This discussion group is for all you gear-heads, techno-nuts, tinker freaks, backyard airsmiths, engineers, machinists,
miscellaneous do-it-yourselfers and any other mechanically enlightened gadget junkie that enjoys working on paintball equipment.
While we would prefer to keep the topic focused on purely technical matters, please feel free to discuss anything paintball related that may be of interest.
Many questions have popped up repeatedly- They've been archived
for your Tinkering pleasure in both the Frequently-Asked Tinker's (FAT) and the Rat's Nest.

For non-paintball technical discussion, or if you'd like to sell paintball gear, please use one of the link buttons below:

Obama TV launched

by

Obama Channel Launched on DISH

The Barack Obama presidential campaign has spread its advertising tentacles to satellite TV — the DISH Network now has an “OBAMA channel.”

The channel initially played only Obama’s two-minute ad laying out his economic plan on a loop, over and over, Ben Smith of Politico reported.

But on Thursday, the channel began airing a wider variety of content, including other ads and the video that introduced him at the Democratic National Convention.

"DISH Network Channel 73 is paid advertising by the Obama campaign and is not an endorsement of Senator Obama by DISH Network,” company spokesman Parker McConachie said in an e-mail to Politico.

“DISH Network made the same offer to the McCain campaign, an offer that remains open."

One visitor to commentator Michelle Malkin’s Web site quipped, “Obama already has several of his own channels: ABC, CBS, NBC, PBS, CNN, MTV, MSNBC, etc.”

Editor's Note:

Obama’s Financial Wrecking Ball — Prepare Yourself
http://news.newsmax.com/?SKI6YHwaEiRomavcQ4YlG3IHnXyzNJUAS&http://w3.newsmax.com /a/jun08/?s=al&promo_code=6C40-1

Posted on Oct 6, 2008, 7:52 AM

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TW: Don't eat the WHAT stuff?

by The J.A.M

Chicken? Crew?

Posted on Oct 6, 2008, 7:20 AM

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Green (NT)

by a

Green

Posted on Oct 6, 2008, 7:26 AM

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Old chinese food nt

by Tai

do


Posted on Oct 6, 2008, 8:07 AM

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wasabi [nt]

by IDN

nostril trauma

Posted on Oct 6, 2008, 10:04 AM

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Canon pneumatics

by Logan

Hey guys, I have a bit of a project I'm working on that I think you might be able to help me with. I am making a pneumatic paint canon made of pressure rated abs, which can be used either as a paintball shotgun, a grenade launcher, or a Nerf rocket launcher (depending on which barrel is attached). The only problem, is that right now in order to fill it to the required 75psi I have to use an air compressor. What would I need in order to hook an HPA tank directly to the canon's tank to give me on the fly 75psi?

Thanks for the help,
Logan

Posted on Oct 6, 2008, 3:26 AM

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Basically just about any adjustable paintball regulator

by Vern1

but I've had the best luck with a female Palmer stabalizer with a Rock knob for on the fly pressure tweeking and don't forget a popoff vent just in case the reg spikes.
ABS?
Doesn't SCH40 PVC have better pressure capability?
Whatever you do, stay away from plastic fittings with DWV stamped on them as they are not rated for pressure much more than a fart.....(DWV stands for Drain/Waste/Vent)

Hope this helps!
Cheers,
Joe Petty
www.pettypb.com

Posted on Oct 6, 2008, 4:04 AM

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Sledgehammers are a popular choice

by hp_lovecraft

The old WGP Sledgehammers are a popular choice, as they are adjustable, and extremely common.

They were commonly replaced with lower quality, but more attractive LPRs.

Palmer LPRS are really nice, but if you can get a Sledge for $5-10, then it should work just as well.

Posted on Oct 6, 2008, 5:55 AM

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yes

by Logan

Thanks, that's exactly what I was looking for. As for the ABS, I have looked all over and the hardware stores in my towns sell only ABS. PVC can be pressurized higher, but the bad thing is that when it goes, it shatters whereas the ABS just breaks into three or four pieces. I think that schedule 40 ABS is pretty good though, the walls are nice and thick (around 1/4")

Posted on Oct 6, 2008, 7:26 AM

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yes

by Logan

Thanks, that's exactly what I was looking for. As for the ABS, I have looked all over and the hardware stores in my towns sell only ABS. PVC can be pressurized higher, but the bad thing is that when it goes, it shatters whereas the ABS just breaks into three or four pieces. I think that schedule 40 ABS is pretty good though, the walls are nice and thick (around 1/4")

Posted on Oct 6, 2008, 7:28 AM

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Pneumatic cameras?

by Anonymous Coward

Dude, that'd be awesome. Sorry, couldn't resist.

Posted on Oct 6, 2008, 8:58 AM

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Startin' to love Craigslist...

by

Yet another new toy:



This, I believe, is the sort of grinder they use to resharpen the prows of icebreakers...

The scale in the pic is deceiving- she's a monster. 12" wheels, 2" thick, Two full American Horsepower (not anemic inbred Chinese mule-with-the-flupower) 1-1/4" shafts and 3-phase. Whole mess is, I'd guess, somewhere north of eight hundred pounds. The wheels on it, worn as they are, are still almost 7" in diameter. The wheel guards are 1/4" plate steel.

I've wanted something like this for a while. The college has a pair of Baldors about this size- 12" wheels, 3HP, massive castings. They spin up to speed faster than my little $35 Ryobi I bolted to my TIG cart just for doing tungstens.

How much? Fifty bucks. And I got most of a Rockwell-Delta 12" disc/6" belt sander along with it. Parts, unfortunately, but I gave that to somebody who's going to just ditch the (largely missing) belt section and use it as a 12" disc sander.

