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The holiday season is much anticipated by people of all ages, it is a time for good food, family, vacation, and fun! But also a time to figure out what to give people... which can prove to be a difficult task. For me, it's one of those things that I have great ideas for all year round but when the time comes I can't think of anything to give people, especially my Dad.
His christmas list this year consisted of dress socks, ties, and books... boring, boring, boring. So I was thinking back and remembering the days when my Dad would be delighted to receive a picture I drew or some art project I created for him (this was in the good ol' days when I was 5 or so) and was wishing it could be that easy (and cheap) now!
That got me thinking... what if I made him something? He has a large desk at his office, and I wanted to make him something he could display. I thought of a newton's cradle but that was too simple, I was looking for the wow factor.
After searching on the web I came across this youtube video, pretty neat right?! Kudos to this website for giving me some information on the apparatus so I could build it!
So that was that, I was going to make him a wave pendulum. It is unique, a perfect conversation starter, and would look great on his desk... it's also a way cooler gift than a pair of socks :-) Besides this one looked so neat after it was done that I am in the process of making a mini one for my friend's desk!
His christmas list this year consisted of dress socks, ties, and books... boring, boring, boring. So I was thinking back and remembering the days when my Dad would be delighted to receive a picture I drew or some art project I created for him (this was in the good ol' days when I was 5 or so) and was wishing it could be that easy (and cheap) now!
That got me thinking... what if I made him something? He has a large desk at his office, and I wanted to make him something he could display. I thought of a newton's cradle but that was too simple, I was looking for the wow factor.
After searching on the web I came across this youtube video, pretty neat right?! Kudos to this website for giving me some information on the apparatus so I could build it!
So that was that, I was going to make him a wave pendulum. It is unique, a perfect conversation starter, and would look great on his desk... it's also a way cooler gift than a pair of socks :-) Besides this one looked so neat after it was done that I am in the process of making a mini one for my friend's desk!
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Signing UpStep 1Materials
Materials:
- Titanium Epoxy (or any type of glue that bonds two metals together)
- Thread (Needs to be thick so the weight of the ball bearings doesn't break it. We used fishing thread for this, and it worked well)
- 15 Ball Bearings (Or any other type of semi heavy ball would work... I think marbles would work as well)
- 15 Gold Brads
- 15 Nuts (as small as you can get them, so when they are attached to the balls they don't take away from the sophisticated finished
look)
- Hot Glue
- Wood Glue
- Drill
- Straight edge
- MDF Wood for the base (this is a type of compressed wood, but you can use whatever you would like for the base)
- Bass wood for the legs and top of the structure (4 1/2"x1/2" pieces and 2 1/2"x1/4" pieces)
- Saw to cut the wood (preferably one with fine teeth so you get a more even cut)
- Black acrylic paint for the base (or you can choose to stain it, or paint it a different color, whatever your artistic heart desires!)
- Wood stain for the rest of the structure
- Titanium Epoxy (or any type of glue that bonds two metals together)
- Thread (Needs to be thick so the weight of the ball bearings doesn't break it. We used fishing thread for this, and it worked well)
- 15 Ball Bearings (Or any other type of semi heavy ball would work... I think marbles would work as well)
- 15 Gold Brads
- 15 Nuts (as small as you can get them, so when they are attached to the balls they don't take away from the sophisticated finished
look)
- Hot Glue
- Wood Glue
- Drill
- Straight edge
- MDF Wood for the base (this is a type of compressed wood, but you can use whatever you would like for the base)
- Bass wood for the legs and top of the structure (4 1/2"x1/2" pieces and 2 1/2"x1/4" pieces)
- Saw to cut the wood (preferably one with fine teeth so you get a more even cut)
- Black acrylic paint for the base (or you can choose to stain it, or paint it a different color, whatever your artistic heart desires!)
- Wood stain for the rest of the structure
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My method was slightly different, as the wave was designed to be viewed from above rather than the side. Essentially, I had the constraint that for all pendulums, L*sin(θ) = constant. This is an extra complication for many, I am sure. I will be sure to link to your instructable when I post mine for those who want to take a more straight-forward, side-viewable approach.
Good job! :)
help!!
is it one long string? how does it go?...down the pole...through the nut..then back through the first hole or 2nd hole? do you knot it or send it down a 3rd hole?
as you can read i'm pretty confused! please help ..i'm trying to make one with marbles .
If you want to see one (not this one) in action, go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVkdfJ9PkRQ to see a demo of one built by someone at Harvard.