the person designated as the "thread starter and organizer" gets to build and keep the launcher, with a tribute to Spudfiles and those who volunteered parts of course.

Maybe the person designated as "thread starter" has to win in some sort of small contest or something.

Hubb wrote:Maybe the person designated as "thread starter" has to win in some sort of small contest or something.

Seconded. Maybe it becomes the prize in the next major contest? Maybe that would encourage a few more entries.

Ha, as I typed this i realized how impossible it would be to ship it to another country without seeming like international terrorists hahahah

jmadden91 wrote:Ha, as I typed this i realized how impossible it would be to ship it to another country without seeming like international terrorists hahahah

... because knowing this forum, I'm pretty sure the end result would look very much like this: