# Punkin Chunkin contest tonight on Science Channel **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [November 26, 2010, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/punkin-chunkin-contest-tonight-on-science-channel/561934 "2010-11-26T00:18:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2010, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/punkin-chunkin-contest-tonight-on-science-channel/561934/1 "2010-11-26T00:18:04Z")
The Science Channel is running the Punkin Chunkin contest tonight at 8pm. They have tossed one over 4000 feet. They have categories from trebuchets ,to man powered to air cannons. I have watched the contests for years. It is fun , science and competition all at once. ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2010, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/punkin-chunkin-contest-tonight-on-science-channel/561934/2 "2010-11-26T00:44:49Z")
For those without the Science Channel, it’s going to be on Discovery too (at the same time). ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2010, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/punkin-chunkin-contest-tonight-on-science-channel/561934/3 "2010-11-26T01:40:59Z")
> [@AlsoNamedBort](#): > > For those without the Science Channel, it’s going to be on Discovery too (at the same time). I did not know that. ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2010, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/punkin-chunkin-contest-tonight-on-science-channel/561934/4 "2010-11-26T04:33:55Z")
watching it right now with the bambinas. ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2010, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/punkin-chunkin-contest-tonight-on-science-channel/561934/5 "2010-11-27T02:14:15Z")
man, that was a cool show. Thanks for highlighting that it was on. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2010, 10:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/punkin-chunkin-contest-tonight-on-science-channel/561934/6 "2010-11-27T10:00:23Z")
We watched it and enjoyed the hell out of it =) It looks like they were having some serious fun, though I think that one group who has won their division every year for the past 14 or so years are just being buttheads by not retiring gracefully and giving someone else a chance to win. dudes - we understand you have the optimal invention for flinging a cucurbit an obscene distance. Get off yourselves and retire already. Makes me want to find it and sabotage it while it is sitting in the woods between chunkins. :mad: ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2010, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/punkin-chunkin-contest-tonight-on-science-channel/561934/7 "2010-11-27T19:34:44Z")
The air cannons have propelled a pumpkin 8 tenths of a mile. We all know what the big goal is. That will be a milestone. It is amazing that they don’t make more “pie”. ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2010, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/punkin-chunkin-contest-tonight-on-science-channel/561934/8 "2010-11-27T19:42:33Z")
> [@aruvqan](#): > > We watched it and enjoyed the hell out of it =) > > It looks like they were having some serious fun, though I think that one group who has won their division every year for the past 14 or so years are just being buttheads by not retiring gracefully and giving someone else a chance to win. > > dudes - we understand you have the optimal invention for flinging a cucurbit an obscene distance. Get off yourselves and retire already. > > Makes me want to find it and sabotage it while it is sitting in the woods between chunkins. :mad: You do know what the point of a competition is, right? Don’t want to lose? Make something better. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2010, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/punkin-chunkin-contest-tonight-on-science-channel/561934/9 "2010-11-27T21:04:02Z")
When the one team propelled their arm 140 feet . it was cool and shows the forces they build up. Jamie did not want to get close to the machines. Big chicken. The ones that spin real fast like a propeller, how do they determine when to let go of the pumpkin? The timing looks like a tough problem. ---
**Author:** ![Lightnin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightnin/32/180_2.png) [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2010, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/punkin-chunkin-contest-tonight-on-science-channel/561934/10 "2010-11-27T22:00:34Z")
> [@gonzomax](#): > > When the one team propelled their arm 140 feet . it was cool and shows the forces they build up. Jamie did not want to get close to the machines. Big chicken. > The ones that spin real fast like a propeller, how do they determine when to let go of the pumpkin? The timing looks like a tough problem. I was wondering that myself. At the speed it was going, any difference at all in release time would mean that the pumpkin could go anywhere along the axis of rotation. I wouldn’t want to stand behind that thing. And damn, that was a scary noise that thing made. ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2010, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/punkin-chunkin-contest-tonight-on-science-channel/561934/11 "2010-11-27T22:11:24Z")
> [@gonzomax](#): > > The air cannons have propelled a pumpkin 8 tenths of a mile. We all know what the big goal is. That will be a milestone. It is amazing that they don’t make more “pie”. From Wikipedia: > [@](#): > > In order of increasing effectiveness, the devices include compound slingshots, catapults, trebuchets, and pneumatic air cannons. A pneumatic air cannon named ‘Big 10 Inch’ holds the current world record by firing a pumpkin 4,623.43 feet (1,409.224 meters) during the 2009 Pumpkin Chuckin’ competition in Utah. In September 2010, the ‘Big 10 Inch’ team returned to Utah and fired a pumpkin **5,545.43 feet** (1,690.247 meters) - this shot is still pending certification by Guinness World Records. [2] ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2010, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/punkin-chunkin-contest-tonight-on-science-channel/561934/12 "2010-11-27T22:35:21Z")
