1. 1. Rube Goldberg Machines BY JESSE MCDOUGALL
2. 2. Designing On day one of designing, I began working with Georgina and Lily (Jasmine was absent) and we began thinking about the design of our machine. We had to include some crucial components in our design such as Measurements Labels Materials How something could be built How things work (e.g. labeling sections with letters and explaining each letter). Also, we were given a sheet about conditions and rules of our Rube Goldberg machine. The rules were: The machine must be planned. Our Rube Goldberg machine had to do something: a simple task. Georgina, Lily and I set ourselves the goal of ringing a bell. Plans must be as detailed as possible including annotations and measurements. The machine had to have as many elements as there were people in our group. Georgina Lily and I decided that we would aim for five or more elements. Our machine had to have as many simple machines as there were group members. At first we decided that we would use a pulley, a lever, a wheel and inclined planes. Our machine must be able to fit in the space of an extra-large box. The machine must be built from the materials on the list of the design. You had to be prepared to record your findings and test things. You must write a reflection (hmm) and you will need to complete a self assessment and an assessment for every one of our group members. There was another sheet with some boxes to fill in with headings: Name, Team Members, Machine/Aim, Design, Testing and Challenges, Modifications, Evaluation and Further Recommendations . Here is one of our original designs of what our machine could look like, the two sheets and a group evaluation. (Next Slide).
3. 3. Beginning to Build After a few sessions of designing we began to construct our machine, referring to our plan regularly. The first few sessions were spent building. Lily, Georgina and I (Jasmine was still absent) began adding the basic structures: o Wood to support the marble run and a place for the dominoes. We cut two holes in sections of the box and placed the wood in. The wood sticks out slightly. o The two marble runs themselves for the marble to roll down. We built this using a marble run set from my home. o The pulley at the end of the marble run for the ball to roll down. We borrowed a pulley from Mr. McKie and found some string. We attached the string to an unused gluestick lid and on the other side we originally attached it to a lever on the marble run. o The tube and the funnel for the ball to roll down. We found both in the store room cupboard and attached the tube tightly with cardboard screws and attached the funnel to the tube and it also hangs from some wire. At the end of each session we would evaluate whether or not we had achieved our goal that we set ourselves for that day, what our goal would be next time and our group also decided to add one thing that we had learnt. For example, our goal was to connect the component prior to the pulley and the pulley. We agreed that we achieved this goal, that next week we would try to secure the tube better as it flopped around too much and my comment was that I learnt that sometimes its ok to copy for your own success. As Picasso said, good artists copy, great artists steal!.
4. 4. Further Construction After we added the basics, we made more significant structures for the machine: The See-Saw. Jasmine and I hot-glued some wooden offcuts that she brought in to make a lever and fulcrum. The inclined plane at the beginning for the tube to roll down. We cut holes in the box so that another one of Jasmines offcuts could be wedged in the gap. The Gears. We did not construct these but we poked holes in the box for the middle to stick in and placed the cogs on so that they interlocked with each other and the fan piece of the marble run. In a way gears are like wheel and axles, because the axle is the part that the cogs turn around and the cog is the wheel that turns. The only reason it is a different simple machine is because normal wheel and axles dont interact with each other, they just turn separately. The support for the second set of dominoes. We used one of Jasmines offcuts yet again to make a platform that I poked into the middle of the cardboard. The second funnel and tub. The tub sat on the end of the see-saw to catch the marble that falls off from in between the teeth of a cog, into a funnel and out. The original pulley at the end. We borrowed another pulley from Mr. McKie and tied it with wire to the top of the box. The box to catch the marbles and dominoes that fall off the platform. Lily cleverly decorated and designed it so that you could store many things in them and not show it on the outside. We agreed that almost all the materials used were on the materials list and that most of the items were built well
5. 5. Modifications Here are some snippets of modifications made from the two original designs. We borrowed a pulley from Mr. McKie and I also brought an unused gluestick lid from the art room. I used one of Lukas' nails to stab two holes in the side of the lid and then I weaved some string through the holes. We looped the string through the pulley and tied the string to the next section. We held up the pulley with an old shoelace and gave the pulley a test run. We dropped a marble in but the flap for the next section wouldn't budge. We tried to overcome this problem by adding more marbles but even then the flap wouldn't move. I untied the knot on the flap and put the string through a wire loop prior to retying. I retied the string and we tested it, resulting in the same outcome. Then we realised that we needed more weight on the lid for the pulley to work. We attached thirteen paperclips to the sides of the lid and our problem was solved! The pulley wasn't working smoothly today so we decided to try a one wheeled pulley. We tested again and it still didn't work. We looked around to see how other people had used their pulleys for inspiration. After a thorough search we decided to put the pulley at the start. Also, we attached a golf ball to the bottom of the glue stick lid for extra weight. Now the pulley works as follows: You release the weight, pulling the funnel's lever downwards and beginning the machine. Just before lunch I asked Mrs. Watson if our machine had enough elements and unfortunately, she said no. After lunch we had to think about how to add another element. We decided that we should add something in between our