TeacherGeek Ping-Pong Ball Launcher User manual

Unleash Your Creativity!
™
Example Ping-Pong
Ball Launcher

Copyright 2006 - TeacherGeek - Ping-Pong Ball Launcher Activity - All Rights Reserved Page 2
Ping-Pong Ball Launcher ™
Part Description QTY Picture
Long Link Strip 10
Dowel 5
Perpendicular
Adaptor 15
Paper Cup 2
Rubber Bands ~4
#12 Screws 6
Slide Stop Material 2
Inches
Additional Equipment Needed
Part Description QTY
TeacherGeek
Easy Engineering Tool Pack 1
Additional Supplies Needed
Part Description QTY
Ping Pong Ball 1
String 1 roll
Rulers 1/student
Masking Tape 1 roll
Paper Clips 1/student
Card Stock Sheets (heavy weight paper) 1/student
SAFETY GLASSES 1/student
!
Think Safety! Wear safety glasses when working
on or using your launcher.
Parts List (parts for each launcher

Copyright 2006 - TeacherGeek - Ping-Pong Ball Launcher Activity - All Rights Reserved Page 3
Ping-Pong Ball Launcher ™
Don’t think of this as a kit. Think of it as a bag full of endless solutions. Although
the end of this guide contains step-by-step instructions for creating a launcher,
we encourage you (your students) to try and develop new and different designs.
Because, in design and engineering, there is never one right answer…
TeacherGeek Easy Engineering Series products are designed to encourage innova-
tion and alternative designs. We encourage you to use the Easy Engineering Com-
ponents to create your own brilliant solutions.
Because, your rst idea is rarely your best…
TeacherGeek Easy Engineering Series products are designed to be redesigned;
they allow you to quickly change and evolve your designs.
Because, possibilities are endless…
TeacherGeek Easy Engineering Components can be easily combined with other
materials and products (Raid the recycling bin, wood, metal, broken toys, etc.)
“Kit” Can Be a Bad Word:
Other Documents That Will Help You With This Activity:
Document: Path: Access Code:
Easy Engineering Guide teachergeek.org/easy_engineering_guide.pdf No Code Required
Launcher Protractor teachergeek.org/protractor.pdf No Code Required
Easy Engineering Ruler teachergeek.org/ruler.pdf No Code Required
Download
Dowels vary in diameter because they are made of wood.
We have provided you with extra dowels to make up for
dowels which may be too large or too small to use.

Copyright 2006 - TeacherGeek - Ping-Pong Ball Launcher Activity - All Rights Reserved Page 4
Ping-Pong Ball Launcher ™
Reaming Holes
A Slide Reamer makes it easier
to push or pull a dowel through
a hole.
*Having trouble getting a dowel
into a hole? Ream it with the
Slide Reamer.
The Loose Reamer creates
a hole that dowels can freely
rotate in and slide through.
A loose t is typically used
to support axles, wheels and
pulleys. It is also used for
pivot points.
Learn how to
use a reamer
on page 5
Easy Engineering™Components come with holes that are the perfect size for a press
t with dowels.
Dowels and Holes
A press t is one where the dowel is xed and not
able to rotate or slide once it’s in the component
hole. A press t is good for creating rigid structures.
Press ts are good for
structural connections.
Press ts are good
for gears, pulleys
and levers that turn
together on the
same dowel (axle).
Slide Fit
Loose Fit
The Loose Reamer cre-
ates a hole that is larger
than the dowel.
The dowel moves freely
in the loose tting hole.
This hole in the perpendicular
adaptor was reamed with the Slide
Reamer to make it easier for it to
slide to the middle of the dowel.
The crank and pulley are
press t onto the same dowel
(so they turn together).
The link strip holes that the dowel needs to
rotate in were reamed with the Loose Reamer.

Copyright 2006 - TeacherGeek - Ping-Pong Ball Launcher Activity - All Rights Reserved Page 5
Ping-Pong Ball Launcher ™
L
Pull and push the
reamer in and out
of the hole.
Turn the reamer
inside the hole.
To further enlarge a hole, as you ream
it, move the end of the reamer around
so it is not in line with the hole.
How to Ream Holes Screws
Slide-Stop Material
Slide-Stop
Material keeps
dowels from
sliding back
and forth in
“loose” reamed
holes.
Slide-Stop Material comes in long lengths.
It must be cut into 6mm (~1/4”) sections
before it can be used.
Slide-Stop Material keeps components with “loose”
reamed holes from sliding back and forth on dowels.
Screws can be used to attach two
components together.
The hole the screw
will enter rst must be
reamed “loose.”
The hole the
screw will enter
second should
not be reamed.
Turn the screw into
both components.
*Be careful not
to over-tighten
the screw and
strip out the
bottom hole.
Tighten the screw
completely to
keep components
from rotating.
Leave the screw a ¼ turn from tight
to allow components to rotate/pivot.
OR

Copyright 2006 - TeacherGeek - Ping-Pong Ball Launcher Activity - All Rights Reserved Page 6
Ping-Pong Ball Launcher ™
45mm
45mm
45mm
45mm
45mm
45mm
45mm
90mm
25mm
180mm
150mm
150mm
45mm
Cut your dowels to length.
Dowel
Length:
Dowel
Quantity:
25mm 1
45mm 8
90mm 1
150mm 2
180mm 1
60mm
60mm
195mm
195mm
52.5mm
120mm
Cut your link-strips to length.
Length: Quantity:
52.5mm 1
60mm 2
120mm 1
195mm 2
Step 1: Cutting dowels
Step 2: Cutting Link-Strips

