Scioly.org

hebblethwaite wrote:Do you guys have any advice on how to make a mouse trap go further and faster besides make it lighter.

You can make it go further or faster, but you trade off one to get the other.
Distance is no problem with a cd wheel and a 1/8 to 1/4 sized axle and a 10 - 12" kill bar extension. You can make the axle bigger or the wheel smaller to get more speed at a total distance trade off.

hebblethwaite wrote:Do you guys have any advice on how to make a mouse trap go further and faster besides make it lighter.

Read the wiki: http://scioly.org/wiki/index.php/Mousetrap_Vehicle

Mousetrap selection: Last year our mousetraps varied from 1.0 lb to 1.6 lb measured at the 90 degree kill bar position.
Use the weak ones for initial practice and save two good ones for final practice and precise times. Unfortunately, the spring weakens with extensive use.

I prefer the tomcat traps to victor as the trigger is easier for me and my students to set.

retired1 wrote:Mousetrap selection: Last year our mousetraps varied from 1.0 lb to 1.6 lb measured at the 90 degree kill bar position.
Use the weak ones for initial practice and save two good ones for final practice and precise times. Unfortunately, the spring weakens with extensive use.

I prefer the tomcat traps to victor as the trigger is easier for me and my students to set.

Not only are they easier to set, I've also found that in my personal experience, Tomcats tend to be a bit stronger and resilient as well.

Does any one have any idea when they are going to open up the FAQ section. It still has 2012 items. It opened up on 1 Oct last year.

What question do you have?

Mousetrap vehicle--Para 3. c. says that you can not modify the mousetraps in any way except the addition of the kill bar. With 2 mousetraps, can you add a small piece of balsa under the bait snag of tomcat traps to tie the 2 release mechanisms together so that thy both release at the same time
Line 4 says that the kill bar extension is the only thing that can be added except 4 screws.

retired1 wrote:Mousetrap vehicle--Para 3. c. says that you can not modify the mousetraps in any way except the addition of the kill bar. With 2 mousetraps, can you add a small piece of balsa under the bait snag of tomcat traps to tie the 2 release mechanisms together so that thy both release at the same time
Line 4 says that the kill bar extension is the only thing that can be added except 4 screws.

Unofficially of course (standard disclaimer), I think line 4 is pretty explicit in that you can't add anything else to the mousetrap, thus adding a 'small piece of balsa' would be prohibited.

You just have to tie the mousetraps together at the arm(tie them and the kill bar with one piece of tape) and only use the catch on one trap, when this was a c-div event at my highschool once catch was enough to hold back both springs.

How does a dowel facilitate timing like stated in rule g?