The teams will be building cannons on this episode. However, since explosives are not allowed, they will have to find an alternate means of propelling a baseball up to 65 feet. The game will consist of knocking over 5 castles on a beach. The closest castle, 20 feet away from the cannon, is worth 2 points and the farthest (65 feet) is worth 10 points. Each team will have 30 minutes and 50 balls with which to knock over the castles. The first team to knock over all 5 castles in the allotted time wins. If neither team knocks all 5 over, then the team with the most points after 30 minutes wins.

There are 2 types of cannons the teams can build. One usess a spring and the other uses air pressure. With a spring cannon, a large spring sits inside a tube with the ball resting on the end of the spring. The spring is pulled back and then released. The energy stored in the spring is let go and it essentially pushes the ball forward and out of the barrel of the cannon. This is like a ball launcher on a pinball machine.

Both teams are building an air cannon. An air cannon works by storing air pumped into a tank then releasing it quickly using the air to push the ball out and at the target. Each team will have to find a tank to store the air, a way to get air into the tank by pumping it in and a barrel for the cannon that will be big enough for the ball. Accuracy will be really important so a way to aim the cannons will be critical. To get the air out of the storage tank quickly (for maximum velocity) the teams will need to install a check-valve that will hold the air in then release it when they open the valve.
 
 
 

right to left; Sam, Drew, Ahmed and Capt Joey	right to left; Alex B, Alex J, Alex W and Capt Noah
Blue earned 3 bodgits	So did the Red team
In the trunk...a tire pump	Red will use a tank and blue is making their own from PVC pipe
The key is in building the right sized barrel	The gals get a chance to weld, to Noah's chagrin
These valves are important...so is the pressure gauge	Red pumps away...
They score first	But blue is on their heels
Blue gets the 8 point castle	So deos Red...it's really close
Both teams are having problems with their ball falling out of the barrel	Blue takes out the 10 point castle 65 feet away for the lead
And then the 2! They're pulling away	Oh no! Red's cannon fell over after shooting three balls at once
They recover and get 2 points	But Blue got the fifth and final castle for the win (and 30 points!)

 

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