
Stick bomb - mxfh
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stick_bomb
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maxmcd
Never thought I'd be sharing an A-Trak video on HN, but there's a nice
implementation of these in this video:
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GbYR5Aud4Y](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GbYR5Aud4Y)

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deletes
I saw some good places where cuts might be made, I doubt the entire video in
one pure take. A behind the scenes video would be great.

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brianzelip
Here is the behind the scenes video of that cool ass A-Trak video for 'Tuna
Melt': [http://youtu.be/fwTOxGKlHvo](http://youtu.be/fwTOxGKlHvo)

~~~
deletes
Creators confirmed in the comments that is was stitched together from many
takes. When I watched it again, cuts became pretty obvious.

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fit2rule
One of the most pleasant web pages I've read on the Internet in a long time:

[http://lunatim.com/kinart/stickhistory.htm](http://lunatim.com/kinart/stickhistory.htm)

I even get an earworm from some of the videos .. ;)

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err4nt
That's was like a step back in time! I wish more web content was awesome and
provoking like that

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dec0dedab0de
It was so gradual that I didnt notice when this style of webpage disappeared.

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InclinedPlane
It's still out there, it's just drowning in a sea of linkbait, lazy reportage,
even lazier "curation", and other bullshit.

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ambrop7
Can't be done with lego technic bricks.
[http://www.pasteall.org/pic/show.php?id=67816](http://www.pasteall.org/pic/show.php?id=67816)

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sesqu
That's clearly the wrong way to try it, but I doubt even lowering the sides to
the low plane would help.

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sesqu
Sorry, I was wrong. I can only guess that the fixings confused me.

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zhng
Because this video perhaps.
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PvQ9InhEKu0](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PvQ9InhEKu0)

~~~
fjcaetano
this is awesome!

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ceejayoz
Great, now popsicle sticks will get you in trouble at TSA checkpoints.

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awj
When I was a kid I would make something similar out of a (partially) unfolded
paperclip. Seeing it on youtube makes it seem much less amusing than I
remember.

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKaR8cxS4Y4](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKaR8cxS4Y4)

~~~
dasil003
I used to do those as well, but without making the ends parallel, just hooking
the tips together. To set it off I'd drop it parallel to the plane of the clip
instead of on the edge. The goal was to hit the ceiling. One time I actually
got it to stick into the fibrous ceiling tile. The challenge of maximizing the
force was what made it fun.

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medwezys
It can be as fast as a subaru [http://giffare.com/gifs/32799-rc-subaru-wrx-
races-a-stick-bo...](http://giffare.com/gifs/32799-rc-subaru-wrx-races-a-
stick-bomb)

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freshyill
My toddler's favorite toy is a huge box of craft sticks. Now it will be my
favorite toy as well.

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LeonM
While we are at it:
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7RaPRmxY5I](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7RaPRmxY5I)
This clip must have taken ages to set up, film and reset... Very well done!

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gwern
So _that_ is what those are called!

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mapleoin
You mean _xyloexplosives_?

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maaarghk
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jiWxU3jXOFc](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jiWxU3jXOFc)
is cool

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cyanbane
Is there a nomenclature around the patterns used? Anyone got a good site?

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WickyNilliams
As a kid in the 80s, I used to make these kind of structures out of old
lollipop sticks you'd find around the streets in summer time. Would make into
7-8 sticks into a kind of star of david shape, which was excellent for a)
throwing like a frisbee b) exploding on impact.

Simple times! No idea who taught me how, or what they were referred to, but
boy did I have fun

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JoeAltmaier
When the kids were into crafts, I made one of these for fun - never saw it
before, just tried to weave them together with the minimum of sticks. There is
a 4-stick 'airplane' possible; the article shows the easier 5-stick version.

So I think its useless to try to find the 'inventor'; endless people have
independently discovered this novelty.

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ScottWhigham
I know what my 10yo and 5yo boys will be doing over Spring Break next week:

[http://www.amazon.com/Chenille-Kraft-Natural-
Sticks-3776-01/...](http://www.amazon.com/Chenille-Kraft-Natural-
Sticks-3776-01/dp/B001GXD6BU/ref=cm_rdp_product)

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just2n
This kind of stuff reminds me of these as a child:
[http://www.amazon.com/1-5-inch-Rubber-Poppers-
Pack/dp/B002R2...](http://www.amazon.com/1-5-inch-Rubber-Poppers-
Pack/dp/B002R236SM)

The memories.

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joshschreuder
I bought some of those about a year ago... not sure if the nostalgia's worn
off, but the quality of the bounce just doesn't seem as good as it was when I
was a kid.

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PavlovsCat
good tutorial:

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0lTmFXOkcOc](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0lTmFXOkcOc)

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spencerp
Oh my god, I used to make these things as a kid! We had a popsicle-stick
building contest and while we were waiting for the glue to dry we'd make these
and throw them at the other kids' bridges. I had no idea they were actually a
"thing". Thank you for posting, brings back memories.

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mholt
A common variation is Cobra Chains or Cobra Weaves. Actually made one today
for a college class (go figure?) ...

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larkinrichards
The pitch is easy:

"Xyloexplosives -- like dominos, but made with tongue depressors."

~~~
franklinho
And a cooler name.

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seestheday
This is awesome. I know what I'm doing with my four year old this weekend. I
have been building the triangle bombs with him with paint stir sticks and he
loves them.

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steerj92
Made these a few years ago, so much fun. Great physical hack!

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Moulde
How the hell did i never know about these? So cool! :) Just stumbled upon the
SUBARU radio controlled car video an hour ago.

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jgrahamc
Now I know what I'm doing tonight.

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mvanvoorden
I just spent way over an hour reading the website and watching videos about
stick bombs :o

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futurist
How do you set a stick bomb off? Is there a particular way?

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mehmedrecip
Before you know it, the TSA will ban popsicle sticks.

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valleyman
physics is so cool sometimes

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qwerta
Great, now TSA will take away my sticks.

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Jxnathan
Why is this on HN? Somebody help me out here.

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TeMPOraL
Because it's a nice physical hack. I personally haven't seen it before.

Also, because some people (myself included) upvoted it.

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danielweber
I have never seen these before. It is nice to see things other hackers
consider perfectly normal part of growing up that I completely missed.

