Shop Class #7

[manofthemullet.livejournal.com]

Upon entering the Danger Room Shop, The classroom finds it transformed into a metal scrap yard.

Mac sits on the remains of a car seat tossing a medium size pumpkin in the air.

"Now that we got the emitters back in order, it's time to put some of your fabrication skills to work. Today I want you to start work on an apparatus that will fling a pumpkin. It can be a catapult, trebuchet, cannon, giant slingshot... whatever you want."

Mac motions to the scrap yard around him.

"Only catch is? You can use the parts you found from the junkyard behind me. You have full use of the shop tools to build whatever it is you plan to build. You have class today to plan and build. On Thursday we'll test out your new creations."

I'll be grading your project on:
Originality
Use of materials
Accuracy
Distance

"We have open shop this afternoon, and I'll have open shop tomorrow for those who want to use that time to work on their project. If you guys want to do this in groups or on your own, it's up to you."

"Thursday morning? We make a mess."

((I'll be modding the results of the pumpkin fling on Thursday based on how you build your "flinger". The more detail? The better your results.))

Comments

Re: Classwork

[12parseckessel.livejournal.com]

Han circles the junkpile, tappin the stylus on his readout. He drafts a quick, counter-weighted design, and the readout beeps its approval.

Setting to work, he finds an old hammock which he cuts in half for the sling, a couple of poles, a frame of something and an abandoned weight set.

He rigs a trebuchet, using the duct-tape and some bits of wire and rope.

The pumpkin rests in the former hammock, and the weight is balanced to be pushed off.

He sees some cloth and duct tapes a sign that reads "My pumpkin rode the shop-class trebuchet"

Re: Classwork

[wraithbaitjohn.livejournal.com]

Hey there. Think we can manage this one with out blowing ourselves to kingdom-come?

Nice sign.

Re: Classwork

[12parseckessel.livejournal.com]

"Hi. So far i haven't. Let's see if we can actually get anything off the ground with this."

Han removes the pumpkin and puts a piece of debris about the same mass in the sling.

"You wanna do the honors?"

Re: Classwork

[wraithbaitjohn.livejournal.com]

Absolutely! But do we want to find something a little rounder to launch? Give us an idea how our trajectory is? Possibly something squishy. Launching squishy things is fun.

Re: Classwork

[12parseckessel.livejournal.com]

"Since the pumpkin is for the grade, maybe..." Han goes digging in the junk pile. "Nothing squishy, Shep. But I found this."

Setting someone's old Medicine Ball in the sling he gives Shep a grin. "Hit it."

Re: Classwork

[wraithbaitjohn.livejournal.com]

Awesome!

*yells across practice yard*

"Fire in the hole!"

Re: Classwork

[12parseckessel.livejournal.com]

The trebuchet actually works right and the medicine ball goes into a high arc across the danger shop.

Han laughs. "It worked! I think we're ready for the pumpkin when Mac says we're good to launch!"

Re: Classwork

[wraithbaitjohn.livejournal.com]

Awesome! We should name our pumpkin. Call it Rodney Fatboy or something.

And are we aiming to hit a target or going for general distance? We may as well tweak it if we have time.