two inclined planes to make five elements rather than three. In the end, we decided that using one of the spare wooden off cuts that Jasmine brought in, we would attach a domino to the lever on the funnel of the second inclined plane. We cut a hole in the box where we wedged a piece of wood so that when the marble came out the tube it could knock over dominoes and the last domino could fall off the wood, pulling the lever. Today we decided that our goal was to improve the start. Firstly, we created an inclined plane on the side of the box. We removed the paperclips from our pulley and used the glue-stick lid as a blockage for a marble. We attached string to a piece of wood. The string turns the pulley's wheels and is attached to the glue-stick lid. Inside the lid there is a marble. When the marble rolls, it pushes a domino off the inclined plane that is attached to another piece of string. The other end is tied around the flap at the original beginning. Also, we used a different empty masking tape roll as the old roll didn't roll straight. We decided that we would modify first half of our machine as it didn't work smoothly. Also, we decided that our machine lacked decoration so Lily set off to the task of making a decorated container to hold our bell in. It now sits on the top of our box with a compartment at the back with the bell. When the marble hit the second set of dominoes it didn't have somewhere to fall. So Lily decorated another container that she designed herself with a hole for the marble and the dominoes to fall in. As for the beginning, we switched the domino that fell to a small piece of tube. And we decided that it was a waste of a marble to have it push the tube down. Plus, the tube rolls by itself so we used the glue-stick lid still as a blockage, but this time so the tube didn't roll. We decided that we would improve the see-saw and begin testing the entire machine. After a few test runs we decided that three dominoes at the start were not necessary so we removed them. Also, we attached a domino to the side of the first inclined plane which acts as a barrier for the string attached to the small tube so that the small tube didn't fall off and hit something else. On the long plastic tube there was a kink and Jasmine had the clever idea of using cardboard screws and straps to put pressure on the kink, hopefully removing it. Now the marbles go down smoothly. We began by testing and we decided that the second pulley was not necessary. I came up with the idea of using cogs as the connection between the fan piece and the see-saw. Jasmine stabbed holes in the box so we could poke holes for the cog supporters. We put in the cogs and put a marble in between two of the teeth. That way when the fan piece turns slightly the marbles weight keeps the cogs turning. The marble falls into a funnel and comes out the other end and into a small round container. The weight of the marble pushes down that end of the see-saw, ringing a bell. The end of the see-saw is masking taped to the ground so that the other side of the see-saw doesn't weigh it down.
6. 6. Finalising After the modifications we were once again ready to test. Our machine worked on take three, take seven and take thirteen from fifteen takes. The final product worked as follows: A. Push wood off wood B. turning pulley wheel C. lifting gluestick lid D. letting tube roll down inclined plane E. pulling switch/lever, F. releasing marble. G. Marble rolls down inclined plane H. and hitting dominoes. I. Dominoes fall over J. and hit plastic squeaker with marble inside. L. Marble squeaker falls into funnel, M. down the inclined plane N. and hits dominoes. O. Dominoes fall. P.The last domino with string attached falls of platform, Q. pulling a lever/switch, and releasing three marbles. R. Marbles go down inclined plane, S. going past fan piece and turning it,T. turning cogs. U.The last gear with a marble in between two of its teeth continues turning (as the marble puts weight on the teeth).V. Marble falls into funnel,W. out and into tub, X. putting weight on the lever and fulcrum (see-saw) with bell underneath,Y. pressing on the bell switch, Z. and ringing bell . Lily was very helpful with the presentation process as she add some decorative and helpful structures such as the box that catches the marble and the dominoes that fall off the platform, and can store things. Also, the box on top of the XL box has been designed so that there is a cabinet at the back for storing things and keeping the bell so no one rung it while we werent there but at the same time, Lily has beautified it to make it look un- suspicious. She added screws and shiny objects in holes that used to be used to hold up pulleys, wood, wire etc. By the end of week nine the machine was fantastic! (In my opinion ).
7. 7. Filming, Collecting Footage After some hard work of filming,Georgina and I managed to capture some important footage for our film. I thoroughly enjoyed this as I have not filmed like this for ages.
8. 8. Editing and Finishing Through adding subtitles, combining footage, putting together scripts and adding presenting effects, here is the movie Georgina and I managed to put together. I have never done much filming so I was privileged to learn how to edit the film and take footage. Unfortunately, it is too large to insert here so I will show you separately. ?
9. 9. Learning Here is a snippet of learning from each building session that I have evaluated on: I learnt to always have a plan to follow, and a plan for your progress or you may never achieve your goal. I learnt that even when youre stressed, you can cooperate. As an added bonus, your goal is more likely to be achieved! Today I learnt that it can be okay to copy for your own success. As Picasso said, Good artists copy, great artists steal!. I learnt that in little time, you can make much progress when focused. I learnt how to handle hot glue (by burning myself, you learn from your mistakes), that you should never be impatient (as it always takes longer) and that the simplest Rube Goldberg machines can be the best ones. I learnt that changes can be little, but they can create a big affect on other things. I learnt that you can have good ideas, but sometimes friends ideas are better. On Friday I learnt that two brains are better than one and four brains are better than two. So if we work together, we can make good progress.
10. 10. Thanks for Listening! If you dont succeed, try try again.