SpudFiles

I was going to post this in Moonbogg's cannon energy contest thread as a response, but once I read over it, I kind of felt it was off topic and figured it needed its own thread.

I don't know about some of you guys, but a lot of stuff on this site is repetitious. Don't get me wrong, this is a great site with a lot of good stuff. I just feel that people are doing the same things over and over and over again.

This is probably one of the reasons PCGUY made the Innovative Contest. The problem with that, however, is that not too many people decided to participate. There were only 5 entries (out of over 7500 members). I think D_Hall nailed it when he said that a lot of members just didn't have the tools and materials to go forth with a project.

Well, here's my idea. How about a community project? One that everybody can participate in. Here's what I'm thinking. A topic is started for a project with a certain set of goals. Members contribute to the thread to make the blueprints for the launcher. Once the goals have been SAFELY met, the launcher can now be built by someone willing and capable.

Seeing as a lot of the goals would be farfetched (so to speak) I feel this would be a great way to get persons to "think outside the box". It would also (as mentioned above) allow those who wish to participate to be able to do so.

Edited by jrrdw.

Worth a try. Not sure how it would turn out. Designing a cannon "open-source" is kinda weird and not everyone will have the same opinions about it, leading to a variety of idea's, of which some will lead to new idea's. If we are lucky it will trigger an "idea cascade" building a very inspiring thread.

Don't make full blueprints though. It will allow noobs to copy a cannon without any research, which can be dangerous, because they do not know what they are doing. You can only operate a cannon safely if you understand it.

I can see why you are saying that there is some form of repetition going on. This is because most members first build a few normal cannons before going advanced. But new stuff pops up often enough.

I have to admit I am holding back a few idea's, as I want to be the first one to build that idea, after which people are free to copy/get inspiration.

Some of the things are not built and are posted as a "community project" for learning. Those who can do build and share the results both good and bad. Those with ideas share them and if they don't have the budget smile as someone steals the idea and makes it a reality.

Some of this community spirit is in going supersonic, some in safety, some in failure modes in high mix combustions.. see busted fan pics.. we don't need to repeat that over and over. Ideas for ignition, high pressure ignition, machining techniques and stuff are shared over a community that are so spread out that we may never meet in person in our lifetime.

I doubt I'll ever make it to Brittan or Australia, but I'm definitely sharing community projects with people in both places.

You can't steal my ideas if I give them away.

My 2 Cents worth.. Now costs $1.50.

that's a pretty cool idea...

I just imagined how cool would it be if members who disagree with some details of the design felt compelled to prove it by building it the way they think is right...

Wasn't Copperhead Prime the result of a similar competition on the UK spudgun forum?

Well, i don't need to make clear to you hubb, that i fully approve to your idea. I did want to wait until after the contest before bringing it out, but hey, i think the time was right. Personally I think this is a GRAND idea and would allow both new members to learn and experienced members to give knowledge without having to do much work. And in the end someone builds it from the descriptions and plans made(plan of specific, complex parts, not the entire thing, so that someone who knows NOTHING can't simply copy it. Perhaps only specific members will have access to the plans them selves?). Some planning is to be done but then this idea should take of like a rocket!

Don't make full blueprints though

I don't think this will be a problem... outsiders have serious problems with copying even the simplest designs... all you need is blowgun attached the other way round or improperly sealed threads and you are screwed

besides most guns here come with a detailed description, drawing etc. - yet, surprisingly, I haven't seen too many 7 year old boys running around with direct copies of larda's electrothermal gun

For example, very good plans were supplied for the contest and i have no doubt that it will be close to impossible for an outsider to rebuild the guns.

POLAND_SPUD wrote:

Don't make full blueprints though

I don't think this will be a problem... outsiders have serious problems with copying even the simplest designs... all you need is blowgun attached the other way round or improperly sealed threads and you are screwed

besides most guns here come with a detailed description, drawing etc. - yet, surprisingly, I haven't seen too many 7 year old boys running around with direct copies of larda's electrothermal gun

I agree; an outsider wouldn't have both the skills and the stupidity to make the gun and kill themselves. Most will see the plans and decide to go spray and pray. If a machinist engineer wants to copy it, I doubt they will be dumb enough to screw themselves over.

That all depends on the complexness of the design. Sometimes I forget that some people haven't got the knowledge I consider as "common knowledge".

And, just as the "community projects" would, this topic has brought both sides of opinions forward, which is one of the main reasons I figured this idea would be good - debate

psycix wrote:I can see why you are saying that there is some form of repetition going on. This is because most members first build a few normal cannons before going advanced. But new stuff pops up often enough.

I meant to say that it's the same types of launchers. Yes, each and every launcher on this site is different, but pneumatics are either sprinkler valves or piston valves, hybrids most often incorporate burst disks (with the occasional piston), combustion almost always use the same fuel and spark systems, BBMGs nearly always run with some form of vortex, etc.

Technician1002 wrote:Those who can do build and share the results both good and bad. Those with ideas share them and if they don't have the budget smile as someone steals the idea and makes it a reality.

This is true, but the ideas are usually from just one person, and by the time it's posted, it's already done. New ideas for the same project are usually incorporated (if not forgotten) into another launcher.

POLAND_SPUD wrote:I just imagined how cool would it be if members who disagree with some details of the design felt compelled to prove it by building it the way they think is right...

Right on, brother. This would enhance it even further.

jackssmirkingrevenge wrote:Wasn't Copperhead Prime the result of a similar competition on the UK spudgun forum?

I have no idea.

john bunsenburner wrote:Well, i don't need to make clear to you hubb, that i fully approve to your idea. I did want to wait until after the contest before bringing it out, but hey, i think the time was right.

I was going to wait to express the idea, but I kinda felt the time was right too. If nothing else but to give people something to look forward to and start thinking about.

As far as ignorance copying the idea, ramses summed that up:

an outsider wouldn't have both the skills and the stupidity to make the gun and kill themselves.

I like the idea a lot. You see, individuals have created great cannons. Immagine what could be done with open cooperation and idea sharing?

I'll start, it needs a chamber of some sort. I think we all ready have that here ....it just doesn't go by a new singal topic name.

jackssmirkingrevenge wrote:Wasn't Copperhead Prime the result of a similar competition on the UK spudgun forum?

From my understanding, that contest involved individuals submitting full designs, that were budgeted for under 100 pounds or something. Then the judges selecting what they believed to be the best cannon design, and the winner receiving the parts for said gun. A great competition IMO.

I agree that this communal build would definitely be a fun concept. First we just need to decide on what monster we actually want to create here

This actually sounds like fun, we'll probably end up re-inventing that cannon that didn't make the 'final four' in the contest. Sounds like a lot of people were fans of that, and we've already been beaten to the semi-automatic combustion.