Naturally it's gonna get a cleanup and a repaint. I'll have to build new work rests to replace that monstrosity the Department of Corrections built onto the thing probably because it was easier to make a new rest that chased the wheel in, than trying to unbolt the 2" nuts holding the wheels on...

Yeah, that sticker on top of the motor says "Corrections". I wonder how many shivs got sharpened up on this badboy.

Also, if P3 managed to run me a little errand up in Anchortown, I should also have a monster Wells horizontal bandsaw by the end of the week. Another goodie I've been lusting after for a couple of years- lots of size and power, good American brand, built with forgings and castings, unlike that sheetmetal-and-box-tubing Carolina saw I got earlier this summer (admittedly for free, but still.)

It's also 3-phase, but it was dirt cheap (in part because it was 480V 3~) and I have a roomful of motors I can swap in.

Now if I could just run across a nice surface grinder that I could afford, my shop'd be damn near complete.

Doc.

Posted on Oct 5, 2008, 11:18 PM

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Who has to hold the prow up to the wheel, I wonder?

by

Nice find! $50 seems like a steal.

Posted on Oct 5, 2008, 11:29 PM

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The scrap metal might be worth more... n/t

by FireFrenzy

Boys will be boys...

Posted on Oct 6, 2008, 1:21 AM

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Motor scrap...

by

Early this summer, just before I salvaged a truckload of motors from the dump, the local metals-recycling center was paying something like sixty cents a pound for electric motors.

Figure the center would only pay that for the motor itself (minus the very heavy cast iron pedestal- they didn't pay at all for cast- plus more deduction for the wheels, etc.) that's still gotta be 200 pounds of motor. Or about $120, which would have been a pretty good return on my investment.

However, trying to buy a new grinder this size? In my 2004 catalog, a 12" Baldor was $1,650.

Now, I'll have to spring for a VFD (about $150 plus shipping) and two fresh rocks (roughly $50 each for aluminum oxide) and of course the time spent giving it a cleanup and repaint, redoing the wiring, and so on, but I should still be into the thing less than $350.

And that, to me, is a much better return on my investment.

Oh, and in the same catalog, a similar Wells saw- but with coolant- was almost $5,000. I paid $400 and it came with six new blades.

As I said, I'm startin' to like Craigslist.

Right now, there's an old Brown & Sharpe #2 horizontal mill, with an indexer and a Bridgeport vertical head, and a 15" Southbend lathe. Lathe's a fair price, mill's overpriced by about 250%...

Doc.

Posted on Oct 6, 2008, 1:51 AM

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VFD?

by Chris

Hey Doc, where do you get your VFD's? I need to slow down my vertical bandsaw. Any suggestions would be a help.

Thanks,
Chris

cree68c@hotmail DOT com

Posted on Oct 6, 2008, 3:37 AM

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Just came across this at Toolmonger

by

http://toolmonger.com/2008/10/06/power-corrupts-three-phase-power-corrupts-absolutely/#more-13665

Posted on Oct 6, 2008, 9:48 AM

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tinkering pics 357 grip single barrel

by

While I'm waiting for stuff to further the phantom double I'm working on; I decided to make more chips. I started squaring the block (no need for pics of that). Then I cut the top since everything else is based off that.



After some layout work. I like to start with the trigger well. I find that starting a chain of holes is the fastest way (for me) to mill any non straight line in metal. It just works for me.





Just to try something new I finished the well by boring it with a fly cutter adjusted to size. I marked and stored the centers with the dro prior to drilling the lines. I love my DRO, truly a must have item.



Next I drill in the trigger, lever and sear pin holes as well as some decorative holes in the grip for all those obsessed with weight.



I then drilled and milled some lines that define the outside of the trigger well and handle. It saves time guessing where my lines were and clearing chips.



Mill the grip to the proper thickness.



Mill the body to the proper Thickness.





The asa will mount to the frame but on the under pump guide pin holder, screws facing forward. This will allow the gas tube to run on the left side of the marker. The ASA will mount using two 8-32 ss shoulder bolts that will double as the pump guides. I'll post more pics once its cut out w the band saw.

brian


Posted on Oct 5, 2008, 7:10 PM

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That's cool.

by Justin

I love seeing parts appear out of a solid block of material. Post more when you get the chance.

Posted on Oct 6, 2008, 9:01 AM

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That, my friend, is awesome N/T

by FireFrenzy

Good going on it!

Posted on Oct 6, 2008, 9:34 AM

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Work in progress: LED lights

by Vantrepes

Some of you guys were able to help me with the layout for this, so here is the almost complete project:

I'm not sure if this qualifies for this section, so if it doesn't, then please move it to a forum with a better fit.

My son wanted really, really bright headlights for his truck, so what is a Dad to do?
Go overboard, of course!


The beam reaches about 15' at ground level. I'm sure that can be improved by using directional lenses to mount the LEDs.

I had to fabricate the mount, as you can see. The next version will have the mount sit slightly farther back, to protect the LEDs more. They sit behind the bumper at rest, but I think the mounting plate will take a hit if he runs into anything.

Right now, it has 7 1800mcd 15* 5mm LEDs, which will be expanded to 9 LEDs in the rework once the parts arrive.

The incarnation you see above was running off of the receive pack, which I wasn't really thrilled with, and which gave glitchy results from his radio for some reason. I am going to go to a 3.6v AA dedicated battery pack in the future.
Once the new parts come in, I'll do the write up, and add the tail and brake lights, as well as a step by step on how to make it.

