Rube Goldberg Machine: Classroom Notes 23/04/12

Classroom notes from Mondays bull session [23/4/12]

1. Suspension:

• Wire
• Twine
• Brackets attached to the wall
• Weight limits of light fixtures.

2. Propulsion:

• Springs
• Catapults
• Coke/Mentos
• Air Cannon
• Pinball Launcher
• Toy trains and cars etc
• Counterweights
• Magnets

3. Track Layout:

• Pulley system will raise marble from point A to point B
• Loops
  A full loop is going to require a lot of speed. Depending on various factors too numerous to go into here it is going to slow the marble down considerably.
• Splitter
  To send mutiple marbles off in different directions.
• The Pillar needs to be incorporated into the design. [1]
• Uniform start and end
  This will allow us to have interlocking sections. Although communication with the people in front and behind will allow tracks to be placed at the right locations.
• Funnels
  Made from paper or the tops of bottles cut to shape
• Boxes
  Cardboard boxes may be pressed into service as steps or shelves and can be easily obtained from just about anywhere [2]
• Start of run
  The run, at this point in time, officially starts when the door is opened.
• What is going to need to be moved?
  Shelves can be worked around but the kites are huge. Perhaps we might hang them from the rafters outside the classroom so that all might gaze upon our works and despair.

4. People:

• People are being very quiet.
  The classroom is dominated by those who speak and argue. This presents a rather interesting political allegory. In order to combat this the class has been moved closer together in an effort to make a good space for those who might have been keeping their heads down in an effort to not be noticed for whatever reasons.
  
  It could be shyness or not wanting to be laughed at for making a bad suggestion. Alternatively it may be that they are deep in contemplation of the project and not realise the direction that the class is going in [3]
• Ideas
  Track ideas and their placement will need to be gathered together and discussed. It may be that something which doesn't work in Area I will fit in with the design of Area IV
• As the run nears completion the cleaning staff should be notified of exactly what we're trying to achieve. This will prevent them from seeing it as nothing more than a huge mess left behind by those mad art students.

NOTES:

1. Since the various groups have managed to claim their sections, with only a minimal amount of formal duels occuring, this is the province of whatever group has claimed this area
2. Please ensure that the boxes are empty before you “obtain" them.
3. As another alternative it could be that they just need coffee.

LINKS:

Rube Goldberg Machine Post 1

Rube Goldberg Machine Post 2

Rube Goldberg Machine Post 3 (23/04/12)