tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59242674850748759502024-03-19T00:47:49.772-07:00Daddy For LifeDaddy For Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09568473745162489466noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5924267485074875950.post-16505218114509323372018-01-22T18:13:00.000-08:002018-01-22T18:14:41.787-08:00I'll Never Be More Proud<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzvirCmV-r0i7D-hijcOJOa7-4cMLhAnQjPgV8lVBl-e72yHPECVOHsF__Nyt3UCHnsYDXs6ba3wl9w7UAKj777cUl0R8vSybu4zO1HFdDLQ9eaIoVb_5c5Rmr6A2hXfSUS7OeyXvykNYB/s1600/23621322_10212828706567064_6844834203274987359_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzvirCmV-r0i7D-hijcOJOa7-4cMLhAnQjPgV8lVBl-e72yHPECVOHsF__Nyt3UCHnsYDXs6ba3wl9w7UAKj777cUl0R8vSybu4zO1HFdDLQ9eaIoVb_5c5Rmr6A2hXfSUS7OeyXvykNYB/s320/23621322_10212828706567064_6844834203274987359_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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A man walks on this earth<br />
For not so very long<br />
And he wonder what<br />
He'll be remembered by<br />
When he is gone.<br />
So he struggles through the years<br />
Down a road he paves<br />
With hopes and fears<br />
Trying to carve his name<br />
upon the wall of time<br />
<br />
And so it is, my son<br />
That I stand here now<br />
Looking over the years<br />
Of all the sweat and tears<br />
That crossed my brow<br />
All the battle plans I drew<br />
And all the mountains<br />
That I tried to move<br />
Lay behind me now<br />
Like miles of sifting sand.<br />
<br />
But of all the things I've done<br />
I'll never be more proud<br />
Than of you, my son<br />
And of all the dreams I've had<br />
It meant more just to hear<br />
You call me Dad<br />
More than any wealth or fame<br />
Or any glory I wish I could claim<br />
More than anything I'll ever do<br />
Son, I'll always be most proud<br />
Of You.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjd7hHOd2Er_iAfwgd6Yciq0kLKI8rz8NliG6Xy8MgJ-arYI5elS4jWXUUUVxMjA4dN_g6pIlHo9QnwVueTa_uiu90oqf0rsFJc2GJx7NVhbvbSIXTcLdeYSzGjJTOEBLDLFh4Xvnb5lCI/s1600/Brennan+053.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjd7hHOd2Er_iAfwgd6Yciq0kLKI8rz8NliG6Xy8MgJ-arYI5elS4jWXUUUVxMjA4dN_g6pIlHo9QnwVueTa_uiu90oqf0rsFJc2GJx7NVhbvbSIXTcLdeYSzGjJTOEBLDLFh4Xvnb5lCI/s320/Brennan+053.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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<br />Daddy For Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09568473745162489466noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5924267485074875950.post-26759067584932293312018-01-13T01:23:00.001-08:002018-01-13T01:23:10.229-08:00Project: Underwater Camera Rig<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcI9Fro1cK24UnaCMoIdJXalBMIZmQt-7OUmpY1yniffBf64AGD5cMtu1hm3Hi1v8vkmkyuFF2_ghKsTpitE9iCsZl8dgWDPSHVf_SPl8JDG5c7Tugtm0yR7MtHkAK21NWkmRHVybB_bmF/s1600/Snapshot.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcI9Fro1cK24UnaCMoIdJXalBMIZmQt-7OUmpY1yniffBf64AGD5cMtu1hm3Hi1v8vkmkyuFF2_ghKsTpitE9iCsZl8dgWDPSHVf_SPl8JDG5c7Tugtm0yR7MtHkAK21NWkmRHVybB_bmF/s400/Snapshot.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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Ever wonder what lies beneath the deep blue sea? <br />
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My dad has always been a big fisherman and he did a great job passing the love of fishing down to me and my kids. Stream fishing, fishing out of boat, and ice fishing -- we love it all. We even have a small pond in our backyard full of tiny little fish, turtles, and frogs that we love to watch and play with.<br />
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But I've always been curious to know just what happens deep below the surface of the waters. Are there few fish...? Or many... Are they taking my bait...? Or are they playing with me... What else is lurking down below?<br />
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So we put together a little underwater camera rig equipped with a GoPro Hero 3+ and underwater case and setoff to find out...<br />
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<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/AlRoNafxjLs/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/AlRoNafxjLs?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
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I've dropped this rig in both salt and fresh water and have seen trout, perch, crab, halibut, shrimp and more. It's been a super fun thing to bring along to any fishing and camping adventure.</div>
