Woodpecker toy

[Deleted member 23692]

Conjecture or experience based observation?

Errm ... call it an educated guess.

Regardless of the lube, the centre of gravity of the woodpecker is still off to one side of the rod... That should create enough friction to overcome gravity until it starts oscillating on the spring. Once the woody starts moving back and forth, gravity can take over momentarily on each oscillation, as the CofG moves across the rod - it's then that the woody can descend incrementally. Lube will make it drop further for each increment.

Or maybe not

 

[TonyEnjoyD]

In the video he contradicts his own argument.
In the first part he states that the impact of the beak on the pole releases the friction allowing it to continue moving down.
then in the slow-mo, he tells you to look and see the friction point being released just before the beak hits the pole.

Tbh you could cut the beak off and it would still work, possibly until you lubricate maybe?

 

[vernon]

The lubrication, in my opinion will hardly affect the toy. When it's in free fall the ring is barely or not in contact with the pole - the distance fallen will not alter perceptably.

Lubricating the pole will not really affect the toy because: the metal is relatively rough as is the wooden annulus. The oscillating woodpecker will still cause the annulus to grip the pole. The lubricant will not serve to fill the hollows in the surfaces and allow them to slide over each other.

As NT ventured, some lubricants would be too sticky.

 

[Arch]

[QUOTE 2606912, member: 45"]What if you've got a thicker rod?[/quote]


Stop bragging, you.

 

[smokeysmoo]

[QUOTE 2606755, member: 45"]Fnarr's pants will explode when he reads this one...[/quote]

I can only presume @Fnaar is having his tea/is in the shower/has gone shopping/or he's at A&E because his pants have indeed exploded*

*delete as appropriate

 

[vernon]

[QUOTE 2606912, member: 45"]What if you've got a thicker rod?[/quote]


Do the maths and let us know the answer

 

[Maz]

NT says...

It might depend on the viscosity of the lubricant - something viscous could just glue it up in effect, as the toy relies on the small difference between the relative size of pole and hole.

Also, if the bit with the hole is wooden and untreated within the hole, it could absorb the lubricant and swell up, jamming it.

Good points.

 

[Maz]

 

[biggs682]

Ask pole dancer if she jerks down a pole when it's lubricated.

we need pics !!

 

[Maz]

we need pics !!

 

[classic33]

CofG is the main part on this working right. The fact that its on a spring allows it to create movement on/within the wooden part that runs down the road. Every tim the CofG is off centre it halts downward motion. This caused by the friction on the two parts.
Lubrication may actually hinder the downward progress as it decreases the amount of time the CofG is in the correct place to allow movement.

 

[fabregas485]

I had one when I was younger, and tried water. Turns out it slowed its process down, but still jerked.

 

[Spinney]

Interesting, the idea that lubrication might make it slower hadn't occurred to me!

 

[vernon]

[QUOTE 2608062, member: 1314"]

[/quote]


I want one!

 

[Fnaar]

I can only presume @Fnaar is having his tea/is in the shower/has gone shopping/or he's at A&E because his pants have indeed exploded*

*delete as appropriate

Been touring/hols... normal service to be resumed fairly soon