Posted on Oct 5, 2008, 8:29 AM

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Fun little game, productivity will decrease

by

faster than Carrot Top on...well, he's already on crack, so, as fast as Carrot Top.

http://www.flashbangstudios.com/amoeball/

It has an obscure driver for the browser, but it's a great game. The controls are S(left), F(right) and E(jump).

Enjoy!
Seth

Posted on Oct 4, 2008, 10:22 PM

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Wet-Bar Tinker Advice

by

Need a little help on a home improvement project im working on.

I am working on makeing a wet bar for my home and I want to make it myself rather then get the kits that cost $300+.



I was going to go with stainless steel 1 gallon tanks, but they cost like $100 each, so that is out of the question. So Im going to make "tanks" out of food grade Clear PVC (2 inch around, 20 inches tall for 1 gallon size).

My idea is to use air pressure to force the liquid from the "tanks". Of course I need an air pump and a small reserve tank. I am not sure how much pressure I would need to smoothly draw out some liquid, but im guessing well below 10 PSI.


Anyways, I need a suggestion on a small air pump, reserve air tank, and a regulator that would turn on the pump when the pressure got below a set level.


Thanks in advance for the help.



Posted on Oct 4, 2008, 6:40 PM

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Simplify!

by

Hey Stephen,

OK, I see this as being a bit easier than what you have in mind. Look around for beer CO2 regulators. Example. Adjustable output, 0-60 psi. Perfect for what you need. The only possible downside that I see is that you might run the risk of carbonating your Grey Goose. I doubt it, very much, but maybe someone else who knows more about alcohol/CO2 absorbtion can weigh in. I see that as being avoidable simply by filling your supply tank with air vs. CO2. A tiny tank will give you months of usage, and if you are paranoid about running out, just get a 2nd tank.

I'd be worried about a homebrew air pump/tank system getting contaminates into the system. There are plenty of food-grade pressure systems out there, I'd take advantage of them.

Joe

Posted on Oct 4, 2008, 8:35 PM

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Help maybe?

by FBLP

Not sure I'm understanding?
Are you trying to build a fixed wet bar without hooking into hard lines for supply and waste?

If so, I built one of these to take to the races a few years back for just over $100 complete:
http://www.pitpal.com/products/Ultimate_12_Volt_Portable_Sink_Station-1012-44.html

Got my pump from these guys:
http://www.campingworld.com/category/pumps-tanks/137

I saved a lot on the pump by buying a refurb.
Made my clear and gray water tanks, and used a basic 12v deep cycle battery for power.

Getting ready to build another, but this time it's gonna have hot water from a camping propane on-demand heater.

They're pretty cool for camping, picnics, anywhere you need the ability to clean-up really.



Posted on Oct 4, 2008, 9:49 PM

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Idea

by Goat

Start looking at yard sales, flea markets and Goodwill/DAV for old dressers to use as the framework...cut it down and adapt it into what you want.

I recently converted an old 60's style Hi FI stereo to an entertainment center for my flat screen...Having a nice solid base to start from was great...only paying $5 was even better, you cnat buy the lumber for that..and its got character.

Goat

Posted on Oct 4, 2008, 11:03 PM

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My design..

by

Here is a quick layout that I made in paint of what im doing:




Simplify! by Joe: I was thinking of using CO2 since it would be alot quieter with no motor to kick on, but I dont like the idea of my capt morgans comming out a little fizzy. Im not sure how long the fizz would last if at all, but it is a concern, but it also may be the best option.

Help maybe? by FBLP: I was thinking with a pump, but with a multiple tank system I would have to have a pump for each tank. It would get way too expensive in the long run as I add on more tanks.

Idea by Goat: Well, im not looking for the bar frame setup right now. I can make the "bar" itself no problem im just haveing issues with the correct system to push/deliver the liquid out of the tanks.


This is 1 system that I was looking at that is very nice.
http://www.sidebarbeverage.com/

The down side is that the system is $500 and you cant really expand on it. If I wanted to make a "one spout" system I would buy one of those wunder-bar taps and intergrate it into my system.




If I went with the air or CO2 option, wouldnt I have to have a reg on each tank or can I just put 1 reg on the pump/co2 to where closes/shuts off when it hits x psi?

Posted on Oct 5, 2008, 8:35 AM

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windshield washer pumps

by goldie

I've seen other guys use them. And they made caps that just screwed onto the bottles so you didn't have a tank. Just screw it on to the liquor bottle and pump it out.


Posted on Oct 5, 2008, 1:01 PM

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BAD idea!

by

I know, I know, it sounds like a great idea. They are cheap, they run off of 12 volt DC, you can get them anywhere.

Only problem is that Feng, your friendly Chinese car parts producer, decided to use a lead-containing vane assembly in the last production run to save himself a few yuan. Or the rubber gaskets that seal the pump are really good at resisting methanol, but imparts a taste of rotten eggs in whatever liquid they are submersed in when the temperature rises above 70 Fahrenheit.

Don't use car parts for food/drink.

Posted on Oct 5, 2008, 5:26 PM

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Anti gravity illusion

by Noble Park

Guys/Gals,

Couple years back someone here posted a link where they build/sell a circuit board with pulsing LEDs to make a drop of water appears to float upward. I've searched for couple days but could not locate that website.
Do any of you remember that website ? Thanks for your help.


Noble Park.

Posted on Oct 4, 2008, 3:49 PM

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Is this it? (link inside )

by BLT

http://cre.ations.net/creation/the-time-fountain Is this what you were looking for?

