ExiledInIllinois Posted July 27, 2006 Share Posted July 27, 2006 Need to find a sure fire way to protect a raw egg during an egg drop contest on Friday. The box can't be more than 6"x6"x6". Parachutes are allowed. The egg can't be coated in any way. I have a zillion ideas already floating through this crazy brain of mine... Including some sort of active supension system made of rubber bands to the basic bubble wrap and grass clippings... I know there are a lot of smart arses here and self-proclaimed physicists (if not real ones...)... All the hot air should keep the thing floating... Your suggestions are greatly appreciated... Especially with size, shape, and material of parachute... A parachute will reach a terminal velocity right? A limited "burn" hot air baloon would be pretty cool... Not sure if time constraints will do... Thanks! And yes, I can google it... Just looking for all kinds of thoughts thrown out there. My motto at this point will be KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid)... Which will probably be my best bet... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beerball Posted July 27, 2006 Share Posted July 27, 2006 Don't trust anything 'we' may tell you. egg drop linky This site will probably be more beneficial to you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted July 27, 2006 Author Share Posted July 27, 2006 Don't trust anything 'we' may tell you. egg drop linky This site will probably be more beneficial to you. 730018[/snapback] Cool! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chef Jim Posted July 27, 2006 Share Posted July 27, 2006 Man, that's one of the easiest things to make. Heat up some strong chicken stock to almost a boil. Whisk some eggs in a bowl and drizzle the eggs into the hot stock and whisk. Chopped spinach can be added at the end for color and texture. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guffalo Posted July 27, 2006 Share Posted July 27, 2006 carboard box full of lard or gelatenous material.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted July 27, 2006 Author Share Posted July 27, 2006 Man, that's one of the easiest things to make. Heat up some strong chicken stock to almost a boil. Whisk some eggs in a bowl and drizzle the eggs into the hot stock and whisk. Chopped spinach can be added at the end for color and texture. 730028[/snapback] I forgot to put the Chef disclaimer in there... Also cheap... 2 bucks will also get me a quart of it down the road at the China Garden... And extra 50 cents and they will mix it with WonTon... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chef Jim Posted July 27, 2006 Share Posted July 27, 2006 I forgot to put the Chef disclaimer in there... Also cheap... 2 bucks will also get me a quart of it down the road at the China Garden... And extra 50 cents and they will mix it with WonTon... 730036[/snapback] That's what I get for not reading your post. But then again I never read your posts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pine Barrens Mafia Posted July 27, 2006 Share Posted July 27, 2006 Box inside a box filled with styro peanuts. Inside the inner box, egg should be cradled in solid foam. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelly the Dog Posted July 27, 2006 Share Posted July 27, 2006 I like "The Chicken Drop" contest better. When I was in Belize, a restaurant had the Chicken Drop one night a aweek. It had a large pen, with numbers like a football pool of squares, 1-100. You would buy a number for a buck, and then as soon as all 100 numbers were filled up, they would toss a chicken in the pen and whatever number the chicken took a dump on won the $100. People were crazy screaming for numbers and the chicken like at a cockfight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted July 27, 2006 Author Share Posted July 27, 2006 Box inside a box filled with styro peanuts. Inside the inner box, egg should be cradled in solid foam. 730039[/snapback] Thanks... I was thinking about some sort of inner solid protection and soft (flexible) out layer... Somebody suggested putting the egg in the box long side down and more to the top of the box... Probably not good if the box rolls or tips... God, I must of missed some good quotes... Your sig is hilarious... Sounds like quite a "pimped out ride"... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crap Throwing Monkey Posted July 27, 2006 Share Posted July 27, 2006 Need to find a sure fire way to protect a raw egg during an egg drop contest on Friday. The box can't be more than 6"x6"x6". Parachutes are allowed. The egg can't be coated in any way. I have a zillion ideas already floating through this crazy brain of mine... Including some sort of active supension system made of rubber bands to the basic bubble wrap and grass clippings... I know there are a lot of smart arses here and self-proclaimed physicists (if not real ones...)... All the hot air should keep the thing floating... Your suggestions are greatly appreciated... Especially with size, shape, and material of parachute... A parachute will reach a terminal velocity right? A limited "burn" hot air baloon would be pretty cool... Not sure if time constraints will do... Thanks! And yes, I can google it... Just looking for all kinds of thoughts thrown out there. My motto at this point will be KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid)... Which will probably be my best bet... 730010[/snapback] I used to do this for model rocketry contests. If you google for model rocketry egg launching, you should find all the help you need. The most important thing to remember is that an egg is stronger along it's long axis than its short one, and strongest at the tip of the narrower end. Whatever you design, designing it so that the egg lands on that tip will greatly increase your chances. The other thing to remember is: the egg must decelerate on impact SLOWER than the container does. So just doing something like wrapping it in bubble wrap won't work - the wrap won't absorb enough of the impact. What I'd probably do on this short notice...newspaper and masking tape. Alternate between folded sheets of paper (folded every quarter-inch accordion-style - narrower if you can), flat sheets of paper, and masking tape to hold it together. Wrap the egg in an egg-shaped capsule of that, with the egg near the back of the capsule (i.e. if you have a six-inch limit, have four inches of paper layers at the front - the narrowest end - of the egg, where it'll land). The capsule will want to fall egg-side down, since most of the weight is there, so attach a parachute to the back end, so it falls in the orientation (narrowest end down) you want it to, and MAKE SURE THE PARACHUTE IS BIG ENOUGH (it doesn't have to slow the fall, it just hast to keep the capsule falling in the right direction.) Do that, and your four inches of corrugated paper construction between the egg and the ground will crush on impact and absorb most of the force, and the egg will likely survive. Not certainly, as not all eggs are created equal and you might get a defective one. But probably. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussiew Posted July 27, 2006 Share Posted July 27, 2006 This brings back bad memories. My son had this as a science project in the 4th grade. And of course I found out about the assignment at around 8pm the night before it was due. Every time I think about this, I want to smash every raw egg in sight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crap Throwing Monkey Posted July 27, 2006 Share Posted July 27, 2006 Every time I think about this, I want to smash every raw egg in sight. 730072[/snapback] There is that possibility, too. Forget winning...just toss the egg and watch it smash. It does provide a certain satisfaction... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oneonta Buffalo Fan Posted July 27, 2006 Share Posted July 27, 2006 Best thing to do is after your partner throws the egg to you wait a few seconds and watch the other players. Then throw the egg. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KRC Posted July 27, 2006 Share Posted July 27, 2006 Memories of first year engineering school. Couple of suggestions: -Large disc for a parachute. One guy used a 6 foot balsawood disk with cloth in the center. The thing was so light, it took 20 minutes to make the 15 foot drop. -Suspend the egg in a bungi-type net in the center of the device. Make sure the body of the device can withstand the impact of the drop and that the full extension of the bungi device is less than the distance to the bottom of the device. Use a parachute to slow down the rate of descent. The contraption lands and the egg is cradled in the bungi device. Combine the two above, and you are guaranteed a successful drop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted July 27, 2006 Author Share Posted July 27, 2006 Memories of first year engineering school. Couple of suggestions: -Large disc for a parachute. One guy used a 6 foot balsawood disk with cloth in the center. The thing was so light, it took 20 minutes to make the 15 foot drop. -Suspend the egg in a bungi-type net in the center of the device. Make sure the body of the device can withstand the impact of the drop and that the full extension of the bungi device is less than the distance to the bottom of the device. Use a parachute to slow down the rate of descent. The contraption lands and the egg is cradled in the bungi device. Combine the two above, and you are guaranteed a successful drop. 730118[/snapback] Cool... I also thought about a Mary Poppins approach and wondering how an umbrella would react hooked to the box... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crap Throwing Monkey Posted July 27, 2006 Share Posted July 27, 2006 Memories of first year engineering school. Couple of suggestions: -Large disc for a parachute. One guy used a 6 foot balsawood disk with cloth in the center. The thing was so light, it took 20 minutes to make the 15 foot drop. -Suspend the egg in a bungi-type net in the center of the device. Make sure the body of the device can withstand the impact of the drop and that the full extension of the bungi device is less than the distance to the bottom of the device. Use a parachute to slow down the rate of descent. The contraption lands and the egg is cradled in the bungi device. Combine the two above, and you are guaranteed a successful drop. 730118[/snapback] My idea's cooler. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted July 27, 2006 Author Share Posted July 27, 2006 My idea's cooler. 730131[/snapback] With such little time... I think I will go your route... Not that both your guys ideas weren't in the back of my head. I mentioned some sort of "active suspension" system with rubber bands that would slow the egg. I just don't know how to "rig" it... And making heads or tails out of rubber band sizes and gauges at Office Depot will probably drive me crazy (if that is possible... ) Of course as a federal employee, my gut is leaning towards the big budget, complicated solution for the shear "cool factor"... My practical side is leaning towards the corrugated paper... I am torn... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crap Throwing Monkey Posted July 27, 2006 Share Posted July 27, 2006 With such little time... I think I will go your route... Not that both your guys ideas weren't in the back of my head. I mentioned some sort of "active suspension" system with rubber bands that would slow the egg. I just don't know how to "rig" it... And making heads or tails out of rubber band sizes and gauges at Office Depot will probably drive me crazy (if that is possible... ) Of course as a federal employee, my gut is leaning towards the big budget, complicated solution for the shear "cool factor"... My practical side is leaning towards the corrugated paper... I am torn... 730149[/snapback] To properly decelerate the egg, I think the cradle might be too stiff given the size of your overall package (that double entendre ought to get some laughs from the peanut gallery). Plus...when you can engineer out of paper, you officially get to wear the "engineering geek" badge. All the more reason to go with rubber bands, I suppose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted July 27, 2006 Author Share Posted July 27, 2006 To properly decelerate the egg, I think the cradle might be too stiff given the size of your overall package (that double entendre ought to get some laughs from the peanut gallery). Plus...when you can engineer out of paper, you officially get to wear the "engineering geek" badge. All the more reason to go with rubber bands, I suppose. 730153[/snapback] Exactly!... The 6x6x6 does seem to pose a problem... You sealed my doubt and said it perfectly! My head was spinning when looking thought the rubber band selection yesterday... I couldn't figure out why I was getting frustrated... You nailed it (blue). Oh... My BA is probably showing... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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