OK, I am building a racetrack for a local boys club for pine box derby.
I have all the dimensions and such that I must adhere to, and I am
trying to add a little local flavor to the deal by building a finish
line that will register which lane won. Nothing electrical, just a trip
of some kind that will throw up a flag (or even turn on a light, yeah, I
know that's electrical) indicating which car crossed the finish line first.
Anyone ever done this and if so, how did you do it. I have my ideas,
but would like to hear others before I start on that part. I have to
have it done by the first week of May.
--
Robert Allison
New Braunfels, TX
If you mean Pine Wood Derby, them you must polish the axle / nails. It
is best to have the most weight in the back. Another tip, is to only
have 3 of the wheels touch the track.
If while running you are not doing well in forward, turn the car around
and see if it runs better.
On 04/19/2011 02:48 PM, Robert Allison wrote:
> OK, I am building a racetrack for a local boys club for pine box derby.
> I have all the dimensions and such that I must adhere to, and I am
> trying to add a little local flavor to the deal by building a finish
> line that will register which lane won. Nothing electrical, just a trip
> of some kind that will throw up a flag (or even turn on a light, yeah, I
> know that's electrical) indicating which car crossed the finish line first.
>
> Anyone ever done this and if so, how did you do it. I have my ideas, but
> would like to hear others before I start on that part. I have to have it
> done by the first week of May.
On 4/19/2011 2:53 PM, Kerry Montgomery wrote:
> "Robert Allison"<[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>> OK, I am building a racetrack for a local boys club for pine box derby. I
>> have all the dimensions and such that I must adhere to, and I am trying to
>> add a little local flavor to the deal by building a finish line that will
>> register which lane won. Nothing electrical, just a trip of some kind
>> that will throw up a flag (or even turn on a light, yeah, I know that's
>> electrical) indicating which car crossed the finish line first.
>>
>> Anyone ever done this and if so, how did you do it. I have my ideas, but
>> would like to hear others before I start on that part. I have to have it
>> done by the first week of May.
>>
>> --
>> Robert Allison
>> New Braunfels, TX
>
> Robert,
> How many lanes? If there are only two, it should be pretty simple to make a
> flap for each lane, with the hinge for each flap flat to the bottom of the
> lane, but angled so that the outer end of the hinge is further down the
> track than the inner end. After the cars both pass the flaps, the flap for
> the first car will be under the flap for the second one.
> Kerry
>
>
No such luck. Four lanes. I quickly figured a pretty easy fix for 2
lanes, four becomes a little tricky.
--
Robert Allison
New Braunfels, TX
On 4/19/2011 1:53 PM, chaniarts wrote:
> Robert Allison wrote:
>> OK, I am building a racetrack for a local boys club for pine box
>> derby. I have all the dimensions and such that I must adhere to, and
>> I am trying to add a little local flavor to the deal by building a finish
>> line that will register which lane won. Nothing electrical, just a
>> trip of some kind that will throw up a flag (or even turn on a light,
>> yeah, I know that's electrical) indicating which car crossed the
>> finish line first.
>> Anyone ever done this and if so, how did you do it. I have my ideas,
>> but would like to hear others before I start on that part. I have to
>> have it done by the first week of May.
>
> google is your friend
>
> http://www.google.com/search?q=pinewood+derby+finish+line+indicator
>
> the first 2 returned are
> http://home.simplyweb.net/bosworth/timers&.htm
> http://www.edaboard.com/thread176835.html
>
> there are only 23900 more links to investigate.
>
>
Most of them are electronic. But yeah, I am looking there, too.
--
Robert Allison
New Braunfels, TX
On 4/20/2011 1:12 PM, Edward Hennessey wrote:
> "Edward Hennessey"<[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>>
>> "Robert Allison"<[email protected]> wrote in message
>> news:[email protected]...
>>> OK, I am building a racetrack for a local boys club for pine box
>>> derby. I have all the dimensions and such that I must adhere to,
>>> and I am trying to add a little local flavor to the deal by
>>> building a finish line that will register which lane won. Nothing
>>> electrical, just a trip of some kind that will throw up a flag (or
>>> even turn on a light, yeah, I know that's electrical) indicating
>>> which car crossed the finish line first.