Posted on Oct 4, 2008, 4:10 PM

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Yes, it is. Thanks many times. nt.

by Noble Park

nt

Posted on Oct 4, 2008, 4:31 PM

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that is awesome!

by Jonotwist

NT

Posted on Oct 4, 2008, 6:09 PM

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False Advertising

by

i was hoping for a heavily milled AM pump gun

Posted on Oct 4, 2008, 11:42 PM

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OT: Only Kinda: Pedal Powered Panzer Build, with working Cannon...(youtubiness)

by pbjosh

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yY4ilSegqyo

Exactly right up the Tinker's Guild alley.

Josh



Posted on Oct 4, 2008, 10:21 AM

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HuH?

by FBLP

Thanks to a on-board sound chip that took a dump, I'm surfing on a PC that has no sound output, so maybe I missed something...........?

What's the point?


I can't imagine an application it would be ideal for, so what's it's real purpose?

Maybe I'm being a bit too judgmental, but but it seems like a huge FAIL.
Waste of time, resources, and materials - IMO

Posted on Oct 5, 2008, 5:37 PM

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Anytime somebody builds a Tank that moves and has a Pneumatic Cannon it isn't a fail.

by pbjosh

I mean, all you need is a small motor in there instead, and it is ready for the field. Just about perfect for our uses.

Might just have to build one here when I get the shop done.

But mine is going to have a motor.

Josh

Posted on Oct 6, 2008, 8:08 AM

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looking for the link to the barrel thread size chart.

by

I thought it was on the rats nest but can't find it. If someone has it please share with the rest of us.

Thanks
brian

Posted on Oct 3, 2008, 7:44 PM

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OtterSCCustoms had one, but the site might be dead n/t

by willis123

nt

Posted on Oct 5, 2008, 9:00 PM

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Thread specs or thread ID?

by

I don't have any thread specs (as in measurements) but if you mean the barrel-thread ID page, that's here:

http://www.docsmachine.com/tech/barrelguide.html

And man, I need to redo that in a big way...

Doc.

Posted on Oct 6, 2008, 1:53 AM

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some cool aviation photos

by Uticus

http://www.polarbreak.com/12-spectacular-aircraft-photos/

Though some people on here might appreciate these,...

I wish I had a half decent camera (only have a Cannon Power Shot now)and was able to take some decent pics

Posted on Oct 3, 2008, 3:29 PM

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The contrails one...

by Jeb Hoge

That's my new desktop photo. Really unusual and dynamic.

Posted on Oct 4, 2008, 8:05 PM

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Sweet piccies i found a blog a while back filled with simular ones n/t

by FireFrenzy

n/t

Posted on Oct 4, 2008, 11:40 PM

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Post - Ike damage pics (NOT 56K friendly!)

by Nighthawke

http://www.tpicks.com/pictures%20people%20have%20sent%20me.html



Posted on Oct 3, 2008, 2:26 PM

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The Boats

by Anonymous Coward

Does anyone know what happens to all the boats that are up on land but are(or at least appear to be) otherwise undamaged?

Posted on Oct 4, 2008, 3:14 PM

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If they work the way I'm used to...

by ABTOMAT

The authorities will try to find the owner via registration. If they can't do that they'll hang on to it for a while to see if anyone claims and can prove ownership. If that doesn't happen it'll probably go to a county auction. If no one buys it there it gets crushed into a dumpster and sent to the dump.

Posted on Oct 4, 2008, 4:15 PM

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Re: If they work the way I'm used to...

by Anonymous Coward

Actually what I was trying to find out is how they actually move them around.

Posted on Oct 4, 2008, 5:22 PM

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Boat Sling

by

Like on this page http://www.boatliftslings.com/hoistsling.html

Posted on Oct 5, 2008, 3:48 PM

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blast from the past '99 docsmachine

by paintball sycho

well with 10 years running docs come a ways! grats on 10 years doc


http://web.archive.org/web/19991127163830/http://www.docsmachine.com/index.html


Posted on Oct 3, 2008, 8:11 AM

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Nice old stuff

by

I've always loved that cocker with the flame in the shroud.

Looking at the pictures is great. I think more stuff should be as pretty and highly polished too.

Posted on Oct 3, 2008, 11:37 AM

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I sort of miss that thing...

by

I wish finances hadn't forced me to sell it. :-/

Posted on Oct 3, 2008, 12:04 PM

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I live in fear

by Lis

Of seller's remorse.

I guess that's why I have a tendency of sitting on stuff. Sorry to hear you had to part ways with it.

Posted on Oct 3, 2008, 3:36 PM

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I know the feeling.

by

I had to unload both my Sovereigns years ago and am still kicking myself over it.

Posted on Oct 3, 2008, 4:21 PM

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Re: Nice old stuff

by S7G

I wonder who has that Yucky Gun? ;p

Although it is somewhere along with a bunch of others down south of me.
P-3

Posted on Oct 3, 2008, 10:19 PM

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A good portion of everything...

by Lis

Is down south of you!

Well, at least most everything that doesn't live at my house.

I think I'll just have to put that one on my Impossible Yule Gift List for this year. I like the milling. It's hawt.



Posted on Oct 4, 2008, 12:59 AM

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Well..

by

I'm glad it went to you, numerous times at the field down here (when I lived in AZ the first time) people recalled seeing it online. THAT is a cool feeling.

So tired, I'm not liking this working for free crap.

PyroFiend

Posted on Oct 4, 2008, 10:49 PM

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olde skool guilde

by doc Zox

http://web.archive.org/web/20011020030813/network54.com/Hide/Forum/goto?forumid=9013

Posted on Oct 3, 2008, 1:24 PM

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that was only seven years ago...

by

No way am I "olde skool".