Daddy For Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09568473745162489466noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5924267485074875950.post-71226613106168473412018-01-11T19:59:00.000-08:002018-01-12T07:56:11.587-08:00Project: Custom Settlers of Catan Board<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwn2dtXM8JnP3gLHRfIh-bCwSdNCg8nho3EVGazVJvZcGRQ_EsnISAQLGrgAdzWSKo_pS3H8Rh9HW4x-ELGE-Sm9uzPSZh4u876P9e97axxCGSNB4vIiJBcYdNZPMafdaibDukCMghwEvL/s1600/10926457_10204588763973649_9056382576204157048_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwn2dtXM8JnP3gLHRfIh-bCwSdNCg8nho3EVGazVJvZcGRQ_EsnISAQLGrgAdzWSKo_pS3H8Rh9HW4x-ELGE-Sm9uzPSZh4u876P9e97axxCGSNB4vIiJBcYdNZPMafdaibDukCMghwEvL/s400/10926457_10204588763973649_9056382576204157048_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/"><span id="goog_748361542"></span>Settlers of Catan</a> is a game in which players assume the roles of settlers, each attempting to build and develop settlements and cities while trading and acquiring resources. Players gain points as their settlements grow and the first player to reach ten points wins. There are a number of expansion packs available for the game as well.<br />
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For a period of time, this was a very popular game within the family. However, setting up the board was cumbersome (as was clean-up). So I decided to build a custom Settlers of Catan board (actually, I built two) using wood, an <a href="https://www.adafruit.com/feather" target="_blank">Adafruit Feather</a> board, and <a href="https://www.adafruit.com/category/168" target="_blank">NeoPixel</a> LED lights to ease the setup. Upon powering the board, the layout of the various resource tiles (rock, wood, sheep, brick, and wheat) is randomized. <br />
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I started by build the basic wooden board. I did this by cutting several 1x3 boards into eight different pieces measuring 24" in length. Using <a href="http://elmers.com/product/detail/e7010" target="_blank">Elmer's Wooden Glue</a>, I glued each of the boards together. Once dried, I sanded the board down until the creases between each board was hardly noticeable. Then, using an existing Settlers of Catan board as a template, I traced the diamond onto my board. Where each tile was placed, I used a 2" drill bit to cut a hole halfway through the board. I then used 1/8" drill bit to drill the rest of the way through. Finally I stained the board with a nice dark Jacobean color stain. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjF7cHXinAgqjvnRuKm8NLdctUBLQ0GWn6VHwFwNrRTobe56HvUBfs3GEmWx-aQdXd5TwHCTgEgE_-SUEC3_hjsJXdLNJHd4DioSiAmsMyeXZEPwUI8Yb5jtjCxmUmPyVUBg_RIaQ3wOlO/s1600/1055.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjF7cHXinAgqjvnRuKm8NLdctUBLQ0GWn6VHwFwNrRTobe56HvUBfs3GEmWx-aQdXd5TwHCTgEgE_-SUEC3_hjsJXdLNJHd4DioSiAmsMyeXZEPwUI8Yb5jtjCxmUmPyVUBg_RIaQ3wOlO/s400/1055.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Next, I made a nice outline to the tile section using some scrap leather and blue glitter paper from Hobby Lobby. I used little trinkets, also found at Hobby Lobby, to mark each of the different trade ports; different color gems denoted the different trade ports.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg05OMm_YRggL3xSfvPyp4osH7GDxo-NEWz9OH1JZXfvnLKK8GczRwSI4IcePVKDfJPUDCtCwOP5ex2wAPLa7m33gL_neg5M-DdnwVM6km_2UFTXLMOkjypgNPnCKAG2FMGlYavfP9nFLN9/s1600/1057.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg05OMm_YRggL3xSfvPyp4osH7GDxo-NEWz9OH1JZXfvnLKK8GczRwSI4IcePVKDfJPUDCtCwOP5ex2wAPLa7m33gL_neg5M-DdnwVM6km_2UFTXLMOkjypgNPnCKAG2FMGlYavfP9nFLN9/s640/1057.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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Next, I populated each of the holes with NeoPixel LED lights from Adafruit. I wired each of the LEDs in sequence (a long and tedious process) and connected the LEDs to an Adafruit Feather microcontroller board. I programmed the microcontroller to randomize the lights upon bootup (less than about 100 lines of code). <br />
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Finally, after testing the board, I covered it with <a href="https://www.rustoleum.com/product-catalog/consumer-brands/parks/super-glaze/" target="_blank">Park's Super Glaze</a> finish for that nice bar-top look and feel. Some additional trinkets from Hobby Lobby served as game pieces.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim74BZGzHU_F5fL2CGmyj4dKuTBb2uFSI8LKtQmtqrU5n45-vY2TzUCv_axTvsEGXsMUomqR4Jz8doQ-_w1RLb7pjOrOQNxdSNdk9RysvhaWmptVkEIEVsbUlmJBT2SZp2BlRf_TBG76tz/s1600/1707.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim74BZGzHU_F5fL2CGmyj4dKuTBb2uFSI8LKtQmtqrU5n45-vY2TzUCv_axTvsEGXsMUomqR4Jz8doQ-_w1RLb7pjOrOQNxdSNdk9RysvhaWmptVkEIEVsbUlmJBT2SZp2BlRf_TBG76tz/s640/1707.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
