How to Build a Better Mousetrap Car
The amount of engineering you put into your mousetrap car determines its quality. Increasing the size of the wheels and creating traction in the back wheels are two simple ways to help a mousetrap car perform better. Most of the materials can be found in your home, but you may need to visit a hardware store for a couple pieces.
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Instructions
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Instructions
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1
Remove the innards and nibs from the pens, leaving behind only the outer cylinder. The pens should be basic flat pens since they're going to act as the car's axles. Use one of the eye hooks to screw two holes across from each other in the middle of a pen.
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2
Cut the top and bottom off two balloons. The material left behind should be a rubber ring that you can then wrap around the edge of a CD. Repeat this a second time to complete the traction on the car's back wheels.
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3
Screw two eye hooks into the front and two into the back of the mousetrap. The eye hooks should be evenly spaced so that each one is roughly a quarter of the distance from the edge. Ensure that the openings are vertical so that the axles will turn freely when the car is in motion.
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4
Slide the pen without the drilled holes through the front eye hooks; front end is the side where the bar rests naturally. Use thin strips of duct tape to build up the outer ends of the pen. Layer the strips of duct tape until they're thick enough to completely fill the center of the CDs.
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5
Secure the balloonless CDs to the front axle. Slowly rotate each one clockwise as you push it in until it's close to the edge of the mousetrap. Before repeating the process on the back wheels, use a needle to pull the string through both holes on the back axle and knot it in place.
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6
Fasten the other end of the string to the bar on the mousetrap. To power your mousetrap car, pull back the bar while rolling the car backwards. Continue to roll it until the string is wound completely tight.
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Tips & Warnings
Produce a faster car by reducing the mass of the CDs by cutting triangular sections out of its center.
Create a mousetrap car that travels longer distances by tying the string around the back axle without inserting it through the center. This allows the back axle to spin freely once the tension is released from the string.
References
- Photo Credit mousetrap image by Brett Mulcahy from Fotolia.com