>>>
>>> Anyone ever done this and if so, how did you do it. I have my
>>> ideas, but would like to hear others before I start on that part.
>>> I have to have it done by the first week of May.
>>>
>>> --
>>> Robert Allison
>>> New Braunfels, TX
>>
>> RA:
>>
>> I'm reluctant to add a berry to your apple pie but this
>> is an idea that is cheap, simple and easy to reject, if,
>> on hearing it, you say nay. With a bit of interpretation,
>> it also skirts your ban on electricity as that means
>> line power.
>>
>> Walmart and other retailers sell a very, very cheap,
>> portable, battery-powered photocell alarm. The
>> configurations of features and modules vary.
>> If any of them will function in the light levels you
>> have, they could contribute sound effects as a
>> car crosses the line. Features will dictate possible
>> applications.
>>
>> For just recognizing the
>> winner, one unit would work. Should you prefer
>> to cover the four cars, perhaps one alarm
>> can be switched on and off fast enough to handle
>> the field. Again, with the availability of operators,
>> multiple units could be set up and each unshielded
>> as successive cars crossed the line. Various
>> photo/video notions worthily mentioned might
>> add this audio component to further memorialize
>> the event.
>>
>> Structurally speaking, if you build your track with
>> staggered start/finish positions, alongside the lessened
>> possibility of race collisions (read "liability") at the
>> cost of some drama, your variations on rigging
>> chiming/alarming photocells would expand.
>>
>
> RA:
>
> It later came that you could mount the above units
> under or over the track, obvious restrictions and
> considerations allowing. That would obviate much
> of the fiddling needed in a horizontal plane. The
> model I saw had two sound alerts. That gives
> you enables you to cover 2 lanes distinctively.
> Find offering with the same capacity and 4 lanes
> are now marked separately.
>
> On the mechanical flag-drop, I thought. Without
> knowing the design constraints or your own
> formulation, pondering goes wide. If you can let
> us hear what your considerations are along with
> the ideas contending, that would likely be best.
>
> Regards,
>
> Edward Hennessey
My design is a simple trip lever that does two things; puts the flag up
on the winning lane, stops the other flags from going up by dropping
their trip levers out of the way (or prevents flags from going up when
tripped).
That requires simply a trigger for each flag (flag goes up under
counterweight assist when released) and the trigger releases a block
that stops the other flags from going up. I will try to do a drawing
and post it somewhere.
--
Robert Allison
New Braunfels, TX
Robert Allison wrote:
> OK, I am building a racetrack for a local boys club for pine box
> derby. I have all the dimensions and such that I must adhere to, and
> I am trying to add a little local flavor to the deal by building a finish
> line that will register which lane won. Nothing electrical, just a
> trip of some kind that will throw up a flag (or even turn on a light,
> yeah, I know that's electrical) indicating which car crossed the
> finish line first.
> Anyone ever done this and if so, how did you do it. I have my ideas,
> but would like to hear others before I start on that part. I have to
> have it done by the first week of May.
I like the idea of a "photo finish".
A simple video camera hooked up to a lap-top which simultaneously feeds a
large screen monitor (donated for the event).
You could even jazz it up with a split-screen showing a wide angle view of
the entire race track. An elapsed timer in the corner.
If a dispute, think SLO-MO INSTANT-REPLAY.
Print each race to a CD to give to each contestant.
The mind reels.
I've had an idea, let's see if it would work. Just pased the finish
line are a series of cross-linked levers going across each lane. The
lever in each lane prortudes only about 1/2" or so into the lane.
When the first car passes by the lever, it switches the position of
all of the levers, for example from this position / to this position
\ . All the successive cars would be caught by the switched lever.
Obviously this isn't going to give you millisecond timing, and the
clearances/tolorances will affect accuracy, but this is purely
mechanical and uses no electronics. This is a mechanical "flip-flop"
and something like this is used in marble machines.
On Apr 19, 1:48=A0pm, Robert Allison <[email protected]> wrote:
> OK, I am building a racetrack for a local boys club for pine box derby.
