my "journal"
i have to build a mousetrap car for my science class... ugh.... well, for those of you that like this stuff heres how to make one:
(p.s. this is from another site, i did not write any of this. here)
have fun! 4laugh
stuff you need:
Mousetrap
Dowell rods and Wheels (anything really can be used here like knex wheels and rods, lego tires and rods, tinker toys are great too.)
4 Eyehooks
About 10 inches or more of string
Scissors
Ruler
Pencil
Drill
Drill bits (I recommend a 5/64 as most eye hooks will fit easily into the pilot hole made by the bit.)
Step 1
The first item of business to take care of is the drilling. Pick up your drill and load your 5/64 bit into the drill. The mousetrap has 4 sides, two longer sides and two shorter sides, then there is the top(with the trap itself on it) and the bottom. Take the mousetrap, (making sure it is not set), and using your pencil and ruler, you can draw a straight line through the middle of the shorter ends. Mark about ½ inch in from the sides of the trap on the line you just drew. These are the marks you will be drilling into for the pilot holes where you will screw in the eyehooks. To make the pilot hole for the eyehooks, drill steady and straight about a ½ inch into the mousetrap on these two sides. Once you have drilled four holes total, then you may take the eyehooks and screw them into the mousetrap. You now have the supports for your axles.
Step 2
For my example I will refer to the use of knex pieces. They are lightweight, easy to assemble and the tires will give great traction for the car. Take one of the knex posts, usually a light gray color, and slide it through the two eyehooks at the end of the mousetrap. There are small "stopper" connectors that you will snap in place to keep the tires from sliding into the mousetrap. These stopper pieces are going to be on the outside of the eyehooks. Once you complete that, put the tires onto the ends of the axle. Using a cap connector for the knex set, attach one to each end of the axle so that the wheel does not fall off of the axle while driving. Make sure that you do not make the connection too tight or your wheel will not spin around.
Step 3
Take your scissors and measure out about 10 or 11 inches worth of string. Its better to cut the sting longer than needed than to cut it short thinking you wont need as much. Remember the universal truth that cutting something shorter than needed is not possible to fix while cutting something longer than needed is able to be fixed. Tie one end of the string to the rear axle. This is the axle that will be closest to the coiled arm trap bar that swings in motion when the trap is activated. While you are working though the arm bar is not active and you will need to make sure to use the correct side. Measure the length again and cut off any excess over 9 inches. This isn't exactly necessary but it will add tension to make the car go farther and faster. Tie the other end of the string to the arm bar.
Step 4
You now need to wind up the string around the axle. To do this, you need to turn the tired of the rear axle in reverse to wind the excess string. While doing this, it will get to a point where you need to set the arm bar in place, (activating the mousetrap), to wind up all of the string slack.
Step 5
Your mousetrap is now set and you are done. Well almost done. The mousetrap car is complete and now all you need to do to complete the process is set that baby off! Using your ruler, your hand could be in danger otherwise! If you cant get your hand out of the way before the trap swings shut and sends the car on its way, you will be in for a surprise. Use your ruler or a pen, something that can trigger the trap to swing closed while keeping you in the safe zone is the way to go.
Its not Really Cheating (if you dont have a drill or can't use one)
Some of you are asking, "what if I don't have a drill to make the pilot holes?" or, "what if my significant other no longer allows me to use power tools?" Don't laugh too much; I know some couples like that. Here is a cheaper and easier way to accomplish a mousetrap car. Go to your local toy department or dollar store. They have cheap monster trucks for sale. They are big and lightweight and have tractor tires, perfect traction for the little beastie. You can glue the mousetrap into the bed of these plastic trucks and tie the string to the trap arm and the rear axle of the plastic truck, just like you would have for the earlier model we talked about. The great thing about this is that the car is already built; you are just motorizing it with the mousetrap. Score on saving time and effort! Plus you have all kinds of style points. You may need to modify the bed of the truck or the housing for the rear axle using an exacto knife or utility blade. Be careful, this plastic is cheap and cuts easy, so the modification won't be difficult. The hardest part is not cutting yourself when the knife moves through the plastic like it was butter. The axle itself may be encased in plastic. Just cut a large enough hole in the casing to attach the string to the axle. Once the extra pieces of the bed/casing that were keeping you from laying the trap flat and/or attaching the string are cut out, you can now glue the trap to the floor of the bed and attach the string to the rear axle. This one may not win the science fair, but it will certainly run over the mousetrap car that kid down the street made!
