User:Aqazi1411/ENES100/Rubber band gun fall 2012

Write problem/project Goal
Create a working model of a rubber band gun

My First Task
Make a chopstick rubber band gun

-Find chopsticks

-Get rubber bands

- Make a working model of a chop stick machine gun

Tasks for next weekend

- Get the chopstick rubber band gun to work more efficiently and tackle the issue with the trigger so taht there is less friction and tension on the trigger it self so it fires more easier.

- Play with the widths of different rubber bands to get the rubber bands to not only load more easier onto the gun but also work more efficiently in firing the rubber bands from gun and releasing them via the trigger.

Summary of actual work over first weekend
I planned to make a working model of the chop stick rubber band gun with the semi automatic mechanism working properly. I produced a working rubber band gun made entire out of chopsticks as its frame, trigger, barrel etc... and it works and shoots rubber bands however the semi-automatic mechanism does not work properly like it should. What actually happened is I made the proper gun but I assembled it in such a way that the self reloading semi-automatic mechanism does not work properly.

Week1 Narrative
I went over to Wegmans and bought some sushi and with it took a dozen pairs of disposable chop sticks. I then proceeded to go to Walmart to buy rubber bands. I then proceeded to make the actual project. The project is completely built and everything is in place however the semi automatic mechanism does not work properly yet and there for the rubber bands do not reload properly.

My Second Task
I plan to try to improve the functioning rubber band machine gun that I produced by taking it apart completely and rebuilding it all together. I will change the type of rubber bands i used to hopefully improve the durability of the gun as well as incrase functionality of the moving parts in the rubber band gun. I will also try positioning the different moving parts in a new manor so that hopefuly the automatic reload starts working properly. By this I mean moving the trigger down slightly and not having as much stick out from the top so that the rubber bands are released properly and do not get caught. I also will move the second stick of the handle down as well because i know the rubber bands sometimes get caught in that. The unburst bar will also be repositioned.

Summary of actual work over second weekend
I took the rubber band gun apart and this time I used a different width rubber band to actually bind the rubber band gun together. These rubber bands are more narrow thus they allow the moving parts such as the trigger to move more freely as well as cause less tension between the chopsticks over all acting like a lubricant helping the parts to move easier. I also moved the unburst bar a bit further towards the back of the gun more towards the handle as well as moving the trigger and the handle down more so that the rubber bands do not get caught on top of the little choptstick ends poking out at the top of the gun. After I finished making the rubber band gun again I proceeded to testing the gun and seeing if the gun actually reloads properly now and it does.

Week2 Narrative
Over the weekend I helped improve my gun and finish off the chop stick semi automatic rubber band gun part of the project off. We have all made 3 different types of rubber band guns and they range from a single firing rubber band gun to fully automatic rubber band gun. The single firing rubber band gun and the semi automatic chopstick rubber band gun are now completed so we will now focus our attention towards improving the fully automatic rubber band machine gun.

My Third task
During the third week I will help the team out by getting supplies towards improving the automatic rubber band machine gun. I will search for scrap wood to make a stand or a tripod type thing for the gun to be mounted on so that the person holding it won't have to carry the large amount of weight for too long. I will also go out and purchase a laser pointer to put at the end of the gun to increase its accuracy when we are firing the rubber bands and releasing the ammunition of rubber band guns on the gun.

Summary of actual work over third weekend
- I went out to the store and bought a laser pointer to use as a tool to increase accuracy when firing the automatic rubber band machine gun

- I also found scrap wood to make the stand/base/tripod of the gun out of so that we can easily rest the gun and mount it on any table which will ultimately also help to improve the accuracy of the fully automatic rubber band machine gun.

Week3 Narrative
During the third week I helped the team out by getting supplies towards improving the automatic rubber band machine gun. I also searched for scrap wood to make a stand or a tripod type thing for the gun to be mounted on so that the person holding it won't have to carry the large amount of weight for too long and to increase accuracy and i found it. I also went out and purchased a laser pointer to put at the end of the gun to increase its accuracy when we are firing the rubber bands and releasing the ammunition of rubber band guns on the gun.

- I also made a tutoriol using pictures I took of the chopstick rubber band gun as i made it

- I also created a step by step tutorial on how to make a chopstick rubber band gun:

Step by step process of making the chopstick rubber band gun:

(Please click on the pictures for a more detailed explanation as to creating and assembling the chopstick rubber band gun as well as high resolution pictures)

When done with the chopstick rubber band gun, in order to reload it you must pull a rubber band from the front muzzle of the gun back towards the trigger. While keeping the trigger pulled back at a 90 degree angle with the rest of the gun put the rubber band around the trigger, then proceed to wrap it under the left side of the unburst bar and then around the back handle of the rubber band gun and then finally hook the rubber band onto the trigger. Repeat this 3 more times alternating sides for wrapping underneath the unburst bar and then for the 5th rubber band just simply pull it back from the muzzle and then hook it on to the trigger simply. This mechanism will prevent all the rubber bands from firing at once and will also help to make the gun semi automatic. Have fun with it, try to hit your cat or sibling with it if you can (Don't aim for the face) :P

[[File:Supplies needed for the chopstick rubber band gun.jpg|thumb|Supplies needed: The supplies needed for the chopstick rubber band gun.

- Disposable Chopsticks (4 pairs)

- Rubber Bands (about 10)

These supplies can be found at any Japanese restaurant or store.]]

[[File:The supplies (2) for the chopstick rubber band gun.jpg|thumb|Supplies needed layed out so they can be viewed easily: The supplies needed for the chopstick rubber band gun all layed out separately.

- Disposable Chopsticks (4 pairs)

- Rubber Bands (about 10)

These supplies can be found at any Japanese restaurant or store.]]

[[File:Step 1 of the chopstick rubber band gun.jpg|thumb|Step 1: Take a pair of chopsticks and lay them out. Then proceed to make the mazzle-piece and barrel by cutting 25 mm of the chopstick from the end of the chopstick. IMPORTANT: Only cut the 25 mm off of ONE of the two chopsticks in the pair. Leave the entire chopstick bound together with the exception of the piece you cut off. the 25 mm of the chopstick you cut off = the mazzle piece

the rest of the chopstick pair = the barrel of the gun]]













My Fourth task
- Watch video tutorials on how to work the individual parts and tools of a wood shop in order to utilize class time to maximum efficiency

Summary of actual work over fourth weekend
- I watched a bunch of videos on youtube on how to use woodshop equipment properly

- I also edited and completed most of the team page with the exception of things such as the hours worked on the project and team poster

Week4 Narrative
I found and added a rubberised type material to the handle of the gun as well as the bi stand in order to make it grip smooth surfaces easier and prevent sliding when aiming the gun. I also made 2 videos of the gun showing how the gun can pivot around on its bi stand as well as aim at a target at a number of angles and also made a video of the gun firing at a self made target. These videos are uploaded to youtube and have been linked to via the team page as well as here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DjDOSdvGGlY&feature=youtu.be

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBwp3HCSmiw&feature=youtu.be

Complete Team Page
Our rubber band gun project team page:

http://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/Rubberband_gun/Howard_Community_College/fall2012/p1-503-flq