Posted on Oct 3, 2008, 4:42 PM

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the beginning inside...

by

http://www.network54.com/Forum/9013/page-853

Posted on Oct 3, 2008, 4:47 PM

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wow... sorry to bring this up doc...

by

http://www.network54.com/Forum/9013/message/930175478/Preferences-+Blonde%2C+brunette..+S%26amp%3BM-



Hi simon!

Posted on Oct 3, 2008, 4:50 PM

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NOVAguy...

by

I remember you.
http://www.network54.com/Forum/9013/message/973668873/BUSH+WINS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

thanks.




Posted on Oct 3, 2008, 5:03 PM

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CRySyS....

by

http://www.network54.com/Forum/9013/message/975280306/Question+about+barrel+condoms...


How novel.


This is fun!

Posted on Oct 3, 2008, 5:05 PM

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sniper1rfa

by

your first post was way back (probably '99), to do with, iirc, drill sizes for 1/8"-npt. Can't find it.

I did dig up this gem. http://www.network54.com/Forum/9013/message/986145414/hng+on%2C+do+you+know+what+you+are+talking+about-

That's when you started posting regularly. First one in 2001.






He's right, I completely missed the point. Oh well, I was new to the intertubes; hadn't had a chance to tune my sarcasm-o-meter (or my writing/typing skills).

Posted on Oct 3, 2008, 5:23 PM

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and for the record...

by

I no longer fear steel. Man, I was an idiot. :D

Posted on Oct 3, 2008, 5:27 PM

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That pritty funny there.

by IDN

Did you really start machining at age 14?

-lucky luck jerk...

Posted on Oct 3, 2008, 6:47 PM

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no, before...

by

But that was right around when I learned to measure. Much more important.

Posted on Oct 3, 2008, 6:52 PM

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Holy Shnikes!

by CRySyS

I think I actually threw that barrel condom out less than two years ago. I made a handful of others with some stronger blue material but shortly after that the paintball shop I was lurking at hired me on part time so free barrel condoms trumped working at a sewing machine.

This was just until I finished school of course, but when I graduated I was still having too much fun to get a real job. If only I knew that a real job could send me half way around the world I would have given it a shot a little earlier.

Posted on Oct 4, 2008, 9:27 AM

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Interesting post regarding a "Turbo Rainmaker" from 9 years ago

by The Inflicted

http://www.network54.com/Forum/9013/message/929381426/doc-turbo+RM+possible-

Posted on Oct 3, 2008, 6:49 PM

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Wow,....

by manike

That seems like a different age, and not in a good way.

Posted on Oct 3, 2008, 7:16 PM

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as in 2001...

by Nobody

what you thought was cutting edge techniques and technology, all seems like you where some monkey who first thought to use a tool.

its okay, you've gotten better with your stuff. :P

Nobody

Posted on Oct 4, 2008, 9:25 PM

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Wow, time sure passes fast, dudn't it...?

by

...but that's not even close to the beginning. Just where we started back up after an N54 server blew up, or something like that.

The forum originally started back in, what, '97? Not that I can prove it now, but I had posts on the first page...

Still, I just spent half an hour flipping through Doc's Time Machine (circa 1999)... Looking back now, was there seriously a time when I felt the need to write a 2-page post about modding a Spyder? 'Course, that was back when a Spyder was still actually a gasp decent gun... and your bolt-on options were limited to a new barrel, an expansion chamber, and maybe a raised sight rail...

Ah, yeah, those were the days...

-Kenn

Posted on Oct 3, 2008, 7:05 PM

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yeah, i know..

by

i'm pretty sure my first post was in '99, probably late '99.

But that's the beginning of what's left. shrug





Reading through old posts is embarrassing.

Posted on Oct 3, 2008, 7:10 PM

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i lied...

by

must have been late '98. I know i posted a bit, then stopped for a long time. Then i started posting again freshman year in high school, which would've been 2001.


OK, maybe i'm slightly middle school. Still won't admit to old though. Find yourself Shootist: he's old school.

Posted on Oct 3, 2008, 7:13 PM

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rec.sport.paintball in the early 90s

by hp_lovecraft

Now thats embarressing.

And unfortunetly, google saves all that stuff at dejanews still.

Posted on Oct 4, 2008, 5:22 AM

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Total information retention should make the future pretty interesting.

by CRySyS

Imagine the dirt you will be able to dig up on a presidential candidate in 20 years!

"Here's video of Senator Rose vomiting drunk and calling some random guy an asshat."

Posted on Oct 4, 2008, 9:31 AM

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All i can hope for is that we'll grow up before that happens... n/t

by FireFrenzy

no really

Posted on Oct 5, 2008, 6:51 AM

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Bearintex

by Goat

What ever happened to him?

Posted on Oct 4, 2008, 11:13 PM

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A little bit of Old West flavor... (Project pics)

by

So here are the guns I've been working with on and off for the last year or so... Just in time for the western-themed game I'm playing next weekend...

(Sorry about the poor lighting, but you get the idea.)


First one is a Nelson-bodied lever-action rifle.




When I got this one from Tohri, he'd mounted it in the stock with the lever and trigger groups, and had installed a neat through-stock remote fitting that stuck out the bottom of the grip. I liked the air line, but unfortunately it leaked, and I wanted to run the gun on 12-grams anyway. I also wanted to convert it from direct-feed to tube-feed, and while I was looking over some other lever-nelson designs that popped up not too long ago, I decided I liked the look of the inline feed tube/bucket changer.

The next one is my bolt-action PGP. It actually is a six-shooter (one in the chamber, five in the short feed tube).




