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COMMUNITY : FORUMS : BURNING QUESTIONS


What to do with Ball Bearings?

For some while I've had a pile of ball bearings sitting here on my lounge room table, and without knowing what on earth to do with them, I now ask you. I have found uses such as adding to my "mousetrap racer," a small car, run by a mouse trap, that can go up to 15 metres. With ball bearings it goes twice as far as it used to, so I have become curious... what to do now though? All ideas would help, and an instructable would be even better. Cheers

deep-groove-ball-bearings.gif
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1
puffinmuffin says: Jul 2, 2012. 2:16 PM
I take old ones and take out the balls and use them for sling shot ammo
Ascii211 says: May 24, 2012. 5:55 PM
Oh I got one!!!! Yes this works!! i made a few rings out of them for a girl that i liked and she LOVES them. they are comfy and are extremely durable and look really cool!!!!
9
kelseymh says: Dec 5, 2008. 1:36 PM
Axle supports for a trebuchet.
26
LinuxH4x0r says: Dec 5, 2008. 8:05 PM
I happen to be making one... I need some for the electric Fiat I'm working on
107
killerjackalope says: Dec 6, 2008. 5:57 PM
Do tell, first I heard of it being a Fiat... I'm guessing a Cinquento... I think that's spelt right... Or a 500? it'd be cool to see an electric abarth 500, you'd probably be able to improve on performance too...
26
LinuxH4x0r says: Dec 7, 2008. 7:06 PM
1980 Fiat spyder 2000 Got the engine out!
12042008152.jpg
107
killerjackalope says: Dec 7, 2008. 8:40 PM
OK my guesses were a bit off, now get a beefy motor in there, the added weight of the batteries over the rear axle may improve handling to an extent, though too much without compensation will make it a bit of a handful...
26
LinuxH4x0r says: Dec 8, 2008. 4:09 PM
Were getting a nice warp 9 motor. We plan on beefing up the shocks if we can.
107
killerjackalope says: Dec 8, 2008. 4:31 PM
How much power? Whatever you say go get something with twice as much. Consider it necessary, think you can get there twice as fast, so you'll have time to recharge when you get there...
26
LinuxH4x0r says: Dec 8, 2008. 4:47 PM
IDK. I'm just working on it, I don't get to make any purchases. I'll adjust the controller once we order it. Muahahaha!
107
killerjackalope says: Dec 8, 2008. 5:05 PM
you can easily double the quality of the finished product with a toggle switch that has the options: Magic/More magic
6
Kryptonite (author) says: Apr 16, 2009. 6:35 PM
Speeds: Fast ::: Kill
19
bumpus says: Dec 6, 2008. 11:04 AM
So you decided against the CRX?
26
LinuxH4x0r says: Dec 7, 2008. 7:06 PM
not yet
12042008152.jpg
5
ItsTheHobbs says: Apr 13, 2009. 12:02 PM
Make a yo-yo?
6
Kryptonite (author) says: Apr 13, 2009. 6:28 PM
How would I do that?
5
ItsTheHobbs says: Apr 14, 2009. 10:14 AM
Hmmm.well first you would need to make the two sides and a middle: ()-(). Then put the ball bearing on the middle bar : ()=(). Just add string!
6
Kryptonite (author) says: Apr 16, 2009. 6:33 PM
Sweet good idea!
38
Goodhart says: Apr 14, 2009. 10:35 AM
Make your robot run smoother :-)
38
Goodhart says: Apr 16, 2009. 7:15 AM
I guess you need to build the robot first, eh?
6
Kryptonite (author) says: Apr 16, 2009. 6:08 PM
Oh yeah I never thought about that! :S XD
107
killerjackalope says: Dec 6, 2008. 5:59 PM
If they're heavy duty enough you could make yourself a bed on cantilevers and gently rock and swing while sleeping, then flip it up or down out of the way when not in use...
6
Kryptonite (author) says: Dec 6, 2008. 11:45 PM
Err, yeah, great idea but when they're 3 mm wide and look as though they'd break if you stood on one, they wouldn't be much good for that, thanks for the idea though!
3
the_mad_man says: Apr 16, 2009. 6:44 AM
they look like skateboard bearings to me, so they probably wouldn't break if you stood on them.
43
sharlston says: Apr 12, 2009. 8:36 AM
if you have a slingshot take them apart and use them as ammo u know the steel balls
6
Kryptonite (author) says: Apr 13, 2009. 12:01 AM
The steel balls wouldn't be a millimetre across, and my slingshot doesn't take things that small. Thanks for the suggestion anyway. :D
43
sharlston says: Apr 13, 2009. 10:44 AM
oh its just my dad gets them from work the size of marbles
6
Kryptonite (author) says: Apr 13, 2009. 6:29 PM
Yeah, they're from the ball bearing out of cars, I haven't been able to find any of them :'(
38
Goodhart says: Dec 5, 2008. 8:15 PM
use between pieces for "lazy susans", or other turntables, etc
6
Kryptonite (author) says: Dec 6, 2008. 1:25 AM
Lazy susans? I don't believe I've ever heard of one of them. Could you please explain? Thanks!
164
Kiteman says: Dec 6, 2008. 8:34 AM
As GH said, it's a turntable - the kind of thing you put in the middle of a dining table so that people can turn it to reach all the serving dishes.
38
Goodhart says: Dec 6, 2008. 9:49 AM
Yes, or you can use them in deep cabinets so you have instant access to things in the back (just spin the turntable about and it comes to the front :-) Examples follow...
486738.jpg03387b.jpgLS-60.jpgLazy_Susan_Rotating_Tray.jpglazy-susan.jpg
38
Goodhart says: Dec 6, 2008. 9:51 AM
Oops, used the wrong reply button...
6
Kryptonite (author) says: Dec 6, 2008. 2:51 PM
Hi, don't worry I got it. I've seen the ones that you set in the middle of the table, and I've even got one of those set in your cupboard! Just goes to show, look around the house if you want ideas, Thanks!
38
Goodhart says: Dec 6, 2008. 5:46 PM
another idea, attach a music box mechanism to one to spin something with a tune :-)