Daddy For Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09568473745162489466noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5924267485074875950.post-81178349912220265582017-12-28T21:05:00.000-08:002018-01-06T21:30:21.382-08:00Project: Build a Box Fort<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFcxQZiDQb-ZQ0ZbMMlwTxaLckpTj6A2UtPrmtDxOw4hPOt2-GZqbQ0c55OnSflKBXzK0PH-QFVNzUKsAuQ1ulslWf4Q4j7I401L0oF1F8EUVI_esdqxpBkd6OeLIAm0A_AjuPMHfXtcwh/s1600/TheKidsAtLowes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFcxQZiDQb-ZQ0ZbMMlwTxaLckpTj6A2UtPrmtDxOw4hPOt2-GZqbQ0c55OnSflKBXzK0PH-QFVNzUKsAuQ1ulslWf4Q4j7I401L0oF1F8EUVI_esdqxpBkd6OeLIAm0A_AjuPMHfXtcwh/s320/TheKidsAtLowes.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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As a young boy, I had a wild imagination. On any given day, you could find me rummaging around through my Dad's toolbox searching for the parts to make a robot, or perhaps climbing high up in the trees and pretending I was in Never, Never Land, or squatting on the edge of the roof of my house with my Batman hood on, waiting for evil to rear its ugly head.</div>
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But by far, my most favorite afternoon's were spent inside deep within a blanket fort my Mom would make for me out of comforters, clothes pins, and the kitchen table chairs. Buried deep within the recesses of my fort, I would wait with my arsenal of Nerf guns for the first person to dare encroach upon my sacred territory -- often this was a brother or a sister. </div>
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Forts come in all shapes and sizes: blanket forts, tree houses, under-the-bed hideouts, garage garrisons, sandbox pits. A quick and easy fort for a lazy afternoon is the box fort... all you need is a solid set of boxes and lots of imagination.</div>
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Time:</div>
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10 minutes or less</div>
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Tools:</div>
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Scissors</div>
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Materials:</div>
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2x set of 25 small boxes from Lowe's</div>
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Cost:</div>
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About $40 (unless you know someone who just moved!)</div>
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Instructions:</div>
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Assemble each of the boxes... and let the kids do the rest! Bonus points for you dads out there that sneak away as the fort is being assembled and load up a Nerf gun or two!</div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/seIKDa65smI/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/seIKDa65smI?feature=player_embedded" width="560"></iframe></div>
Daddy For Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09568473745162489466noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5924267485074875950.post-22153790075472307252010-12-19T17:52:00.000-08:002017-12-28T21:08:30.990-08:00Project: Build a Catapult<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Warning: A catapult is a weapon and should be handled carefully to avoid injury.</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_jaA1QiW3sas/TRpejtTHcJI/AAAAAAAAACY/rBIU53v0888/s1600/IMG_0025.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" n4="true" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/_jaA1QiW3sas/TRpejtTHcJI/AAAAAAAAACY/rBIU53v0888/s400/IMG_0025.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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A catapult is a device used to throw or hurl a projectile a great distance without the use of explosives. It's meaning, derived from Greek, means "Shield piercer." So, my son and I set out to build one of our own shield piercers, albeit a much smaller version. Our goal: to be able to chuck flaming marshmellows (warning: chucking flaming marshmellows is dangerous and should not be done -- ever). We got ideas for a design from various websites and books, including <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Backyard-Ballistics-Cannons-Cincinnati-Dynamite/dp/1556523750">Backyard Ballistics</a> by William Gurstelle. In the end, we ended up building several different versions. Read below for a short description of the tools, materials, and instructions needed to build a small version of a onager catapult; I've included a little video of a larger catapult that we built to use as a pitching machine.</div>
