1. Catch beer 2. Open beer 3. Insert contents in mouth
January 10, 2011 7:48 AM   Subscribe

A working beer catapult fridge by Purdue undergraduate Ross Wehner and some details on its design. Powered by Arduino.
posted by grouse (29 comments total) 4 users marked this as a favorite
 
Our final in torts last semester was about this thing.

Legally, this might be a shit idea.
posted by smackwich at 7:54 AM on January 10, 2011 [1 favorite]


If, after every three beers or so, it threw an adult diaper then they'd never have to get off the sofa.
posted by FunGus at 7:57 AM on January 10, 2011


Well, to me it seems like a pretty sweet idea put to an enormously foolish use. Bud fucking Light? Seriously? I hope those were the dummy beers they used for testing.
posted by koeselitz at 7:59 AM on January 10, 2011


Yeah, for the real drinking later on it throws out the Colt 45 and Schlitz.

When you make a beer catapult, you can complain about the creators beer selection.
posted by Nanukthedog at 8:00 AM on January 10, 2011 [1 favorite]


I laughed like an idiot after watching the video.
posted by fake at 8:01 AM on January 10, 2011


Somehow I think Jerry the Dachshund extracts more more fun from (pretty much) the same idea than Ross does.
posted by rongorongo at 8:04 AM on January 10, 2011 [1 favorite]


It makes me indescribably proud to see this sort of work from a fellow Boiler.
posted by COD at 8:05 AM on January 10, 2011 [1 favorite]


That's not beer. That's Bud Light.

I suppose one would not want to treat the real staff with such callous disregard.
posted by Rarebit Fiend at 8:13 AM on January 10, 2011


Boiler up!
posted by ohohcyte at 8:16 AM on January 10, 2011


$295 and it's yours.
posted by sixpack at 8:19 AM on January 10, 2011


Legally, this might be a shit idea.

This comment captures the cultural differences between the two solitudes so very, very well.
posted by bonehead at 8:29 AM on January 10, 2011 [1 favorite]




Er won't it spray 50% of its contents over you the moment you open it?

Now, if he invented a beer glider I'd be cheering the man.
posted by MuffinMan at 8:31 AM on January 10, 2011 [1 favorite]


The original video for this one seems to have disappeared, but here is a similar project with its technical details.
posted by (parenthetic me) at 8:32 AM on January 10, 2011


I was expecting a pneumatic delivery system (despite the "catapault"). It could hardly be louder and would probably shoot farther.
posted by DU at 8:32 AM on January 10, 2011


"This is Lieutenant Founders calling base... This is Founders calling base... Is anyone out there?"

"We hear you, five by five, Lieutenant."

"The Lagers... They seem to have some sort of heavy mortar encampment at location Duvel-Smutty-Dogfish-Oskar. Seeking air support. My men are pinned down bad!"

"Roger that, Lieutenant. We can get a bomber to you in ten minutes."

"Ten minutes! We don't have that long, base! My men are being reduced to fizz out here. We need that Lager launcher taken out NOW! ARGH!"

"Lieutenant? Lieutenant? You're breaking up. Bomber is en route. Repeat. Bomber en route. Please hold on."

"We'll do what we can, but every second that bomber takes, more of my men go down. These fallen soldiers will be on your head!"

In the grim darkness of the far future, there is only beer war.
posted by robocop is bleeding at 8:51 AM on January 10, 2011 [9 favorites]


We should have a competition like Punkin Chunkin to see how far a crappy beer can be hurled.
posted by exogenous at 8:53 AM on January 10, 2011


I'm certain I'd be drinking the beer faster than that thing could supply me with a new one,
posted by mannequito at 9:08 AM on January 10, 2011 [1 favorite]


Legally, this might be a shit idea.

This is why we can't have nice things.
posted by killdevil at 9:35 AM on January 10, 2011 [4 favorites]


I'm getting bad flashbacks to the dentist's office with the noise of that thing.
posted by LSK at 9:41 AM on January 10, 2011


Pfft. Call me back when he's made a beer railgun.
posted by dubold at 9:55 AM on January 10, 2011 [1 favorite]



Er won't it spray 50% of its contents over you the moment you open it?

Now, if he invented a beer glider I'd be cheering the man.


Funny you should ask, as I am seeking investors to fund a self-naviagating Beer Delivery Dirigible that would deliver it's payload shake and foam-over free in a near silent manner to anyone within the delivery area, up to 300ft.

Legally, this might be a shit idea.

However, my legal advisor has noted the slight possibility of a "oh, the humanity!" moment, but we see that risk as minimal, and will consider it a 'surprise feature', rather than a design flaw.
posted by chambers at 10:56 AM on January 10, 2011


As an engineering idea I'm not so sure it's good, because AFAICT the design leaves a big hole in the top of the refrigerator, which will be bad for actually running the fridge with any efficiency. Now, if he modified the cooler so that only the internal magazine was chilled, then it would be more effective at keeping the beer cold.

Now, when they come up with a martini maker and launcher, THEN I'll be impressed.
posted by happyroach at 1:03 PM on January 10, 2011


Wait for it.... Wait for it..... Pass me a beer, this could take a while.
posted by bhamrick at 1:08 PM on January 10, 2011


The only good beer I know of that comes in regular sized cans is Dale’s Pale Ale. Although, it's not available everywhere.

Anyway, I guess the catapult is kind of cool. It's sort of like something a redneck would make in their shed though.

I like this beer robot. You can actually make an order instead it being a crap shoot and it'll open the beer for you.
posted by zephyr_words at 3:30 PM on January 10, 2011


I only drink good beer. This makes me a better person than you. It's important that everybody knows this.
posted by onya at 3:54 PM on January 10, 2011


I like this beer robot. You can actually make an order instead it being a crap shoot and it'll open the beer for you.

I dig Willow Garage as well, having linked them above. However, there's the tiny detail that a PR2 will set you back $400,000.00 + Taxes and Shipping.
posted by zamboni at 8:21 AM on January 11, 2011


Red Green. That is all.
posted by Mental Wimp at 8:40 AM on January 11, 2011 [1 favorite]


Metafilter: This makes me a better person than you. It's important that everybody knows this.
posted by Chrysostom at 1:17 PM on January 11, 2011


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