> =A0 I have all the dimensions and such that I must adhere to, and I am
> trying to add a little local flavor to the deal by building a finish
> line that will register which lane won. =A0Nothing electrical, just a tri=
p
> of some kind that will throw up a flag (or even turn on a light, yeah, I
> know that's electrical) indicating which car crossed the finish line firs=
t.
>
> Anyone ever done this and if so, how did you do it. =A0I have my ideas,
> but would like to hear others before I start on that part. =A0I have to
> have it done by the first week of May.
>
> --
> Robert Allison
> New Braunfels, TX
Robert Allison wrote:
> OK, I am building a racetrack for a local boys club for pine box
> derby. I have all the dimensions and such that I must adhere to, and
> I am trying to add a little local flavor to the deal by building a finish
> line that will register which lane won. Nothing electrical, just a
> trip of some kind that will throw up a flag (or even turn on a light,
> yeah, I know that's electrical) indicating which car crossed the
> finish line first.
> Anyone ever done this and if so, how did you do it. I have my ideas,
> but would like to hear others before I start on that part. I have to
> have it done by the first week of May.
google is your friend
http://www.google.com/search?q=pinewood+derby+finish+line+indicator
the first 2 returned are
http://home.simplyweb.net/bosworth/timers&.htm
http://www.edaboard.com/thread176835.html
there are only 23900 more links to investigate.
On 4/19/2011 2:48 PM, Robert Allison wrote:
> OK, I am building a racetrack for a local boys club for pine box derby.
> I have all the dimensions and such that I must adhere to, and I am
> trying to add a little local flavor to the deal by building a finish
> line that will register which lane won. Nothing electrical, just a trip
> of some kind that will throw up a flag (or even turn on a light, yeah, I
> know that's electrical) indicating which car crossed the finish line first.
>
> Anyone ever done this and if so, how did you do it. I have my ideas, but
> would like to hear others before I start on that part. I have to have it
> done by the first week of May.
>
How about a "photo-finish" --connected to a "big screen", of course. A
little "mood audio" (racing sounds) in the background shouldn't be too
hard to locate (my dad took care of that part years ago, borrowing the
audio from the library).
My first thought was to try to use the torsion spring from a mousetrap,
but I couldn't decide how to fairly decide close calls. Have fun!
Bill
"Edward Hennessey" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> "Robert Allison" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>> OK, I am building a racetrack for a local boys club for pine box
>> derby. I have all the dimensions and such that I must adhere to,
>> and I am trying to add a little local flavor to the deal by
>> building a finish line that will register which lane won. Nothing
>> electrical, just a trip of some kind that will throw up a flag (or
>> even turn on a light, yeah, I know that's electrical) indicating
>> which car crossed the finish line first.
>>
>> Anyone ever done this and if so, how did you do it. I have my
>> ideas, but would like to hear others before I start on that part.
>> I have to have it done by the first week of May.
>>
>> --
>> Robert Allison
>> New Braunfels, TX
>
> RA:
>
> I'm reluctant to add a berry to your apple pie but this
> is an idea that is cheap, simple and easy to reject, if,
> on hearing it, you say nay. With a bit of interpretation,
> it also skirts your ban on electricity as that means
> line power.
>
> Walmart and other retailers sell a very, very cheap,
> portable, battery-powered photocell alarm. The
> configurations of features and modules vary.
> If any of them will function in the light levels you
> have, they could contribute sound effects as a
> car crosses the line. Features will dictate possible
> applications.
>
> For just recognizing the
> winner, one unit would work. Should you prefer
> to cover the four cars, perhaps one alarm
> can be switched on and off fast enough to handle
> the field. Again, with the availability of operators,
> multiple units could be set up and each unshielded
> as successive cars crossed the line. Various
> photo/video notions worthily mentioned might
> add this audio component to further memorialize
> the event.
>
> Structurally speaking, if you build your track with
> staggered start/finish positions, alongside the lessened
> possibility of race collisions (read "liability") at the
> cost of some drama, your variations on rigging
> chiming/alarming photocells would expand.
>
RA:
It later came that you could mount the above units
under or over the track, obvious restrictions and
considerations allowing. That would obviate much
of the fiddling needed in a horizontal plane. The
model I saw had two sound alerts. That gives
you enables you to cover 2 lanes distinctively.