I was at this year’s punkin chunkin. At the risk of sounding like a fuddy duddy, it used to be so much better. 10+ years ago, you could walk around the machines as they fired, you’d be in line at the cotton candy and some would yell “head’s up” and a pumpkin missfire would land in the crowd. Now it was packed with kids just getting wasted, and hardly anyone was watching the chunkin. As my wife said, I’m ok with waiting another 10 years before we come back. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2010, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/punkin-chunkin-contest-tonight-on-science-channel/561934/13 "2010-11-27T23:31:55Z")
> [@madmonk28](#): > > I was at this year’s punkin chunkin. At the risk of sounding like a fuddy duddy, it used to be so much better. 10+ years ago, you could walk around the machines as they fired, you’d be in line at the cotton candy and some would yell “head’s up” and a pumpkin missfire would land in the crowd. Now it was packed with kids just getting wasted, and hardly anyone was watching the chunkin. As my wife said, I’m ok with waiting another 10 years before we come back. Can you see the long shots as they leave? can you follow the trajectory as it flies off? It would seem like watching a gunshot. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2010, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/punkin-chunkin-contest-tonight-on-science-channel/561934/14 "2010-11-27T23:34:17Z")
> [@madmonk28](#): > > I was at this year’s punkin chunkin. At the risk of sounding like a fuddy duddy, it used to be so much better. 10+ years ago, you could walk around the machines as they fired, you’d be in line at the cotton candy and some would yell “head’s up” and a pumpkin missfire would land in the crowd. Now it was packed with kids just getting wasted, and hardly anyone was watching the chunkin. As my wife said, I’m ok with waiting another 10 years before we come back. That sounds disappointing =( I would have liked to see all of the first run through chunkers, and then fallen back to just seeing the top 4 for the second and third round. I thought that the man driven ones were fascinating - the rowing machine one was fascinating. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2010, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/punkin-chunkin-contest-tonight-on-science-channel/561934/15 "2010-11-27T23:45:25Z")
I like them all. They all have their own appeal. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2010, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/punkin-chunkin-contest-tonight-on-science-channel/561934/16 "2010-11-28T02:00:56Z")
[http://science.discovery.com/videos/hot-videos-punkin-chunkin/](http://science.discovery.com/videos/hot-videos-punkin-chunkin/) Here is a run down of the different types. sorry for the commercials. i hate commercials. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2010, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/punkin-chunkin-contest-tonight-on-science-channel/561934/17 "2010-11-28T02:42:13Z")
> [@gonzomax](#): > > The ones that spin real fast like a propeller, how do they determine when to let go of the pumpkin? The timing looks like a tough problem. I would rig up some kind of release mechanism on the arm that could be triggered by a mechanical switch near the hub. Then mount a solenoid on the stationary part of the machine. Once the arm has spun up to full speed, press a button and that solenoid will extend a pin. As the arm rotates, it will hit that pin and trigger the release. That way, there’s no timing involved. Just experiment with where you mount that pin and you can get whatever launch angle you want. The centrifugal ones looked fairly easy in that regard. There was a spinning arm with a cable on one end, and the pumpkin in a sling at the other end of the cable. But the centrifugals were spinning fast enough that the arm-cable angle seemed to be pretty constant. (Or if not constant, repeating with each rotation.) The trebuchets looked like they’d be much more difficult to engineer. As the arm rotates, there’s a whip action of the cable. Trying to get those to fire at a constant angle would be tough. The first thing I’d do is always make sure I was using pumpkins of the same weight. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2010, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/punkin-chunkin-contest-tonight-on-science-channel/561934/18 "2010-11-28T02:56:29Z")
You are holding the pumpkin in some kind of a basket. It would, because of the spinning, climb to the top of the basket. You would have to release the top plate on the basket to shoot it out the end of the basket. It would have to be instantaneous and not hang up on it. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2010, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/punkin-chunkin-contest-tonight-on-science-channel/561934/19 "2010-11-29T16:39:37Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > I would rig up some kind of release mechanism on the arm that could be triggered by a mechanical switch near the hub. Then mount a solenoid on the stationary part of the machine. Once the arm has spun up to full speed, press a button and that solenoid will extend a pin. As the arm rotates, it will hit that pin and trigger the release. That way, there’s no timing involved. Just experiment with where you mount that pin and you can get whatever launch angle you want. Pretty much what I was thinking, and similar to how machine guns on old airplanes could be rigged to fire through the propeller: the trick is that the trigger doesn’t fire the gun, but rather engages a mechanism that allows the _propeller_ to fire it with perfect timing.