Get ball

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This is my first attempt at designing a device to catch pin pong balls without bending over. Similar to the contraptions used in petanca to pick up balls with a magnet hung from a string. For the pin pong ball, the magnet won't work since it's not made of metal. So, I thought about a hand-like design with two articulated fingers that open when they come into contact with the ball and close when pulling the string upwards. A first design showed me that the string wasn't exerting enough force to hold the ball in place. To increase this force, I added an M12 metallic nut whose weight causes the string to tighten much more and prevents the ball from falling once it's been caught. To prevent the ball from escaping sideways, the articulated fingers have a curvature of the same radius as the ball, preventing it from coming loose when it's snugly fitted. Final tests showed me just how skilled you need to be to catch the ball, making this design more suitable for play and less practical during a game of ping pong. You'll save time by picking up balls with your hand and bending over. It's easier to catch the ball if it rests on a rough surface: