How to Build a Mousetrap Car for Distance
http://www.ehow.com/how_5558896_build-mousetrap-car-distance.html
Instructions
Things You'll Need:
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Mousetrap
Eye hooks
Wheel axles
Scraps of wood
Glue
Clay or wheel axle kit
Empty spool or other large circular item
CDs
String
Glue two long but thin scraps of wood along the sides of the mousetrap so they add length to the back of the mousetrap.
Screw an eye hook into the back ends of each of these braces.
Screw two eye hooks into the front edge of the mousetrap, placing one near each corner of the trap.
Screw one of the eye hooks about halfway down the wheel axle that you wish to use for the back wheels.
Slide the largest of your wheels along the prepared axle and slide it down until it's in the middle of the axle. Use clay or a
clog from a wheel axle kit to fix the wheel in place on the axle.
Slide the axle into the eye hooks on the extended end of your mousetrap. Adjust the eye hooks so that the axle is held in
place but allowed to turn freely.
Glue another long and thin scrap of wood to the arm of the mousetrap so that it looks almost like the mousetrap has a
flag sticking out of it. Tie a long piece of string to this arm.
Slide the second axle into the eye hooks on the front of the mousetrap and secure the CDs onto the axle as you did with
the larger wheel.
Pull the mousetrap's arm back and set the trap. Loosely tie the free end of the string to the hook screwed into the back
axle. Spin your larger wheel so that the sting winds tightly around the axle. Put the racer on the ground and release the
trap.
The list of equipment required to build a mousetrap car, is given below,
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Wooden Mousetrap
Rubber bands (Two)
Plywood (4 boards, 16 inches squares)
Eye screws
Metal rods
Drilling Machine
Scale/ Measurement tape
Small handsaw
Vice
Epoxy glue
Step #1
Before building the mousetrap car, you will have to make certain modifications in the mousetrap. Be careful while handling the mousetrap, as you
may hurt yourself. Remove the bait holder of the mousetrap and take out the wire catch (the wire that keeps the mousetrap open) with the help of
pliers. You will need this wire catch later, so keep it aside.
Step #2
In this step, you will prepare the assembly for installing the axles for your mousetrap car. Take two eye screws, and insert them at corners of the rear
end of the mousetrap. Place these eye screws 8mm to 1cm, from the respective corner. While inserting the eye screws, take care that the wood
does not split in the process. Similarly, screw the remaining two eye screws at the front end of the mousetrap. Align the eye screws properly so that
you can slide the rods through them.
Step #3
Now, it's time to prepare the wheels for the mousetrap car. Take the plywood boards and draw four circles of equal diameter. The recommended
diameter for the wheels is 75mm. You can use a compass to draw these circles. Drill holes with a 3.7mm drill bit in the center of the circles and place
the rod through them. Ensure that the rods should not slide easily through these holes and a little force is required to place the rods. Cut the circles
from the plywood with the help of a saw. To smoothen the wheels, use a flat file.
Step #4
Take metal rods and cut them into equal length. Use the following formula to find the length of the rod:
Length of Rod = Width of Mousetrap + 2 (Thickness of Plywood) + 5mm
You will require two such rods. Take one rod and mark a cut at a distance of one third of its total length. The depth of the cut should be half the
diameter of the rod. Widen the slot with the help of a jeweler's file. The slot should be wide enough to hold the wire catch (the one you removed while
modifying the mousetrap).
Step #5
Cut the wire catch to the length of 7mm and file its ends, so that there are no burrs. Take the epoxy glue and fix the piece of wire into the slot you
just made. See that the wire overhangs the rod, but on only one side. Leave the glue to dry overnight.
Step #6
Take the rod with the wire and place it into the eye screws at the rear end of the mousetrap. Install washers at the end of the axle. There should be
enough space left for placing the wheels. Now place the wheels at the end of rod with help of the vice. In the same way, install the wheels and axles
at the front end. Put rubber bands around the rear wheels. Use glue to place the rubber bands properly.
Step #7
Take a piece of string and tie it to the middle of the mousetrap jaw. Make a small loop in the string such that the end of this loop reaches the rear
axle and cut off the loose ends of the string. Your mousetrap car is ready.
How to operate a Mousetrap Car
Raise the mousetrap jaw slightly, slip the loop of the string over the wire of the rear axle. Now, move the rear wheels in the reverse direction, so that
the string winds itself around the rod. This will open the mouth of the mousetrap. Release the wheels when the jaw is completely opened.
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