Music Box shop #1

Music box shop 2
164
Kiteman says: Dec 6, 2008. 10:39 AM
He'll have got the message, though.
164
Kiteman says: Dec 5, 2008. 1:07 PM
Mouse / rat wheel?

bearings for a wind turbine, water-wheel etc?

Make a model of that big wheel they use to choose prizes on The Price is Right?
6
Kryptonite (author) says: Dec 6, 2008. 1:31 AM
Hmm, I do believe the wind turbine idea would be rather fun! ...errr... I haven't ever really done much with producing electricity, I know how it works and I have run a small LED of a motor that I cranked by hand, but any ideas on storing this energy? An example schematic maybe? Of say a wind powered light with a switch, and doesn't have to be spinning to run? This would probably help me get my head around it. =S

Regards
Kryptonite
164
Kiteman says: Dec 6, 2008. 8:34 AM
Storing? Only two real options: rechargeable batteries or super-capacitors.

Schematics? Search the site - there are loads of turbine-related projects, from small ones to blink LEDs to large ones to take your house off the mains grid. Just search. If none of them are to your taste, search the web for picoturbine - scaling that project up will charge batteries quite nicely.
6
Kryptonite (author) says: Dec 6, 2008. 2:52 PM
Hmm, thanks, I've got some nice capacitors, and I've found a few instructables, so I know what I'm doing next week! =D Thanks.
6
Kryptonite (author) says: Dec 6, 2008. 1:33 AM
Thanks for the comments so far every one, looking forward to more!
22
KentsOkay says: Dec 5, 2008. 1:26 PM
Automatic bb gun?
6
Kryptonite (author) says: Dec 6, 2008. 1:32 AM
sounds fun, but how woyld I make one? A link would help, please. =D
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