This one started with a gun I picked up at MCB too. Here's what it looked like when I got it:

It's had some love from Dan Sergison since then. First I added the K-frame (I actually bought this gun specifically because I was getting a K and I thought they would look perfect together - and I was right, no?). I played with it as a pump for a while, but the black Delrin pump really didn't go with the look of the gun. I sent it to Dan asking if he could make me a decent-looking bolt handle that would operate from the left side of the gun, instead of the right side that's standard for bolt Sheridans. What I got back was a rotating-cam locking bolt with a handle that matched the lines of the gun perfectly.


Just to toss in an unsolicited plug here: I know Dan's been pretty busy with other things lately, but if you need gun work done and he can squeeze you into his schedule, I promise you won't be disappointed.

Can't wait to actually play with them after having them on the bench for so long...

-Kenn

Posted on Oct 2, 2008, 10:45 PM

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Re: A little bit of Old West flavor... (Project pics)

by Innox


That lever action rifle is awesome but the bolt action PGP with Sergison K-Frame? EPIC WIN.

Posted on Oct 2, 2008, 11:54 PM

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Okay, those rock...

by

Now that's a theme-gun setup!

The nit-pickery lobe of my brain wants to rework that lever into a more... "authentic", I guess... shape, but other than that, they're great. Very well done.

Doc.

Posted on Oct 3, 2008, 2:21 AM

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Future plans...

by Kenn Mikos

Yeah, the first goal was to get them working properly in time for the game. I was halfway thinking about replacing the lever with a real-gun part at some point, although I'm kind of torn between putting a lot more work into this one, or taking what I've learned and building another one from scratch exactly the way I want.

For now, though, functionally it's perfect for me, so I probably won't mess with it right away. It was a pretty well-built little gun to start with.

-Kenn

Posted on Oct 3, 2008, 2:26 PM

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Great set!

by Ozzy

And well taken pictures, too. I especially love the one of that six-shooter with the nicely matching background.

Now you just need a belt with holders for twelve grams and ball tubes.. Perhaps brass tubes or polished cigar tubes would look the part?

If you can take and share some pictures from the game, that'd be great too.

Posted on Oct 3, 2008, 6:15 AM

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Polished cigar tubes... didn't think of that!

by Kenn Mikos

I'll have to try that... I was considering making some brass tubes somehow, but polishing cigar tubes would be much easier. Thanks for the idea!

I will try to get some pictures from the game as well...

-Kenn

Posted on Oct 3, 2008, 2:29 PM

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Awesome guns!

by The Inflicted

It's hard to find a cooler setup than a wooden-gripped k-framed sheridan with some natural leather nearby.

Posted on Oct 3, 2008, 2:14 PM

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wow!! love the pistol!! nt

by

nt

Posted on Oct 3, 2008, 6:58 PM

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OT: A subject that is way out there.

by

I just learned that it is World Space Week ( http://www.worldspaceweek.org/ ). Check out the calendar for events around the world. I was surprised at how many events are in Turkey of all places. And then only ONE in Japan. Go figure.

To me, the insult is here in the good old USA. Excuse my language, but it has been over 40, yes 40 fucking years since Neil Armstrong first set foot on the moon and where are we now? Still mucking around as if it never happened! Most people in the USA can not be bothered about the Space Program, their to busy the latest ball game, fashion, internet what ever. Why is it when it comes to something that could really make a spectacular change for not just our country, but for the whole world, most of us have the attention span of a gnat in blast furnace?

Posted on Oct 2, 2008, 9:55 PM

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Re: OT: A subject that is way out there.

by CF

> To me, the insult is here in the good old USA. Excuse my language, but it has been over 40, yes 40 fucking years since Neil Armstrong first set foot on the moon and where are we now? Still mucking around as if it never happened! Most people in the USA can not be bothered about the Space Program, their to busy the latest ball game, fashion, internet what ever.

This is what forty years of Unfettered Social Leftism
does to nations. "Why spend money on science, when
there are starving masses who can be turned into
welfare slaves?"

Posted on Oct 2, 2008, 11:41 PM

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that's partisan bullshit.

by

"Conservatives" have cut PLENTY of space program budgets. This has NOTHING to do with "right" or "left". I love election season. Everyone wants to blame "the other" political party for everything.

Posted on Oct 3, 2008, 3:01 PM

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Re: that's partisan bullshit.

by CF

Funny -- I was quite literally born into the
US space-exploration business (both parents
involved; have met, in non-meet-and-greet
scenarios, the current NASA Administrator
and one "Buzz" Aldrin, to namedrop but a few);
I have been neck-deep in it for most of my
life (SDI put my ass through college); and I
have yet to meet a right-winger who wanted to
cut back on space ops, while every Leftist
I've ever met has greeted any mention of
Space with some variant on "Why are we wasting
Taxpayer Money on Space, when [fill-in improbable
number] children in [fill-in Third-World
s***hole moonscape] are starving to death?"

This is usually followed by the Mantra of the
Left: "You Just Don't Care."

Posted on Oct 5, 2008, 11:48 PM

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Well, because...

by

The sad fact is, it's in large part because we've already been there, we've already done that.

Between us and the Soviets, we did it. We started the Space Race, we developed the technology, and we landed men on the moon and brought them back safely.

The problem is, there's not much to do with space. And that's the key issue.

Really. Yes, we get some interesting research out of the ISS, and yes, I'd rather see NASA literally burn up $100 million every time they launch the shuttle, than see it spent on congressional pork... but once you really boil it down, we're not doing all that much more than seeing how things act or react in a weightless environment.

Now, I agree that this early data will eventually be very useful. Just as NASA itself had a few spectacular mishaps which highlighted what to fix and how to fix it, and for that matter, how everything else from building tanks to writing computer OS'es had to be done in steps, with much learned along the way.

