Shop Vac powered ping pong ball cannon
My 5 year old son and I built a ping pong ball cannon this weekend. It is powered by a shop vac. It was very simple to build and lots of fun for a 5 year old to shoot.
Basically I found a piece of plastic pipe with the same diameter as a ping pong ball. Then added a T to one end. I took the hose from my shop vac and duct taped it to the T.
I first tried using the vacuum from the shop vac. I would put a piece of cardboard over the front of the tube, insert the ball into the other end and put a piece of cardboard over that end. Then turn on the vac. Once the suction was built up, I would remove one piece of cardboard. The air rushing in would force the ball down the tube out the other end (knocking the cardboard off the other end). We didn't have much luck with this route. The ball shot down with a lot of force, but when it hit the cardboard on the other end, it would loose a lot of mementum. This design is used in a lot of physics classes to demostrate the effects of air pressure. A good site describing the physics of it is here.
So we decided to go the simpler route. We turned the tube around and turned the shop vac from suck to blow. Then put in the ball, turn on the vacuum and the air would blow the ball out. It would shoot surprisingly far. The ping pong balls would go at least 30 feet.
Overall the kids had a lot of fun for about $6 worth of parts.
Here are few videos.
that was kind of retarted,
that was kind of retarted, well i understand that they are kids but still they should of done a more a powerful one instead.
I think it's ok to teach
I think it's ok to teach your kids about anything as long as you provide their safety. They should know that new Appliance Parts work best.
Lucky You
One of the best things about having kids is that they give you an excuse to be one yourself. Keep up the projects with him - you're making a lifetime investment! Some of my fondest memories are setting up electric trains and slot car sets with my dad.
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