Find offering with the same capacity and 4 lanes
are now marked separately.
On the mechanical flag-drop, I thought. Without
knowing the design constraints or your own
formulation, pondering goes wide. If you can let
us hear what your considerations are along with
the ideas contending, that would likely be best.
Regards,
Edward Hennessey
Never mind, I re-read and you are building a track, not a car.
On 04/19/2011 04:04 PM, Michael Kenefick wrote:
> If you mean Pine Wood Derby, them you must polish the axle / nails. It
> is best to have the most weight in the back. Another tip, is to only
> have 3 of the wheels touch the track.
>
> If while running you are not doing well in forward, turn the car around
> and see if it runs better.
>
> On 04/19/2011 02:48 PM, Robert Allison wrote:
>> OK, I am building a racetrack for a local boys club for pine box derby.
>> I have all the dimensions and such that I must adhere to, and I am
>> trying to add a little local flavor to the deal by building a finish
>> line that will register which lane won. Nothing electrical, just a trip
>> of some kind that will throw up a flag (or even turn on a light, yeah, I
>> know that's electrical) indicating which car crossed the finish line
>> first.
>>
>> Anyone ever done this and if so, how did you do it. I have my ideas, but
>> would like to hear others before I start on that part. I have to have it
>> done by the first week of May.
"Robert Allison" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> OK, I am building a racetrack for a local boys club for pine box
> derby. I have all the dimensions and such that I must adhere to, and
> I am trying to add a little local flavor to the deal by building a
> finish line that will register which lane won. Nothing electrical,
> just a trip of some kind that will throw up a flag (or even turn on
> a light, yeah, I know that's electrical) indicating which car
> crossed the finish line first.
>
> Anyone ever done this and if so, how did you do it. I have my
> ideas, but would like to hear others before I start on that part. I
> have to have it done by the first week of May.
>
> --
> Robert Allison
> New Braunfels, TX
RA:
I'm reluctant to add a berry to your apple pie but this
is an idea that is cheap, simple and easy to reject, if,
on hearing it, you say nay. With a bit of interpretation,
it also skirts your ban on electricity as that means
line power.
Walmart and other retailers sell a very, very cheap,
portable, battery-powered photocell alarm. The
configurations of features and modules vary.
If any of them will function in the light levels you
have, they could contribute sound effects as a
car crosses the line. Features will dictate possible
applications.
For just recognizing the
winner, one unit would work. Should you prefer
to cover the four cars, perhaps one alarm
can be switched on and off fast enough to handle
the field. Again, with the availability of operators,
multiple units could be set up and each unshielded
as successive cars crossed the line. Various
photo/video notions worthily mentioned might
add this audio component to further memorialize
the event.
Structurally speaking, if you build your track with
staggered start/finish positions, alongside the lessened
possibility of race collisions (read "liability") at the
cost of some drama, your variations on rigging
chiming/alarming photocells would expand.
Good luck. Have fun.
Regards,
Edward Hennessey
Regards,
"Robert Allison" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> OK, I am building a racetrack for a local boys club for pine box derby. I
> have all the dimensions and such that I must adhere to, and I am trying to
> add a little local flavor to the deal by building a finish line that will
> register which lane won. Nothing electrical, just a trip of some kind
> that will throw up a flag (or even turn on a light, yeah, I know that's
> electrical) indicating which car crossed the finish line first.
>
> Anyone ever done this and if so, how did you do it. I have my ideas, but
> would like to hear others before I start on that part. I have to have it
> done by the first week of May.
>
> --
> Robert Allison
> New Braunfels, TX
Robert,
How many lanes? If there are only two, it should be pretty simple to make a
flap for each lane, with the hinge for each flap flat to the bottom of the
lane, but angled so that the outer end of the hinge is further down the
track than the inner end. After the cars both pass the flaps, the flap for
the first car will be under the flap for the second one.
Kerry
"Robert Allison" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On 4/20/2011 1:12 PM, Edward Hennessey wrote:
>> "Edward Hennessey"<[email protected]> wrote in message
>> news:[email protected]...
>>>
>>> "Robert Allison"<[email protected]> wrote in message
>>> news:[email protected]...
