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Re: Popping the balloon

Posted: March 2nd, 2010, 6:29 pm
by cypressfalls Robert
we just tape the balloon down and keep it covered using plastic food wrap

Re: Popping the balloon

Posted: March 3rd, 2010, 10:07 am
by Primate
Yeah, we used the balloon-in-plastic-enclosure idea originally, too. But version 2.0 of our Mission now makes use of balloon-animal balloons and PVC piping with endcaps. Plus, now our pin doesn't miss the balloon :).

Re: Popping the balloon

Posted: April 10th, 2010, 12:12 pm
by cypressfalls Robert
what is everyone doing right after the balloon, I mean what does the balloon trigger?

Re: Popping the balloon

Posted: April 10th, 2010, 1:06 pm
by thepotato
My weight hits a switch.

Re: Popping the balloon

Posted: April 10th, 2010, 10:23 pm
by Primate
The easiest thing is probably to hook a balloon up to a microswitch so when it deflates, it releases the switch.

Re: Popping the balloon

Posted: April 10th, 2010, 11:24 pm
by cypressfalls Robert
Primate wrote:The easiest thing is probably to hook a balloon up to a microswitch so when it deflates, it releases the switch.
that sounds awsome, right now our balloon has BB's inside of it and when popped they go down a tube and pile on to a micro switch...but it only works 8 out of ten trys and I'm not comftrable with that.

Re: Popping the balloon

Posted: April 11th, 2010, 8:02 am
by Primate
cypressfalls Robert wrote:
Primate wrote:The easiest thing is probably to hook a balloon up to a microswitch so when it deflates, it releases the switch.
that sounds awsome, right now our balloon has BB's inside of it and when popped they go down a tube and pile on to a micro switch...but it only works 8 out of ten trys and I'm not comftrable with that.
Anything that has failed once during trial runs will absolutely fail at competition, at least from my experience >.<. Using weights isn't such a bad idea, though it's probably better if they're not inside the balloon. We had the balloon wedged into a piece of piping, and then suspending a weight. When the balloon popped, the weight fell and hit our syringe. It was reliable, just a pain to build. The balloon-on-microswitch was what our regional winners used, so I'd definitely recommend it over any other contraption.

Re: Popping the balloon

Posted: April 28th, 2010, 12:49 pm
by rocketchicka
to pop the balloon I'm using a razor blade on the end of a lever. Generally, i've noticed that if you pop the balloon towards the top where you tie it off, it dosen't explode and usually stays in one piece so u don't have to worry about being DQed for flying balloon shards. my balloon raises the golfball 30cm when it pops.