(p.s. this is from another site, i did not write any of this. here)
have fun! 4laugh
stuff you need:
Mousetrap
Dowell rods and Wheels (anything really can be used here like knex wheels and rods, lego tires and rods, tinker toys are great too.)
4 Eyehooks
About 10 inches or more of string
Scissors
Ruler
Pencil
Drill
Drill bits (I recommend a 5/64 as most eye hooks will fit easily into the pilot hole made by the bit.)
Step 1
The first item of business to take care of is the drilling. Pick up your drill and load your 5/64 bit into the drill. The mousetrap has 4 sides, two longer sides and two shorter sides, then there is the top(with the trap itself on it) and the bottom. Take the mousetrap, (making sure it is not set), and using your pencil and ruler, you can draw a straight line through the middle of the shorter ends. Mark about ½ inch in from the sides of the trap on the line you just drew. These are the marks you will be drilling into for the pilot holes where you will screw in the eyehooks. To make the pilot hole for the eyehooks, drill steady and straight about a ½ inch into the mousetrap on these two sides. Once you have drilled four holes total, then you may take the eyehooks and screw them into the mousetrap. You now have the supports for your axles.
Step 2
For my example I will refer to the use of knex pieces. They are lightweight, easy to assemble and the tires will give great traction for the car. Take one of the knex posts, usually a light gray color, and slide it through the two eyehooks at the end of the mousetrap. There are small "stopper" connectors that you will snap in place to keep the tires from sliding into the mousetrap. These stopper pieces are going to be on the outside of the eyehooks. Once you complete that, put the tires onto the ends of the axle. Using a cap connector for the knex set, attach one to each end of the axle so that the wheel does not fall off of the axle while driving. Make sure that you do not make the connection too tight or your wheel will not spin around.
Step 3
Take your scissors and measure out about 10 or 11 inches worth of string. Its better to cut the sting longer than needed than to cut it short thinking you wont need as much. Remember the universal truth that cutting something shorter than needed is not possible to fix while cutting something longer than needed is able to be fixed. Tie one end of the string to the rear axle. This is the axle that will be closest to the coiled arm trap bar that swings in motion when the trap is activated. While you are working though the arm bar is not active and you will need to make sure to use the correct side. Measure the length again and cut off any excess over 9 inches. This isn't exactly necessary but it will add tension to make the car go farther and faster. Tie the other end of the string to the arm bar.
Step 4
You now need to wind up the string around the axle. To do this, you need to turn the tired of the rear axle in reverse to wind the excess string. While doing this, it will get to a point where you need to set the arm bar in place, (activating the mousetrap), to wind up all of the string slack.
Step 5
Your mousetrap is now set and you are done. Well almost done. The mousetrap car is complete and now all you need to do to complete the process is set that baby off! Using your ruler, your hand could be in danger otherwise! If you cant get your hand out of the way before the trap swings shut and sends the car on its way, you will be in for a surprise. Use your ruler or a pen, something that can trigger the trap to swing closed while keeping you in the safe zone is the way to go.
Its not Really Cheating (if you dont have a drill or can't use one)
Some of you are asking, "what if I don't have a drill to make the pilot holes?" or, "what if my significant other no longer allows me to use power tools?" Don't laugh too much; I know some couples like that. Here is a cheaper and easier way to accomplish a mousetrap car. Go to your local toy department or dollar store. They have cheap monster trucks for sale. They are big and lightweight and have tractor tires, perfect traction for the little beastie. You can glue the mousetrap into the bed of these plastic trucks and tie the string to the trap arm and the rear axle of the plastic truck, just like you would have for the earlier model we talked about. The great thing about this is that the car is already built; you are just motorizing it with the mousetrap. Score on saving time and effort! Plus you have all kinds of style points. You may need to modify the bed of the truck or the housing for the rear axle using an exacto knife or utility blade. Be careful, this plastic is cheap and cuts easy, so the modification won't be difficult. The hardest part is not cutting yourself when the knife moves through the plastic like it was butter. The axle itself may be encased in plastic. Just cut a large enough hole in the casing to attach the string to the axle. Once the extra pieces of the bed/casing that were keeping you from laying the trap flat and/or attaching the string are cut out, you can now glue the trap to the floor of the bed and attach the string to the rear axle. This one may not win the science fair, but it will certainly run over the mousetrap car that kid down the street made!