But at the moment, even if we spent the hundreds of billions of dollars it would take to put another man on the moon, what's the point? It's literally a barren rock. Yes, there's a few interesting things to play with, like H3, but other than that, it's a ball-shaped desert. $500 billion to have some guy walk around to physically map out 0.00000003% of the surface and collect a few more rocks that are virtually identical to the rocks we already have?

A manned Mars trip is currently impossible. Not just unlikely or improbable, actually impossible. At least, successful manned round-trip is impossible.

For the moment.

But blasting more shuttles up to the ISS isn't advancing that particular technology. Hell, the Shuttle can't even achieve a lunar orbit.

Right now we don't need to be wasting time and resources propping up 1970s space technology, and there's no need to "beat" anyone anywhere. We've already beaten them.

But other than that "me first!" race, there's very little out there we need to do. It will be a very long time before we get so desperate that mining the moon- or just living on it- will become necessary. The only thing we need here on earth in any quantity, is energy. There's no wood, coal or oil on the Moon, and we have to spend a vast amount of energy to get there.

Space itself is just that- space. It's just a distance we have to cover to reach something interesting. And since there's no other habitable body in this system, putting people there is expensive, dangerous, and really wouldn't tell us that much more than our rovers and probes will- assuming we can get 'em to land safely.

We need two things to advance beyond our current low-earth-orbit: Cheap, compact and long-lasting fuel of some sort, and an engine of some kind that can use that fuel (or energy source) to provide a faster thrust than our current chemical rockets.

Of course, if we had those, we wouldn't need to go anywhere...

But I'm rambling.

Doc.

Posted on Oct 3, 2008, 2:17 AM

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Space - and where are we now?

by Ozzy

Space and the technology of manned spaceflight has become more or less of a "hasbeen" thing - the modern space technology favours sending robots and automated processes instead of people. Sending astronauts into space is a big PR thing, and space projects really need that positive public relations material to last several elections and governments until their completion.

Most projects outside regular satellite launches are longer than one term of a government. Making the drive to develop cold-war era spaceflight needs a motivator as big as the cold war itself, and no government or party alone can kill - or drive - a project as big as the one that was in place at the time.

There would be a whole different level of motivation if we knew for certain that some impending doom would befall our home planet, but as there is no single big issue to be solved, no one's going to the spending and the risks of actually starting a manned Mars mission.

The questions about Mars, for example, are easier to answer with probes and landers than sending people there to do a robot's job. Sending a human into space means constraining yourself into a whole different level as they need respective life support and have quite a narrow habitable zone in terms of accelerations, temperature, pressure and atmosphere. And there are still a whole lot of questions to be answered before it becomes in any way reasonable to send humans into Mars. And that's probably centuries away from actual colonization still.

Sending people into space unless they're really needed there - as with the ISS and experiments carried out over there - is not a viable option as modern computing has filled the need already. Still, there will be manned spaceflight in the future still as people need their white knights in shining rocketships despite the obvious and even more numerous inobvious dangers of it.

Russia and its space centers are today's big launchers (in terms of numbers) with their tried-and-tested Soyuz fleet. They regularly deliver satellites and replacements to orbit, while Saturn and Ariane from NASA and ESA are used for larger payload. There's a whole lot of space activity going on, and as technology has progressed it's become more inexpensive and less of a "big show". Launches are happening regularly and I believe it's more like the case of aviation pioneers and modern flight traveling: it's become so common and regular that it has no big news value anymore.

Posted on Oct 3, 2008, 5:23 AM

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explore Moar

by doc Zox

I heard that before Sputnik, the big push was to explore the frontiers of our 3/4 of the planet below sea level

There certainly are a few actual alien lifeforms down below...

Posted on Oct 3, 2008, 1:34 PM

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one point .. and a slight disagreement :)

by

I personally believe we have the capacity to overcome those limitations MUCH more quickly than we're doing. I personally buy in to hawking's perception: we frankly don't know how long the earth will be viable; any one of millions of situations could make it uninhabitable outside of our influence, and until we have a means of continuing the human race in those circumstances, it should always remain an area of intense study.

Also, if my understanding is correct, the moon actually could be used to harvest vast reserves of energy - solar winds carry and deposit relatively large amounts of helium-3 there, which could be used to fuel fusion once we get that tech working properly. Not to mention, the dark side would be a GREAT location to put heavily polluting industries if travel back & forth can be brought to a reasonably inexpensive level.

Posted on Oct 3, 2008, 3:08 PM

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Better use for the dark side

by MephitMark

Actually you could put heavy industry anywhere you want in space. Anything you want to dispose of that would be a problem on Earth, just throw it at the nearest fusion incinerator. The sun!

But for the dark side, or better put, far side of the moon, a far better use would be for astronomical research. Put telescopes and the like over there. The moon would function as a shield against noise for both Earth and the sun. There was and article in the magazine Scientific American years ago. Now that would be a job with a challenge!

Posted on Oct 4, 2008, 5:50 AM

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And mount for asteroid protection

by MarkT

We should have some giant lasers on the far side for asteroid and comet protection. For some reason the dinosaurs never got around to that and it cost them.


Posted on Oct 5, 2008, 10:28 AM

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Loftstrom loops. Space fountains. Elevators.

by

If you lowered cost per kilo of launch weight to Low earth orbit enough, You wouldn't need ultra high energy propellants, You could sling an unmanned pod out to an asteroid with boosters, have it fly in an elliptical orbit around the sun, match speed with the space rock, and boost it back to earth orbit, You would have enough floating material to make a hundred space ships in orbit, making boosting all that Into orbit needless.

