Picture this: You’re back on the playground. Little Billy wanders out, a few Pop Rocks still stuck to his sticky face. Billy always has the best toys, and the smug punk knows it. But today – today is your day. Because you know that 3D modeler Scratchhax just created a machine that can blow almost 14,000 motha truckin’ bubbles a minute, and that the full designs are available online for download. (You’re a particularly tech-savvy tot. Just go with it.)
In all seriousness, there are a few hoops to jump through if you want to recreate the so-called “Bubble Bucket,” but it’s totally doable. Namely, you’ll need access to a 3D printer, a five-gallon bucket, some aluminum extrusion and a 50-60 RPM motor. Oh, and a fan. Not too bad for a lifetime of bubbly goodness, I say.
“The idea [for the Bubble Bucket] had two origins,†Scratchhax told 3DPrint.com. “The first one being that my kids and I just really enjoy having a bubble machine to play with when the weather is nice. The second reason was my wife, [who is] working with special needs children and wants to use the idea of a bubble machine, hooked to a switch that they could control regardless of physical ability as a re-enforcer.â€
Essentially, the design features a modified motorcycle chain drive, mounted vertically into the bucket with its bottom half submerged into bubble solution. When the chain rotates, it brings the 40 3D printed wands up and out of the solution, where the fan forces air through them.
“Depending on conditions, the machine propels between 2,000 and 14,000 bubbles per minute,” he says. That’s almost 1 million bubbles per hour. Several bubble enthusiasts have suggested creating your own soapy solution for the ultimate result, adding everything from lube (yes, lube) to beer, to various brands of detergent for increased bubble strength and flexibility.
If you do build your own Bubble Bucket, let us know how it went in the comments below. And if this proves too easy, we suggest moving on to the FLOGOS Cloud Printer. Because, bubbles filled with helium.
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IMAGES: Scratchhax
