what to do, what to do?

[kevin gilmore]

maybe a pair of 2-liter size bottle-neck power triods, with all silver internal parts (solid silver wires and parts machined out of 9999 solid silver blocks).

Then cryo them for two month and design a circuit (use 300B's are driver tubes, for example).

I've been seriously thinking of making some of my own tubes. I used to make them

back in the zenith days, and i did hand made plasma stuff at lucitron. It is actually

pretty easy, and i do have access to a really nice glass lathe.

[bhd812]

This bowling ball thing got into my head last night.

So i could machine it out of a solid piece of titanium, but i did titanium last year.

A solid piece of african ebony might be really nice.

The titanium is most likely out of the price range for a joke, and

the chunk of ebony might be unobtainable at any price. I figure i need

1 cubic foot.

maybe some kind of glowing orb...

edit: bowling ball made out of titanium would be about 200 lbs

and my price is $78 per lb can't be...

how much would a tungsten bowling ball weigh? or do a lighter base metal for the core then plate the ball in platinum! then laser etch "breitling for Billy on it for bonus points!

[JBLoudG20]

I'm really liking the floating platform for the amp. However, I think an electromagnet would be fun. A slow turn on circuit could be used so when you hit master power on the system, the platter would slowly raise into place.

[kevin gilmore]

from here

Calculation of density with tungsten

1 cubic foot of tungsten is 1200 lbs.

The diameter of a standard bowling ball is 8.6 inches...

So a 10 inch cube would be the minimum.

electromagnets are very inefficient. Its the reason superconducting magnets

exist, because there is no other way.

[Chekhonte]

electromagnets are very inefficient. Its the reason superconducting magnets

exist, because there is no other way.

Tell me about it!

[JBLoudG20]

Yeah but it would be so much cooler.

[kevin gilmore]

OH i have some delightfully evil people here.

Aluminum or magnesium bowling ball. Painted black to look like the

real thing. Take it to a bowling alley and try and use it...

[JBLoudG20]

OH i have some delightfully evil people here.

Aluminum or magnesium bowling ball. Painted black to look like the

real thing. Take it to a bowling alley and try and use it...

You'll break all the ball returns. That's what she said.

[Spiug31]

I don't know how this could be done but maybe something incorporating triboluminescence.

Triboluminescence

http://www.minerals.net/resource/property/tribolum.htm

[laxx]

I think the magnetic platform is hot. DO IT!

[kevin gilmore]

ultra trendy aluminum bowling ball it is.

Start by cutting the block in half, use the NC lathe to cut out spheres on

the inside, tap and thread to put the thing together. Then machine the outside

to perfectly round. Add finger holes, tap the holes from the inside, and use machined

finger tubes. If i calculate everything correctly it should end up the correct weight.

Anodize or paint....

[Sherwood]

hawt.

[Dreadhead]

ultra trendy aluminum bowling ball it is.

Start by cutting the block in half, use the NC lathe to cut out spheres on

the inside, tap and thread to put the thing together. Then machine the outside

to perfectly round. Add finger holes, tap the holes from the inside, and use machined

finger tubes. If i calculate everything correctly it should end up the correct weight.

Anodize or paint....

Weight might be right but rolling inertia will be high. You're going to have to work hard to get that bad boy spinning. Will still be very cool though.

[Duggeh]

Could you do the titanium bowling ball if it was hollow? Give it a less dense core, napalm for example.

[Icarium]

Are there pictures of the titanium hammer also... you have something made out of machined damascus steel? I'd love to see pics of that too.

[n_maher]

Are there pictures of the titanium hammer also... you have something made out of machined damascus steel? I'd love to see pics of that too.

Hammer.

I don't think Kevin ever posted pics (that I can find anyway) of the chisel.

Edited November 7, 2008 by n_maher

[Pars]

Maybe it found its way to someone's skull as he intended before he could photograph it?

[Dusty Chalk]

bowling ball made out of titanium would be about 200 lbs

and my price is $78 per lb can't be...

How about hollowing out an extremely dense and sturdy material until it's the right weight (the barn-parsec joke comes to mind)? Then you can do all sorts of funky things like put a wheel in it to give it gyroscopic effect, or an extremely off-center center-of-mass to give it a hopping effect, or an off-center butterfly weight, to give it a wobble, etc. Modular! Edited November 7, 2008 by Dusty Chalk

[kevin gilmore]

yep, some of the usual suspects have added their twist to the thing.

It will be a sphere, of about .35 inch thickness. It will come apart.

The finger holes will be removable. Then i can put a small robot into the

thing. Perfect 300 game every time. Trouble is that it is going to dent

quick, and the halves will probably not unscrew too many times.

May need to change from screw threads to an inner ring with flat screws.

[Dusty Chalk]

I have a stupid question about Damascus steel -- real Damascus steel is the way it is because it's folded and refolded during the curing process -- which means that unlike most black knives, the portions that are black are actually black, rather than painted black.

So here's the (extremely hypothetical) question -- could there be a way to get black metal? Truly black metal?

Edited November 7, 2008 by Dusty Chalk

[aerius]

I have a stupid question about Damascus steel -- real Damascus steel is the way it is because it's folded and refolded during the curing process -- which means that unlike most black knives, it is actually black, rather than painted black.

So here's the (extremely hypothetical) question -- could there be a way to get black metal? Truly black metal?

Actually it isn't black until it's dunked in a tank of ferric chloride to bring out the contrast in the layers. Which is why stainless Damascus only goes to grey and not fully black.

You just need to find the right steel alloy and dunk it into the right type of etchant and it'll go black.

[Chekhonte]

6 of these would be way more than enough i think

http://www.unitednuclear.com/magnetfull1.jpg

one little mounting mistake and broken fingers for sure.

12500 gauss...

I keep being tempted by this magnet on ebay--but at 500 dollars there's just no way I'm going to do it any time soon. It has over a 1/2 ton pull force.

1 Neodymium Magnet 6 x 2 inch Disc N48 HUGE STRONG - eBay (item 360091771729 end time Nov-22-08 11:26:28 PST)

[Duggeh]

How do these magnets get posted? Do they arrive in a crate 3 foot cubed lined with lead?

[n_maher]

How do these magnets get posted? Do they arrive in a crate 3 foot cubed lined with lead?

No kidding, I don't like anything that can generate that much force that doesn't have a on-off switch.

[diebenkorn]

"They are far more powerful than those old horseshoe magnets most of us grew up with."