Sliding weights

Rick · 6th July 2005, 01:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim McDougall

OK Fearn, I spent the better part of an evening thumbing through Stones, and didn't find any evidence of sliding weights or anything similar....but must say it was still enjoyable as always.I really love that book!!

No matter how many times guys like to hammer away at Stone for the occasional errors, it's still fun to read so much very early data.He really set the stage for weapons research, and encouraged future researchers, such as us, to correct the inevitable errors with new evidence and revised data.
One thing I did find, and certain unnamed parties will go berserk ranting about unrelated or irrelevant data or free association etc. by my mentioning it.....

<snipped>

Best regards,
Jim

Jim McDougall · 6th July 2005, 01:04 AM

Man you're fast Rick!!!!

Rick · 6th July 2005, 03:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim McDougall

Man you're fast Rick!!!!

Eight years of memories Jim .

ariel · 6th July 2005, 04:31 AM

The only such weapon I can imagine being workable is an ax. It necessarily goes only up and down. Anything staying for some time in a horizontal position and /or requiring lateral movements would be unworkable.

fearn · 6th July 2005, 01:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ariel

The only such weapon I can imagine being workable is an ax. It necessarily goes only up and down. Anything staying for some time in a horizontal position and /or requiring lateral movements would be unworkable.

You don't like the idea of a pile-driver rapier, Ariel?

F

Ian · 6th July 2005, 07:25 PM

I have two engineers working on this problem.

To get them involved, I needed to rephrase the problem in terms of a baseball bat hitting a ball.

They are baseball nuts, so this got their attention. While there is a book on the physics of baseball, as far as we know nobody has considered a bat with a sliding mass (probably not legal anyway

), so they want to work on this in case they come up with a "super bat" they can use in their Sunday softball league.

Engineers are like that -- give 'em a question they don't know the answer to, and they will worry away at it for hours. BTW, summer is a quiet time in our office.

Will be back in touch when, and if, they can find an answer.

Ian.

Andrew · 6th July 2005, 01:26 AM

There is a tool used in orthopedic surgery for driving and extracting nails in bone. The concept is simple, but effective: the tool's head is placed on the nail head, and a sliding weight is forceably impacted in the desired direction. Forward to drive the nail, back to extract.

As with Jim's observation, this is not directly relevant, but may be edifying.

fearn · 6th July 2005, 02:12 AM

Jim, thanks for checking Stone's glossary for me. Now I'll have to figure out what stray memory I was thinking of. Possibly it was a sliding sleeve on a spear (for the forward hand, so you don't sand your palm off jabbing with the spear). Otherwise, I agree with you about the value of that book. I discovered my parents' original copy as an impressionable pre-teen. Now I'm here. Go figure.

Fearn

6th July 2005, 07:25 PM	#6
Ian Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: The Aussie Bush Posts: 4,453	Working on it I have two engineers working on this problem. To get them involved, I needed to rephrase the problem in terms of a baseball bat hitting a ball. They are baseball nuts, so this got their attention. While there is a book on the physics of baseball, as far as we know nobody has considered a bat with a sliding mass (probably not legal anyway ), so they want to work on this in case they come up with a "super bat" they can use in their Sunday softball league. Engineers are like that -- give 'em a question they don't know the answer to, and they will worry away at it for hours. BTW, summer is a quiet time in our office. Will be back in touch when, and if, they can find an answer. Ian.

6th July 2005, 01:04 AM	#2
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,457	Man you're fast Rick!!!!

6th July 2005, 04:31 AM	#4
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	The only such weapon I can imagine being workable is an ax. It necessarily goes only up and down. Anything staying for some time in a horizontal position and /or requiring lateral movements would be unworkable.

6th July 2005, 01:26 AM	#7
Andrew Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: USA Posts: 1,725	There is a tool used in orthopedic surgery for driving and extracting nails in bone. The concept is simple, but effective: the tool's head is placed on the nail head, and a sliding weight is forceably impacted in the desired direction. Forward to drive the nail, back to extract. As with Jim's observation, this is not directly relevant, but may be edifying.

6th July 2005, 02:12 AM	#8
fearn Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 1,247	Jim, thanks for checking Stone's glossary for me. Now I'll have to figure out what stray memory I was thinking of. Possibly it was a sliding sleeve on a spear (for the forward hand, so you don't sand your palm off jabbing with the spear). Otherwise, I agree with you about the value of that book. I discovered my parents' original copy as an impressionable pre-teen. Now I'm here. Go figure. Fearn