Soapbox Derby

DorkbotPDX is currently building a car for entrance in the 2007 Portland Adult Soapbox Derby. This page is a central area for collaboration.

So....first things first:

1) RTFM

All on the same page? Excellent! Now the fun part:

Ideas

Let's throw around a few ideas and see what sticks. After a few weeks, we'll pick the best one(s).

  • Centipede
    ala Mechamo Centipede
  • Steampunk car
    sketch below, but thinking of using an old whiskey barrel for the body. Bottom 3rd cut off to act as rear, top 2/3 as front, with spacer between for seat and post steering column, like in a Model T. There should be a large (enclosed, sadly) Tesla coil mounted on the back, with a base like this one. The front can hold ballast to make it heavier and faster.

Comments

Thu, 05/10/2007 - 22:27 — tlockney

I love it!

I think you've already won me over with your steampunk car design. I'm sure we'll end up modifying it a bit, but I definitely like the general direction.


Fri, 05/11/2007 - 22:52 — alexis

Woo! 1 vote for

Woo! 1 vote for Alexis!

Seriously, though - I would love to see any other ideas anyone has cooked up. I figure if we've definitively picked something by the end of this month, it gives us a solid 2 months to make it a reality. That gives lots of time till then for tweaking and ideas.


Thu, 05/17/2007 - 23:10 — feurig

Quadre (qinto) peede?

3 drivers and 4 (5) segments? (will try to sketch this on sunday).


Fri, 05/25/2007 - 19:01 — skinny

addition to steampunk car

It'd be really cool to slap on the front train grill (sorry, this is probably the wrong word for it). Here's an image of one: http://bp2.blogger.com/_WwjddPMdTpg/RhHlmpLFpxI/AAAAAAAABEQ/R3e_xB5o96M/s400/03.jpg. The front piece at the lower end of the image is what I'm talking about.

Actually, for randomness, just check out the full site: http://funhight.blogspot.com/2007/04/cool-train-grill.html


Sun, 06/10/2007 - 02:10 — feurig

I believe the technical term is cowcatcher.

)

Thu, 06/07/2007 - 21:56 — alexis

Add speedometer?

Don made suggestion that we include Mikel's bike+speed+jersey to this somehow. Maybe as a display on the front or back of car. Thomas and Alexis agreed that it sounded like a good plan.


Thu, 06/07/2007 - 21:56 — alexis

LAST CHANCE

Okay, we have 3 votes for steampunk (Alexis, Thomas, Anthony). There's been some twitter on the mailing list and to me in person, but unless people submit hard designs here, or votes for other things, I'm going to just call it for steampunk at the end of the week.

Still lots of parts to collect, tweaks to make, and things to put together - time to move forward!


Wed, 06/13/2007 - 23:13 — alexis

Okay, moving forward

My god, and I thought I wanted to be a teacher. I can see it now: "okay children, please get in a line. Um, okay, that means you need to get out of your desks......okay, why are you just standing here, now you need to walk to the door.....okay, um...line?"

So, er....how about if we answer some of the following questions:

1) Does anyone have a location where we can build this car? 1a) If so, do they also have the ability to store things at this location?

2) We will be creating a steampunk car. It will not, in fact, use steam, coal, or otherwise be externally powered by anything other than gravity. Unless anyone protests, it will more or less be like the thing I sketched above. If you think the above design blows, please suggest modifications NOW.

3) I would like to figure out, in detail, how to steer and brake this thing. I would like an actual steering wheel assembly, if possible (they just look cooler than the wussy rope system most soapbox cars use) - something simple, maybe, where the whole front axle pivots when the wheel is turned? I don't know shit about car mechanics. It would be very helpful if someone had suggestions here. Also, I think a stick-shift (lever operated) brake system would look good, but am open to suggestions.


Thu, 06/14/2007 - 01:42 — feurig

Constructive feedback.

Actually the idea of high voltage precariously kareening into the drivers had me a bit concerned and so I was thinking about trying to design a display that would visually emulate Nixie tubes in (a probably plastic and ) an indestructable manor. I will scan the sketches.

I asked the artspace folk to quote us space that we could afford with the intention of growing but I havent heard back. If it weren't for the carpet I would offer my living room.


Thu, 06/14/2007 - 21:26 — feurig

Steering.

http://www.limestonemedia.com/how-to-plans/go-kart-steering-plans.htm


Wed, 08/08/2007 - 02:51 — gunterhausfrau

did the entry die?

We raced the last three years, Kiddie pool-o-death, Sprinkler-o-doom, then last year Kiddie pool-o-def. was looking forward to see what you all put together. Last year 42 spots were available, they actually had to call 40 of their waiting list (including 8 race day, argh, that would be way to early). Let me know if I could could give advice, etc. good luck.


Wed, 08/08/2007 - 23:01 — alexis

there might still be some life somewhere

I am currently in the midst of attempting to garner a job in NY and move at the end of this month. Hahahh. It's like a bag of monkeys, lemme tell ya.

Anyway, there's pretty much no way that I can be the primary coordinator of this whole thing, but if someone else wants to step up and do it, they are certainly welcome to take it over. I'd still love to see a dorkbot entry.

The race site is down right now, but race day is August 25.