Copyright 2006 - TeacherGeek - Ping-Pong Ball Launcher Activity - All Rights Reserved Page 7
Ping-Pong Ball Launcher ™
Step 4: Assembling The Body
45mm
45mm
45mm
45mm
45mm
45mm
45mm
90mm
Step 3 nished
Step 3: Assembling The Body
Fasten the two 195mm linkstrips ( Aand B), to the
52.5mm linkstrip ( C) with 2 screws.
Fasten 2 perpendicular adaptors ( Dand E) to the
195mm link-strips ( Aand B) using 2 screws.
Place dowels into linkstrips (as shown).
Push the 45mm dowels down below the linkstrips into
perpendicular adaptors from step 3 ( Dand E) and
new perpendicual adaptors ( Fand G).
1
2
1
2
1
2
1
2
AB
C
B
A
C
D
E
195mm
195mm
52.5mm
195mm
195mm
52.5mm
D
E
F
G

Copyright 2006 - TeacherGeek - Ping-Pong Ball Launcher Activity - All Rights Reserved Page 8
Ping-Pong Ball Launcher ™
Step 6: Assembling The Body
Place the reamed perpendicular adaptors from step 5 ( Band C)
and two 60mm linkstrips ( Dand E) onto dowels ( F).
Step 5: Reaming “Loose” Holes
L
Ream hole
Ain 2 perpendicular adaptors. Use the
“loose” reamer.
Step 6 Finished
A
x 2
C
B
F
F
F
F
DE

Copyright 2006 - TeacherGeek - Ping-Pong Ball Launcher Activity - All Rights Reserved Page 9
Ping-Pong Ball Launcher ™
Step 8: Creating a pivot point
Step 7: Reaming “Slide” Holes
Ream holes Aand Bin a perpendicular adaptor. Use
the “slide” reamer.
Ream holes Cand Don the the the launcher body.
Use the “slide” reamer.
Step 8 Finished
Place 45mm dowel ( E) into a perpendicular adaptor ( F).
Place the assembled 45mm dowel and perpendicular
adaptor ( G) into the launcher body ( H).
2
1
2
45mm
1
12
1
2
A
B
D
C
E
F
G
H

Copyright 2006 - TeacherGeek - Ping-Pong Ball Launcher Activity - All Rights Reserved Page 10
Ping-Pong Ball Launcher ™
Attach the body ( H) (from step 8) to the
base ( I) (from step 9) using 2 screws.
1
2
25mm
180mm
150mm
120mm
Assemble the 150mm dowel ( A), 180mm dowel ( B),
120mm link-strip ( C) and 3 perpendicular adaptors
(D) as shown.
Create a pivot point placing 25mm dowel ( F) through
2 perpendicual adaptors ( E) on either side of linkstrip ( C).
1
2
2Finished
Step 9: Assemble The Base
Step 10: Attaching THe Base To The Body
Use the “slide” reamer to get components
to slide onto the dowels
1
1
A
C
B
D
D
D
C
E
E
F
H
I

Copyright 2006 - TeacherGeek - Ping-Pong Ball Launcher Activity - All Rights Reserved Page 11
Ping-Pong Ball Launcher ™
Step 11: Fold it Up
Step 12: Assemble and Mark The Ram
1
2
Fold over the assembly from step 10 onto itself.
Slide the perpendicular adaptor Aonto dowel B.
1
2
2
Place a 10mm section of slide-stop material ( C) and a perpen-
dicular adaptor ( D) on the end of a 150mm dowel ( E).
Draw a black mark on the dowel every 5mm, starting from.
Marks Every 5mm
A
B
DC
1
2
1
E

Copyright 2006 - TeacherGeek - Ping-Pong Ball Launcher Activity - All Rights Reserved Page 12
Ping-Pong Ball Launcher ™
Step 13: Inserting The Ram
Step 14: The Rubber Band
Step 14, Finished
1Insert the ram ( A) (from step 12) into the “loose”
reamed holes in the launcher body ( B).
.
1
Attach the rubber band ( C)..
A
B
C

Copyright 2006 - TeacherGeek - Ping-Pong Ball Launcher Activity - All Rights Reserved Page 13
Ping-Pong Ball Launcher ™
Step 16: Creating an Angle Finder
+=
Step 15: Adjust The Angle
1
2
Cut a 4” wire. Bend it so the end hooks around at the end ( C).
Cut a protractor ( D) from the Launcher Protractor Sheet. Punch a hole
in the middle of the circles in the upper left hand corner of the protrac-
tor. You can download additional protractor sheets at:
http://www.teachergeek.org/protractor.pdf *best printed on cardstock
Place the hook end of the wire into the hole in the corner of the protractor.
3
3
2
You can change the angle of your launcher
by sliding the perpendicual adaptor Aup and
down the dowel B.
A
B
C
1
D

Copyright 2006 - TeacherGeek - Ping-Pong Ball Launcher Activity - All Rights Reserved Page 14
Ping-Pong Ball Launcher ™
Tape or glue the angle nder ( F) (from step
16) onto the 90mm dowel on the launcher.
The straight lines on the side of the angle
nder must be parallel with the dowel
Step 17: Attaching The Angle Finder
Step 18: Using The Angle Finder
Make sure that the wire hanging in
front of the angle nder ( C) is per-
fectly straight. Set the launcher on a
table top. The angle of the launcher
is the number the wire falls to on
the protractor.
F
C

Copyright 2006 - TeacherGeek - Ping-Pong Ball Launcher Activity - All Rights Reserved Page 15
Ping-Pong Ball Launcher ™
Tip: Numbering The Ram Markings
The markings on the ram allow you to measure
the distance the ram is pulled back prior to
ring. It is a good idea to sequentally number
the ram marks. You can use them to adjust the
power of the ram, and to re consistantly.
It’s time to start shooting ping-pong balls!
Your Launcher is Complete!!!