Roller Skating, Wile E. Coyote-Style
martyb writes:
Roller Skating, Wile E. Coyote-Style | Hackaday:
Today's tidbit is that just anybody (including [Ian Charnas]) can exchange money for jet engines, no questions asked. Scary, huh? So once [Ian] secured the cutest little engine, he took a poll regarding possible uses for it. Jetpack rollerskating won, that's obvious enough. So let's get into those details.
In order to run the thing and test the thrust a bit before strapping it on his back, [Ian] went about this the smart way and welded together a sliding stand. And he didn't use just any old Jansport backpack, he welded together a frame and roll cage for the engine and attached it to a full-body harness. There's also a heat shield to keep his backside from catching fire.
Read the linked story and then watch the well-crafted (and funny) video in YouTube where he documents parts procurement (including getting hold of jet fuel), the build process, safety precautions, and actual test runs. Not only did he give it a try, but also obtained help from roller derby aficionados who we able to double his top speed!
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