Yesterday at Gadgetoff at Snug Harbor, Staten Island, we premiered the pulse-jet powered merry-go-round pony ride.
Built for two riders, the participants sit on saddles of Wild West Pony or Future Pony, horses who have Lockwood pulse-jet engines attached to their backsides.
These engines work off two tanks of propane, one gas, the other liquid. To get one of these jets going you need a spark, provided by a spark plug, then air, by way of a leaf-blower, and finally the propane. When this gets going there is a huge boom, and a very loud and even more so powerful rumbling from the constant propane combustion occurring inside of the combustion chamber. Then run to the other one, do the same, let go and they spin!
Unfortunately, not everyone likes jet engines. Someone complained and a few hours before we were set to run the ride again in the evening, the fire department showed up. It turns out Snug Harbor doesn’t have propane permits. We had to dismantle, as well as a few other rides and features that were propane powered.
We did get two great runs, and the first people to ever ride the thing, Hans, pictured above, and a writer for Popular Mechanics, who I believe is named Seth (at least that’s who wrote the article — ), who did this write up, and posted a video.
Here’s the video:
Tod Seelie’s video of the second ride (click his name for his site and pics of the ride and of Gadgetoff) :
And another one of the second ride:
Also at Gadgetoff, Doyle brought his own take on a jet powered ride, with a spiny wheel chair kind of thing. There were Tesla coils:
Our Canadian friends brought their Mondo Spider:
And a video of it going:
Plus tons of other great stuff at the talks and the indoor exhibits.
The pulse jet pony ride is pretty awesome. But I am very concerned by the choice of thin walled I beam for the main support. I beam has no torsional strength, and I really think this thing is going to collapse horribly, with no warning.