Hextraction Gauss Cannon Spinner
A resetable gauss cannon. It shoots balls out at high speeds. Spin the thing to reload it. It even ejects a ball if there's a jam. The design uses springs for rotational lock and to keep the spinner from falling out, but it can be used without them. Each variation has 3 notches. All with 2 side diagonal orientations and either an up or down orientation. Works with both 10mm and 3/8in balls. Please be smart and don't shoot/aim this at someone, you could take their eye out!
Rules Card Text Setup: Must orient mechanism as shown. Place a second ball at tip of arrow, if needed. Trigger: Rotate Spinner 180 degrees in direction of side arrows, if able.
Hardware
- Required | One 10x10mm magnet. Or five 10x2 Magnets, which are also used for the Zoidberg Tile. Any stack of thinner magnets equaling 10mm long will work, but will be a weaker launch compared to a single.
- Recommended | Grease. I used white lithium, but any plastic safe one will work.
- Recommended | Two springs (16mm long x 4mmØ). These springs are from cheap disposable click pens found at my local superstore. PaperMate InkJoy 100RT 1.0 M. Wasteful? Yes, but they're the cheapest way to get springs this size that I'm aware of.
- Optional | Two 5mm steel balls. They provide a smoother rotation than the Pins. These are the same used in the Shrink Ray Tile.
Printing / Assembly Instructions Designed for PLA, I can't verify other materials. Print the Spinner with supports touching build pate. Everything else doesn't need them. On the Up and Down, color layer change at the arrow then the triangle (eject path indicator.) On the Spinner, color layer change at the arrows. I recommend printing in different base colors for Ups and Downs.
If video instructions are your thing, watch this https://youtu.be/z8v5g9NyBh0?si=S2Lh2hlcpdZjzq7H&t=113. Even though it's a Gravitrax video, mine is heavily based on this design and the assembly process is basically the same just different parts.
- Insert the magnet(s) on the star side. Insert a ball on the center arrow side. When assembled, it should rattle when shaken.
- Recommended | Grease the Pin-track inside the tile with a swab. Insert 2 springs into the spinner holes, then the Pins or 5mm balls inside the springs.
- Insert the Spinner into the Base. If you used springs, compress them fully while installing. The spinner should click and lock every 180 degrees.
- Disassembly: Remember this thing is spring loaded! Rotate the spinner 60 degrees, cover it with your hand so the springs don't go flying, look away, then pull up the spinner.
Notes The spring-spinner will slightly click every 60 degrees due to the corner removal slots. If you went with a springless-spinner, you'll have to precisely align it to an opening or a ball won't shoot out. I won't be making any magnet size variations for this. There isn't room for anything larger and reducing the size makes it weaker and less fun. The pictures are of an old revision with starless design and no eject-path-indicator, but everything else is basically the same. I'll update the pics when I get more filament in. Thanks to Christopher in the Discord for finding a mistake in some of the files, they're all fixed now.