Pedal Powered Tennis Ball Launcher

video Pedal Powered Tennis Ball Launcher

Both cleanly powered and built from 2 recycled bicycles, scrap steel and wood, leaking 5 gallon water jug and a lacross stick, our pedal powered tennis ball launcher was created as a unique entry for the innovate or die pedal powered machine contest.
It allows players varying in skill levels to practice to be better at both tennis and cycling. The launcher is towed to the court on its built-in bicycle trailer. A bike is secured to it and functions to drive the device. Pedaling the cycle as one would on a trainer drives the two launcher wheels. The cyclist then aims using the bike handlebars to and pulls the lever to launch balls to the hitter.

Check out the High Speed Videos (Slow Motion) at 300fps and 600fps of the launcher in action, and other information about the launcher and it's construction:
http://danielbauen.com/make/index.php/pedal-powered-tennis-ball-launcher/

Construction Detail Video:

Blaise_Gauba says: Oct 30, 2011. 10:32 AM

Ingenious! Very impressive!

urchit says: Sep 9, 2011. 4:48 AM

meraviglioso very very good

fozzy13 says: Sep 8, 2011. 2:39 PM

Awesome idea, and great video!

deqwer says: Aug 11, 2011. 5:17 AM

This is great can you post a instructables?

rocketman221 says: Aug 10, 2011. 11:22 PM

Damn metacafe won't let me watch the video. Could you upload the video file to instructables or something.

mfarnawany says: Sep 14, 2008. 8:24 PM

WOuld it be possible to post 4 closer up pictures? I was interested in trying to build this. 1. Top Down - Real Wheel of Bike over Drive train 2. Side Shot - From the Outside, Two Wheels doing the launching 3. Inside Shot - Inside Show w/out attached bike of the same 4. Any Shot - SOme kind of shot of the Water Jug ball feed apparatus. Don't know if I can build it, but wouldn't mind trying. Thanks

engineerable (author) in reply to mfarnawanySep 17, 2008. 4:18 PM

Thanks for the interest! I will be posting better pictures and closeup video on my website soon, and I will let you know.

controlfreak04 in reply to engineerableSep 22, 2010. 12:31 AM

what is your website?

engineerable (author) in reply to controlfreak04May 6, 2011. 9:08 AM

http://danielbauen.com/pedalpoweredtennis/

Kalipa says: Dec 17, 2010. 8:10 PM

It's really awesome and clever, but, if you have a person that can manpower the machine, why not just have him throw the balls back at you??

ALogan97 in reply to KalipaApr 22, 2011. 5:24 PM

what if they don't have hands?

controlfreak04 says: Feb 8, 2012. 9:07 AM

hy there, honestly your work is awesome! there are some questions...

1)how do you attach the lever with the cycle?
2)what material that makes the tennis ball injected one at a time?

Its Giggles says: Jul 13, 2009. 10:37 PM

*applauds*
Bravo my friend, this is truly a work of geniousness.
By the way, have you come up with an official name for this mechanism?

bassclarinet23 says: Jul 13, 2009. 7:20 PM

Awesome! Do you think it is possible to make one strong enough to launch softballs?

Illamadi says: Jun 19, 2009. 1:39 PM

Does anyone have any ideas on how to make a rugby ball launcher and what mechanism to use in order to propell it ?

Martian925 says: May 22, 2009. 4:47 PM

Although kind of Rube-Goldberg-ish and useless (why not just bring another racquet and hit the balls to your partner?!), very clever engineering and cool video.

thepaul1993 says: Apr 9, 2009. 8:52 PM

very nice

killerkorn says: Mar 25, 2009. 2:10 PM

thats awesome. and yea instructables can be quite easy to make and dont take that long to make so you should try posting up how to make one of these AMAZING contraptions.

atomicturkey27 says: Mar 12, 2009. 6:00 PM

this...is....amazing.... i want to make one

kibbler says: Dec 13, 2008. 5:13 AM

That is boss!

Redgerr in reply to kibblerMar 12, 2009. 11:11 AM

totaly :]

sory24712 says: Dec 13, 2008. 2:40 AM

how do u build that u should post a instructable i would love!!!! to build this

Samsquanch says: Nov 11, 2008. 1:49 PM

I'm floored that is friggin' brilliant idea. You have to post the instructions on how to build that.

djabby says: Aug 31, 2008. 11:26 AM

You are a genius, your buddy needs a lot of practice on his return of serve. ;-) Good stuff dude!

tron1o7 says: Aug 13, 2008. 5:49 PM

That is really cool im just sad because theres no instructions on how to make it.

nf_x20 says: Aug 6, 2008. 7:38 PM

aw too bad there are no directions on how to make this

Nkevin90 says: Jun 26, 2008. 10:58 PM

brilliant!

Katie27 says: Jun 23, 2008. 8:08 AM

That's very interesting how you came up with this!

finfan7 says: Jun 18, 2008. 4:57 PM

this isn't an instructable... but it is cool. I am torn.

Aar000n3y in reply to finfan7Jun 18, 2008. 7:38 PM

No, it's not an instructable. It's a video. Videos on Instructables show off a project, it doesn't have to describe how to make it.

finfan7 in reply to Aar000n3yJun 20, 2008. 5:51 PM

Things like this remind me of my desire for a www.completeables.com so that people could separate their demos from their instructions.

baken411 says: Jun 18, 2008. 6:41 PM

nicely thought out and on a trailer too it's kind of weird though, the original inventor of the tennis ball launcher lives two houses up from me. lol

engineerable (author) in reply to baken411Jun 19, 2008. 7:45 AM

Awesome! I didn't think the tennis ball launcher was that recent an invention. You should show them this video, I would be honored!

Plasmana says: Jun 19, 2008. 4:33 AM

Wow! I really like that tennis ball launcher! What a green way of shooting the balls and you get exercise too! 5/5 raring :-)

Thornburg says: Jun 18, 2008. 9:55 PM

This is a great Instructable, great video.

Thornburg in reply to ThornburgJun 18, 2008. 9:56 PM

Although I really just meant great video, because this really isn't an Instructable. Not trying to pick on you or anything.

shooby says: Jun 18, 2008. 3:50 PM

While this doesn't give a good idea at all of how to build it, the concept is amazing, and the whole thing looks really well engineered. Awesome.

engineerable (author) in reply to shoobyJun 18, 2008. 4:19 PM

This was originally created for a pedal powered machine contest, so unfortunately I didn't take the time to document the build process. The mechanics are simple, but the construction was very involved. Thanks, I love engineering cool stuff.

andrew_29 in reply to engineerableJun 18, 2008. 9:07 PM

nice bike cool instructable too

4airtime says: Jun 18, 2008. 7:55 PM

try hooking the velcro strap to the rear of the front tire, behind the steering axis. This should give you currect steering of the ball. May have to shorten the cable, it's hard to see the mechanism in the video... Great idea!!!