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Tools:</div>
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<a href="http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1vZ1xif/R-202217724/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053">Cordless drill</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1vZ1xif/R-100034395/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053">Miter box and wood saw</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1vZ1xif/R-100052995/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053">Tape measure</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1vZ1xif/R-100671746/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053">Various drill bits</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1vZ1xif/R-100054247/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053">Crescent wrench</a></div>
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Materials:</div>
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<a href="http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1vZ1xif/R-100573142/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053">Oak Dowell</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.homedepot.com/Lumber-Composites-Boards/h_d1/N-5yc1vZbqmcZ6076iZ1z139al/R-100002863/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053">2 in. x 2 in. x 8 ft. piece of wood</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.homedepot.com/Tools-Hardware-Hardware-Fasteners-Fasteners-Screws-Wood/h_d1/N-5yc1vZ1xifZas3e/R-100348709/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=1">24 x 3 in. Wood Screws</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1vZ1xif/R-202048184/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053">30 inches of 1/4 in. braided nylon rope</a></div>
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3 in. x 1/4 in screw with locking washing and nut</div>
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<a href="http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1vZ1xif/R-202033972/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053">1 Hook and Eye</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1vZ1xif/R-100189774/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053">2 in. PVC Cap</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1vZ1xif/R-100299148/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053">Wire rope clamp (optional)</a></div>
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Instructions:<br />
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After we finished playing around with our catapult, we decided go bigger. So using some old pieces of 2x12s that I had laying around we created a catapult large enough to launch tennis balls a couple houses up the street. It turns out that Catapult v2.0 also worked well as a kind of pitching machine. Anyway, here's the video:<br />
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The only thing that's left now is to slap a couple of bicycle wheels on this thing so my son can haul it around with his PowerWheels Jeep. I wonder how well this would launch snow balls... Anyway, do be careful when using the catapult, especially when handling the arm; when tightened up, the arm store enough potential energy that, when released, is enough to break bones or cause other injuries. In other words, keep your hands away from the throwing arm at all times!<br />
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If making a catapult from scratch just isn't your thing, there are some easy, build-it-yourself kits from places like <a href="http://www.thinkgeek.com/interests/giftsforhim/81e6/">ThinkGeek</a> or <a href="http://www.catapultkits.com/">CatapultKits.com</a>. Personally, I've found that my son enjoys building things as much as he does using them.<br />
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That's it for now; back to being a Daddy...</div>
Daddy For Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09568473745162489466noreply@blogger.com7