SpudFiles

I know for me my "holy grail" gun not only has to function well and be efficient, it also has to look good, and be ergonomic in use. I figure from looking at some of the other guns on here that there's people who think the same, but I was wondering, how important is it to people, or does it not really matter if (to quote DR from the Spudtech days) your cannon looks like "a plumber's wet dream"?

Yeah I know it's another one of my philosophical questions - sorry, but this one I figure might lead on to threads about ergonomic spudgun design tips.

If you've ever looked at my designs, you can probably tell that if ease of use and ergonomics are considered at all, they're right at the bottom of the list.

If I ever built something so entertaining to use that it deserved a paint job and some kickass sheet metal casing, I'd probably paint it and make it look good. Until then, I'll continue with the cannons that look like someone let a monkey loose in the malleable iron fittings section.

SPG wrote:how important is it to people, or does it not really matter if (to quote DR from the Spudtech days) your cannon looks like "a plumber's wet dream"?

*ahem*

I must protest, that was my quote

I love a pretty looking launcher (though you couldn't tell by my prototypes ) but I'm very much a function over form person, I'd rather put 100% of my effort into making something with a spectacular performance than good looks.

jackssmirkingrevenge wrote:

SPG wrote:how important is it to people, or does it not really matter if (to quote DR from the Spudtech days) your cannon looks like "a plumber's wet dream"?

*ahem*

I must protest, that was my quote

I love a pretty looking launcher (though you couldn't tell by my prototypes ) but I'm very much a function over form person, I'd rather put 100% of my effort into making something with a spectacular performance than good looks.

She told me she aborted you! How have you been my long lost son?

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Geppetto?

Function over form --- form over function?

Considering that there is a limited number of fittings for PVC, copper and galvanized pipe sooner than eventually launchers are going to look the same-ish. This of course does not apply to JSR. Adding paint or decals is a poor attempt to cover up the fact that your launcher is just the same as your buddy's launcher. Or an extra elbow here and there to add individuality to the average launcher usually decreases performance.

If your trying to build for performance your in the wrong hobby. You should have gotten an engineering degree and become some sort of armament engineer. Just because you've got the fastest tricycle doesn't mean squat when a 2007 MV Agusta F4-1000R wants to race.

This is a hobby, just as building model cars is a hobby. You do it to make yourself feel good, no matter what the outcome. You want function? You want form? Then build it. Just don't forget that it is the build part that is really getting you off.

Most of my stuff is prototype, so it really looks bad and doesn't perform to well.

A better question would be, how many people destroy old cannons to build new ones?

if JSR were geppetto, what would his son be made of ?

POLAND_SPUD wrote:if JSR were geppetto, what would his son be made of ?

Marine Grade.

Ah, yes not DR then (for years I read it as Dr and thought he was a Doctor).

I'm a lot of a form following function kind of person, but lookign at some of the recent BB guns that have appeared, they're beginning to get woodwork for instance, so that while the "mechanics" of the thing might be bought in fittings, there's a bit of an effort to make a stock.

Then again over on the Nerf Forums you get people like Boltsniper building things like this:



which is largely made out of bits of PVC pipe.

In all fairness, Mr. Boltsniper has access to CNC machinery, a bit out of our league.

MaxuS the 2nd wrote:Marine Grade.

Or a foam cored epoxy casting

jackssmirkingrevenge wrote:Geppetto?

Nope, all me. Who's Geppetto?

I generally find a balance between aesthetics and function, but it usually means making various custom parts, or arranging them in a way that is neither easy nor intended. I generally try to compact things as much as I can; I like the look of fine mechanical details crammed into the overall form of a gun (BTB's deathray MMG and my hybrid are a good example of this).

I've destroyed a couple of pre-SF guns for usable parts, but they were just things I used to learn how stuff worked, not something I would hang on the wall.

jrrdw wrote:Nope, all me. Who's Geppetto?

Pinocchio's dad! I was referring to this joke:

St Peter decides to take the day off to go fishing, so Jesus offers to keep an eye on the Pearly Gates. He is not sure what to do, so Peter tells him to find out a bit about people as they arrive in Heaven, and this will help him decide if he can let them in.

After a while, Jesus sees a little old man with white hair approaching who looks very, very familiar. He asks the old man to tell him about himself. The old man says, "I had a very sad life. I was a carpenter and had a son who I lost at a relatively young age, and although he was not my natural child, I loved him dearly."

Jesus welled up with emotion. He threw his arms around the old man and cried, "Father!"

The old man replied, "Pinocchio?"

Ok, now I get it. But I never heard that untill now, funny!

What's this?...Jokes at my expense?

Back on topic, I would say that I do not "worry" what things look like, so long as they work properly. That being said, it makes sense to me that a design which is to be hand held should give ergonomics at least some consideration.