Stand for Computer. Testing Purposes

[CS]

I made this after I learned that the chronograph I’m going to make needs a mic jack. Plans for this chronograph are <a href="http://home.earthlink.net/~jimsluka/Jim ... l">HERE</a>. This is super simple by the way. All you need is a Mic plug, two photo transistors (3$ total at RS), 4.7 resitiotor (1$ for pack of 5 at RS), 8.2 restestor (1$ for pack of 5 at RS), and some wire.

Anyways I made this today at all it does is hold my comp so I can have it next to my cannon while doing testing with a chronograph. Took about 2 hours to construct and spent about 1 hour last night measuring and figuring dimensions. I don’t think its to shabby once you consider there is three different types of wood in the construction (pine, pressure treated, and redwood). All the wood is scrap wood, the PT and pine are about 2 years old and the redwood is about 15 years old. Notice in the pics that only the monitor is installed, because I didn’t feel that inclined to disconnect everything so I could take a picture. Wasn’t that hard to construct either just some simple “platform” style building. I’ve heard the problem of being top heavy, but actually its quite sturdy. It will be used on a empty 75x30 (something like that) concrete pad. Enough jabbering here are the pics…

Bam! This is the whole thing. Sexy huh?
<img src="http://www.spudfiles.com/uploader/uploadFiles/CD1.JPG">

Just the side. Pretty much a “blah” picture.
<img src="http://www.spudfiles.com/uploader/uploadFiles/CD2.JPG">

Here is the back. Just incase you wondered what it looked like.
<img src="http://www.spudfiles.com/uploader/uploadFiles/CD3.JPG">

Bam! This is what it looks like with the comp screen installed.
<img src="http://www.spudfiles.com/uploader/uploadFiles/CD4.JPG">

Here is the back of the comp.
<img src="http://www.spudfiles.com/uploader/uploadFiles/CD5.JPG">

This is the tower that will be used.
<img src="http://www.spudfiles.com/uploader/uploadFiles/CD6.JPG">

EDIT: Link fixed.

[spudshot]

you have the same computer we have as the one in the cellar!

looks ok, needs some sanding, stain, and polyeurethane

[jrrdw]

looks nice, are you a carpener ? or just in need of a new stand ?

[cardinals08]

your chronograph link doesn't work

[CS]

Im sorry, but there is not going to be in more time spent on this. That includes sanding polyurethain (sp?), sanding or anything. This thing was just a quick slap-together project in the first place. Hence the 3 dif types of scrap wood. If I wanted it to be nice I would of used new 2x6s or something.

Interesting that you bring up the carpenter thing. Last summer I did my share of framming, concrete, and construction clean up. Im also only 15 so I would be better considered as a "teenager construction worker" vs. a "carpentar". And I going to build our garage (there also is going to be a shop attached to it) this summer. The pad that im also doing the testing on.

Fixed the link. I highly suggest the chronograph since its cheap price tag (even though I havent even tested one yet.)

[Atlantis]

Wow, honestly I've seen batter, seriously I made a cake the other day, but seriously that's a lot better than I would have ever made. I just went out and bought one for $70. You can customize the paint job to whatever you like so that's good for you.

[CS]

Ya, this thing is just to hold my comp outside while I test, nothing else. I already have a computer desk and since its not for outside and doesnt have wheels so I just "threw" one together. Thats why you dont see any sanding, finish, fancy designs, but just a simple stick construction. This is just to cater to my testing with a chronograph.

On the subject of testing I plan on doing the following tests:
FPS tests w/ varating barrel lengths (with both potatos and GB's)
FPS tests on affects of "blow-by" (just with GB's)
FPS tests w/ varating amounts of propane.
Penetration test with potato vs GB's (yes I know a GB will be better)
and I think there is something else, but I cant remeber.

If you have any good ideas for testing please tell me. And more then likely I will test it. This was orignialy a dumb topic so dont worry about going off topic...

[Atlantis]

That clears a lot up. You could also test hang times. Rifled vs Smoothbore. Accuracy. Distance. Me and my friend decided to try and skip a potato on the lake just like a rock, it went 200 ft with about 20-30 skips, try that. Hold the barrel level with the water, we had problems because of my camera ignition. Water+Electricity=Dead fishies...lol. Oh and by the way, just buy a laptop. Just get a crappy one for graphs and charts.

[CS]

That was it, hangtimes! I was going to do to do distance, but GB's go hell-a far and no where to shoot it so hang times and FPS test would be a better indication of power (fricken houses everwhere). Even though it would be a good test to test the aerodynamics of potato vs. GB's. "Rifled vs Smootbore" nah, since I dont have any access to rifled barrels. About the skipping on water, I live in the desert. Skip across the sand? Thought about the labtop, but theres no turning back, well I dont want to either.

[joe912]

well today i made that chronograph in that link and it seems to be pretty cool and accurate.
I have been testing it with my paper dart blowgun and have been getting fairly consistent readings around 130 FPS which sounds about right because outside i can get about 8-9 seconds of hangtime which in equations work out.
pretty cool toy for 3 bucks and scraps of pvc. you probably wouldnt have to use a laptop if you had a mp3 player that could record off of a mic in. then when you got back you could just upload the file and then check all the different velocities.

sadly their wont be any real testing for a while we just recieved about 3 inches of snow so no laptop outside

Thanks for the link man if you need any help you can just PM me or post here

[sergeantspud2]

i just made one to. it seems to be pretty acurate as joe912 said. the only problem i had was that i couldnt get a signal unless there was direct light hitting the PT. Did you get a perfect graph every time? sometimes i coulndt tell which spike in the graph was the one i needed.

[joe912]

i tested it inside underneath a 100 watt bulb and i made the holes to let the light into the PTs pretty big.

i think that if you have it too close to the light the intensity of the light makes it difficult to tell between spikes and normal graph

[CS]

Man, you guys need IM services! I just made the chronograph. Im working on the cannon in which Im going to use the chronograph on. Do you think you can post a screenshot of your graph? I set them in the sun then waived my hands over them and it seemed to work put its hard to determine the crest or trough of the wave. But im thinking a projectile will give a more definent reading since its moving faster. So now Im working on something to house the PT's and a plug for the test combustion...

[sergeantspud2]

heres one that i could figure out, i think if i did it right


and heres on that i couldnt figure out



sory i dont know why its so blury


EDIT:
i just got back from a test from my real 2" cannon (that was my 1" cannon) and i got better result but it was static. im trying to figure out how to get rid of the static.

[boilingleadbath]

It's blurry because you saved it as a .jpg
Try saving as a .png - it's my new favorite format (very small when it can be, large pallat when needed, and sharp-edged.)

Incidentaly... do you only have 1 phototransistor?