Balloon Car

thingiverse

There was an action-packed balloon car race at school after a term filled with exciting weekly science experiments for our child. Unfortunately, the competition wasn't entirely fair since the racing track conditions weren't shared beforehand, and some kids got really frustrated and upset. This experience made me think about creating a simple 3D design that would create fair competition grounds for kids. The basic principles of my design were: - keep it straightforward - make it as lightweight as possible - allow it to run smoothly on rough surfaces like carpets - minimize friction - reduce air resistance To print the model, you'll need: 4 wheels 1 base 1 propulsion clip-on You can use bamboo skewers for the wheel axles. Make sure the wheels are running smoothly by removing any rough surface that might cause friction. You can also grease the axle slightly to ensure smooth movement. The balloon will require a reasonably long exhaust pipe, like a piece of straw. You can limit the jet exhaust diameter with a piece of silicone pipe further, which will achieve lower jet propulsion but go much farther. Enjoy building and racing your balloon car! Have fun experimenting with different designs and techniques.