Idea for the show

greenspun.com : LUSENET : Junkyard Wars : One Thread

I think head to head competitions like the power pullers from the first show are the most fun. My idea is two above ground swimming pools each almost full (down 1-2' from the top). Each team is trying to move water from their pool to the other until they overflow it using no engines (human, wind, etc power only). Since their moving water back and forth the competition may go for a while, and endurance of the machine and people may be the key. The other possibility is that one team will build something that moves so much water so quickly they over power the other team very quickly.

-- Lee R. Walker (lwalk@ccb.com), February 20, 2001

Answers

Cool idea, your right, head-to-head stuff is the best, I think the power puller one is my favorite so far (at least from the first season).

There are a lot of similar head to head challenges you could do. For example, I remember MIT (I think) used to have a robot wars type competition where the robot raced to collect ping-pong balls from a play area at the same time. For JYWs you could grow the idea to basketballs (or even bowling balls) let loose in a tennis court sized arena.

Keith

-- Keith Sealy (keithsealy@yahoo.com), February 20, 2001.


Both ideas are sound. I take umbrage at #1 though. NO MOTORS?! JYW is best when motors are involved the bigger the better.

-- Stephen A. Binion (Stephenbinion@hotmail.com), February 20, 2001.

An important part of the show is that you're building machines - presumably to replace human effort. Some of the team members, while being junk geniuses (genii?), are not exactly fit for an extended cardio effort. The need for an engine always seems to bring out different philosophies in the power to weight ratio game, and it's interesting to see what wins. I've been surprised at how close some of the 'lopsided' engine choices have actually been when it came to doing the competition. As has been remarked by various competitors, it has to last in order for your team to win... Engine power makes bad design/construction practice a lot more obvious.

-- Theo Smit (tsmit@home.com), February 20, 2001.

I enjoy when they power up their designs as well. I just think a motor would make it too easy. A pump like used in the fire boat show and it would be over with in minutes. Of course the other option would be no piston or centrifugal pumps. Make them come up with some alternative method for moving the water and let them have a motor if they want one.

-- Lee R. Walker (lwalk@ccb.com), February 21, 2001.

Stephen, Stephen, Stephan......Get off the motor thang! " Take a motor out a this, and plop it into this, and away we go". The motor thang has been overkilled! How about we just see who can build a motor and don't put any motors in the junkyard. Now that would be a challenge.

-- John Gap (mindthgap64@hotmail.com), February 21, 2001.


I really like the "build a motor" idea.

-- Waddy Thompson (cthomp3851@aol.com), February 21, 2001.

i think that sometimes the needed pieces are to easily found. parts are for the most part usually in working order. maybe they should not be so "good". we watch the show each week and just love it.i like the combination of young and older people working together, i have been trying to think us something for the teems to make but.....

-- lynne davis (purplelady2@hot mail.com), February 22, 2001.

Moderation questions? read the FAQ