Would it be possible to DIY a whac a mole ?

[syph007]

I don't own one nor do I know how they work.. but I'd like to build one.  Anyone have insight as to how the mechanisms work?

[Ed_McCarron]

Pneumatics?  Seems easiest to do, monitor for hits with a pressure switch on the air line between the cylinder and solenoid valve?

[HaRuMaN]

You should make a Whac-a-Newbie (Scrubs reference), lol.

[protokatie]

I may be wrong, but I was under the impression that these games used a system of cams to move the mole up and down... Hmm. The pnematic idea sounds really smart, but another potential way to do it would be with solonoids, and have light sensors that detect when they are hit. Might be easier to wire up than a pneumatic system (also never have to worry about leaky lines).

[DaOld Man]

I was thinking the same thing about the solenoids, however, to detect being hit, why not a switch inside the moles head?
Think of it as a pushbutton being raised.
Of course, it wont be that simple, because you still have to come up with a way to time how long the mole stays up, and when the mole comes up.
Plus keep score and flash the lights. I suppose a computer could be rigged up to do that, just may have to write the software to do it.
Im going to be a first time grand pa early next year, so I am thinking of making one of these for when the baby gets old enough to use it.
Might be fun and more of a challenge than one would think.

[Ed_McCarron]

Researched a bit.  Sounds like the real WAM is pneumatic, but they monitor mole strikes by watching a cylinder reed switch that triggers at top of travel.  If the reed switch opens when the ram is still commanded up, it was hit.

Sounds pretty sturdy.

[syph007]

Ah so that's how they work.  I was thinking of going more solenoid and electromechanical based, pc with custom software for the heart.   I guess it wouldn't be easy, but just seemed like a fun challenge.

Edit:  I just remembered the local chuck E cheese here has one still, I'll have to go check it out.  Never examined one closely before.   I wonder if I'll get odd looks going in there without kids... I could borrow some nephews maybe.

[ChadTower]

The last auction I went to they couldn't sell those things for $50 each.  3-4 of them got no bids.  Those may have been "Cracky Crabs" instead but same concept.

[Ed_McCarron]

Oh, I would so buy one of those if it popped up.  Great therapy.

[ChadTower]

I hear Wack A Moles pop up quite a bit.   

[syph007]

Ya I totally would pay 50 for one.  I guess I should check the next local auction.

[Ed_McCarron]

I hear Wack A Moles pop up quite a bit.   

[ChadTower]

He's whacking the wrong thing.


(that's what she said)

[VespaGuy]

Researched a bit.  Sounds like the real WAM is pneumatic, but they monitor mole strikes by watching a cylinder reed switch that triggers at top of travel.  If the reed switch opens when the ram is still commanded up, it was hit.

Sounds pretty sturdy.

I have a strange question... Is it possible to register two hits on a single mole when it pops up if you are fast enough?

The reason I ask is because I've played WAM at parks where there are multiple units linked together. The winner is the person who reaches 150 points first (at 10 points a mole). But because the moles pop-up one at a time and are pretty slow, the winner is usually the first person to hit that 15th mole (and all the other players end up with 140 points and dumbfounded looks on their faces because they also hit every mole).

So... I was wondering if you could gain an advantage by striking one of the earlier moles twice. I haven't been around a linked WAM game in years, so I haven't been able to test this myself.

Just curious.

[NiN^_^NiN]

I thought about this a little while ago and my idea was to use a led wiz and the central door locking solenoids for cheapness as u can get them quite cheap and just use the led wiz to control the up and down for them.

Only issue is that the door mechs don't have that great of a moving distance but the ones i had i tested them and they moved back quite easily and with standed quite a few hits pushing it back down i thought it be a good option and is the solenoid ever brakes down its a cheap replacement