>>>> OK, I am building a racetrack for a local boys club for pine box
>>>> derby. I have all the dimensions and such that I must adhere to,
>>>> and I am trying to add a little local flavor to the deal by
>>>> building a finish line that will register which lane won.
>>>> Nothing
>>>> electrical, just a trip of some kind that will throw up a flag
>>>> (or
>>>> even turn on a light, yeah, I know that's electrical) indicating
>>>> which car crossed the finish line first.
>>>>
>>>> Anyone ever done this and if so, how did you do it. I have my
>>>> ideas, but would like to hear others before I start on that part.
>>>> I have to have it done by the first week of May.
>>>>
>>>> --
>>>> Robert Allison
>>>> New Braunfels, TX
>>>
>>> RA:
>>>
>>> I'm reluctant to add a berry to your apple pie but this
>>> is an idea that is cheap, simple and easy to reject, if,
>>> on hearing it, you say nay. With a bit of interpretation,
>>> it also skirts your ban on electricity as that means
>>> line power.
>>>
>>> Walmart and other retailers sell a very, very cheap,
>>> portable, battery-powered photocell alarm. The
>>> configurations of features and modules vary.
>>> If any of them will function in the light levels you
>>> have, they could contribute sound effects as a
>>> car crosses the line. Features will dictate possible
>>> applications.
>>>
>>> For just recognizing the
>>> winner, one unit would work. Should you prefer
>>> to cover the four cars, perhaps one alarm
>>> can be switched on and off fast enough to handle
>>> the field. Again, with the availability of operators,
>>> multiple units could be set up and each unshielded
>>> as successive cars crossed the line. Various
>>> photo/video notions worthily mentioned might
>>> add this audio component to further memorialize
>>> the event.
>>>
>>> Structurally speaking, if you build your track with
>>> staggered start/finish positions, alongside the lessened
>>> possibility of race collisions (read "liability") at the
>>> cost of some drama, your variations on rigging
>>> chiming/alarming photocells would expand.
>>>
>>
>> RA:
>>
>> It later came that you could mount the above units
>> under or over the track, obvious restrictions and
>> considerations allowing. That would obviate much
>> of the fiddling needed in a horizontal plane. The
>> model I saw had two sound alerts. That gives
>> you enables you to cover 2 lanes distinctively.
>> Find offering with the same capacity and 4 lanes
>> are now marked separately.
>>
>> On the mechanical flag-drop, I thought. Without
>> knowing the design constraints or your own
>> formulation, pondering goes wide. If you can let
>> us hear what your considerations are along with
>> the ideas contending, that would likely be best.
>>
>> Regards,
>>
>> Edward Hennessey
>
>
> My design is a simple trip lever that does two things; puts the
> flag up on the winning lane, stops the other flags from going up by
> dropping their trip levers out of the way (or prevents flags from
> going up when tripped).
>
> That requires simply a trigger for each flag (flag goes up under
> counterweight assist when released) and the trigger releases a block
> that stops the other flags from going up. I will try to do a
> drawing and post it somewhere.
>
> --
RA:
Let me recommend the book/download featured
in this search to you:
http://www.google.com/#q=%22ingenious+mechanisms+for+designers+and+inventors%22&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&fp=241a84f0d2fa6941&hl=en&psj=1
I have the book and found it illuminating reading when
considering fabricating mechanisms such as yours.
Probably the first thing you might do is find the
established contenders for most reliable device in
the Google search previously recommended. Then
if you want to tweak, tweak.
In my thinking, one thing that recurred was a spring-
mounted roller bar set fully across each lane as a
trigger mechanism. Because it would cover the lane,
contact would be reliable and less prone to "steer"
a car. Depression of the roller would
work to actuate your mechanism, the springs
would both attenuate car impact and automatically
reset. For safety purposes, you could also contain
the axles of a roller in a box against failure. Working
under the track may be more cumbesome, so that might
be a consideration for you.
You might also try posing your notion here and on
rec.crafts.metalworking when you get a tentative
design viewable on the web.
I have several portholes, sliding pole and a submarine
door here for an eventual "He-Man Boys Club", so
I appreciate your work.
Regards,
Edward Hennessey