The other application of Cheap boost is to put a large number of solar collectors in orbit, or even on the moon, where the sun hits with a Lot more punch. Microwave that back to earth, or use it as a toehold for a lunar base. Sure, it may be a huge desert, but it's got applications that can't be had on earth.

I think the main reason people forgot about space is that it started paying off. Nobody pays any attention to things that work well. Sattelites keep track of us, route our telecommunications, send our TVs the lastest football game, and do a million other things I can't think of right now. Putting people into space just seems backwards to a lot of people.

Posted on Oct 5, 2008, 3:28 PM

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Doc!, Doc!, Doc!

by

Doc, I would have never thought that you, of all people (or Bears!), would be the "I just don't see the point" guy.

Yes, We did the whole "Man on the moon" thing 40 or so years ago, and it was spectacular! We beat the Commies there (just barely!) & all was good!

But you are missing the (one BIG) point.

What did we gain from this undertaking?

Yes, we were all proud of "Our Side", but the thing(s) I'm talking about are all of the technologies that we had to invent, refine, or develop just to get the job done.

Heck!, the very computers we are typing all of this on, Mylar, all of the CNC, machining, and metallurgy, Cell Phones, GPS, foods, medical stuff, Heck the list is larger than I have time to type!!

All of these are here TODAY, as a direct result of the USA's "Space Program".
Many of the everyday things, things that we take (Far too much) for granted, are Ours DIRECTLY from what we did in the space programs.

We live on a planet, no matter how big it is....It is a finite resource. Sooner or later (probably sooner than We all think!) We will be at the point of >NOT< having the materials for being able to "Get Out" of it's gravity well. That isn't speculation, that is a fact!

We >will< be "Going in to space", it is that of we perish here.

We need to learn how to do, all of the things that we will need to "do", to "Make", to learn. Why not do it relatively close to "Home"? (Moon)

To do this will take some government involvement ($$$$), allot of private investments (Virgin Galactic, Etc.), And allot of innovation.

Aircraft we only the play things of governments, or very rich people, until they were made profitable. Then they became more, and more popular.

We need to do the same to space flight. Only then will we be "On our way!"

Tall Shadow

Posted on Oct 6, 2008, 9:29 AM

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But what about the clowns...

by Britt

the killer clowns from outter space?

we'd run into them sooner or later and lead them right back to our nesting grounds...



them and the damn robots.


IMHO space is great/cool, but there's P L E N T Y of $hit to fix right here at home fir$t.

Posted on Oct 3, 2008, 5:53 AM

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Limiting yourself & everone else.

by MephitMark

By saying that there is nothing outside of Earth that is of importance limits not only yourself, but forces that basic mind set to the rest of humanity. Where in fact Earth is finite. There will be only so much of anything on Earth, and as was reported recently, in less then fifty years we will be unable to feed all of humanity adequately. Now I am not going to claim that we will find answers to all of our problems in space, but more then likely basis to those problems. And as for those "more then enough problems here on Earth"? We could probably solve those problems. But guess what? There will be more after that to solve!!! By using present problems as an excuse for not pushing ourselves out of our comfortable position we or in now, will we ever do so?

And for energy sources? Again unless we push the 'envelope', we don't learn and grow. We are limited by what we can do. And not by our sciences or imagination. Unless we as a people are willing to go well beyond what we are/have, then be prepare for extinction. Will that happen? Possibly, because look at your answers as to why the space exploration has 'stalled'. We don't need to, it's to difficult, other matter come first. Are you comfortable where/what you are basically? If so, why rock the boat? Are we ready for any challenge. And no I am not talking about aliens or such. But in another year there will pass by a asteroid, that if it passes a region of space, in short order it WILL hit earth. In out life times. And what of threats from the earth its' self? Those blasted mega-volcanoes, I know of two, here in the USA, that are warming up to blow. We don't know enough to say when they will blow (probably not in the next hundred or so), which is nerve racking enough.

We have all of our eggs, us, in one basket, Earth. We really don't know enough of not just about Earth, but of the universe its' self. We've only been around a few thousand years. And even a shorter time of studding it and understanding it. In some ways, we do need to be pushed out of our comfort zone again.

http://www.space-frontier.org/

http://www.belmont.k12.ca.us/ralston/programs/itech/SpaceSettlement/Contest/

http://www.asi.org/

http://space.mike-combs.com/

http://www.nasa.gov/worldbook/space_exploration_worldbook.html

Yes I know some of these groups are a little flaky, but at least consider the science and engineering challenges development to achieve some of the ideas.

Posted on Oct 3, 2008, 8:53 AM

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Seeking tinkering ideas on a project....

by

1st, I have to admit... this is for a game. Yes, a game. What game? why battletech of course. However, it can have many other uses as well...

I have this idea of projecting a grid onto a table, so that the surface of the table could be changed without impacting the grid. My thinking was along the lines of using an overhead light to project the grid onto a sand table, so we could change the terrain whenever we wanted.

However, I'm not sure what the best route would be to take to do this. So I ask here... any ideas?

(if you really want to wrap your mind around it... how about 3 separate setups, 1 being the ideal solution, 1 "on the cheap", and 1 semi-portable (the projection part being portable that is)

Posted on Oct 2, 2008, 8:55 PM

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lasers?

by

Have you considered using some cheap lasers with lens to project the lines? And also consider different color lasers to boarders and such.

Posted on Oct 2, 2008, 9:46 PM

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For 40k i use a construction laser which they use for marking a straight line...

by FireFrenzy

It cost me about 5 USD after converting and while working on AAA batteries in my case (nothing you guys cant handle) it works awesome...

Posted on Oct 3, 2008, 5:13 AM

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Great idea, except...

by