Speed, Accuracy & Efficiency=Profit

[Joseph Alkana]

> An idea crossed my mind.
> 
> Now keep in mind, I was stressed big time.........  I was hoping the
> home-owners would not hear me laughing. I remembered reading awhile back
> about a group of engineers in New Mexico (or there abouts) that had a yearly
> contest for building the best catapult - for catapulting a Cadillac (I
> forget what the record distance was). I started to laugh at the thought of
> what better use a spinet like this could serve (it was certainly not well
> suited to making music). Then it hit me. The national convention. A once a
> year contest among chapters. Who can build a catapult that will toss either
> a spinet or an old upright the farthest (100 feet?, 500 feet? a quarter
> mile?). Just think of the awsome sound it would make when it lands on
> concrete (likely the best it has ever made)! Maybe we could burn the pianos
> afterward, bury the red-hot plates, and have a clam/lobster bake just like
> they do in the Islands!
> 
> Anyway........ the thought was good enough to get me through the job.
> 
> Terry Farrell
> Piano Tuning & Service
> Tampa, Florida
> mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Brian Trout" <btrout@desupernet.net>
> To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
> Sent: Saturday, February 26, 2000 12:04 AM
> Subject: Re: Speed, Accuracy & Efficiency=Profit
> 
> > Hi Bill,
> >
> > I'm glad you had a good day today.  Some days go like that.  And some days

> >
> > Brian T. (Frustrated in Pennsylvania)
> >
> >

List,
Just in case you get time, check out the sites for trebuchet (catapult).
Maybe an all day seminar...

http://members.iinet.net.au/~rmine/gctrebs.html

http://www.eskimo.com/%7Everne/treb.htm
Built for the TV show "Northern Exposure" and seen worldwide in two
different episodes. In
one episode we flung a 450 pound upright piano 100 yards. In the other
episode we flung
coffins into the middle of a lake. To get all the camera angles and
shots for the piano episode,
we flung 9 full size upright pianos. All nine pianos consistently landed
in the same spot. We
put a crash camera in the impact crater of one piano to get a shot of
the piano coming
straight down from about 250 feet in the air. 

Joseph Alkana   RPT