Comments on: What Every Backyard Needs — A Jet Engine Powered Merry-Go-Round

By: Rick Cain

Rick Cain — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 02:56:33 +0000

This is truly the Chindogu of science.

By: Toxic Asshead

Toxic Asshead — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 17:29:09 +0000

#13 – the point is to release some carbon and have fun doing something cool. There is nothing cool about being “green”.

By: Fun Games Cars and Jet Engines

Fun Games Cars and Jet Engines — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 08:07:44 +0000

Even better and more dangerous than a backyard trampoline

By: Glenn E.

Glenn E. — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 07:19:41 +0000

Did Popular Mechanics magazine sponsor this folly. They sure are desperate to get an audience these days. The middle guy probably operated some cutoff control. That ibeam anchored in the ground wasn’t going anywhere. So that was likely the safest place to stand. I pity the cameraman and onlookers. They ran the risk of flying debris hitting them. It looks like they used a simple “ramjet” design. Not the kind of jet engine any commercial plane uses. They were started with a simple leaf blower. That got the compression cycle going in each engine. The Germans probably used something like that to start up their V-1s, back in WW2. These were probably custom built ramjets. Maybe relics of some Monster Car show.

I’d have been more impressed if they had built a solar powered electric “Merry-Go-Round”, instead of this dangerous gas powered daredevil thing. Which is more centrifuge than a kids ride. But I guess Pop-Mech isn’t into being “green”, or safe. They appear to be venturing into “Jackass” land.

By: deowll

deowll — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 04:37:26 +0000

Somehow or other I doubt if they’d let us put one of those on the school playground. ?8^)

By: nunyac

nunyac — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 04:21:22 +0000

Wonder where they got the pulse jets. Haven’t seen one of those in quiet a while.
nunyac

By: dude12

dude12 — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 20:58:24 +0000

Shouldn’t the video begin with someone saying “hey man, hold my beer and watch this!”?

By: noname

noname — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 18:44:21 +0000

You get dizzy, very dizzy. When I snap my lighter, you will be a swirling bird. Snap!

Now fly my winged friend, fly.

By: Ron Larson

Ron Larson — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 18:05:12 +0000

Wow… those were two really brave, or dumb, passengers. I noticed they didn’t bother to wear motorcycle helmets for head protection in the event of an equipment failure. It looked to me like the contraption could either (a) fly apart, or (b) fall over. Either way, the passengers would have been in a serious world of hurt.

I also noticed that one of the jets had a rather long flame blasting out of the tail. I was wondering if it might get long enough to reach the other passenger and burn him.

By: the flammer

the flammer — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 17:37:55 +0000

I thought that was going to go A LOT faster. Still everything is better when you strap a jet engine to it

By: Buzz

Buzz — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 15:49:25 +0000

There needs to be a new institution in the world: The Guinness Book Of Darwin Awards.

By: chris

chris — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 15:16:17 +0000

Sign at start of video should say “This WILL eventually kill you.”

If the two riders’ weights differed significantly I doubt that base would stop the gizmo from toppling.

Still, got to love morons with video cameras.

By: Improbus

Improbus — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 13:31:52 +0000

The cutting edge of redneck technology.

By: qb

qb — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 13:17:52 +0000

I see a Myth Buster’s episode coming out of this one day.

By: Olo Baggins of Bywater

Olo Baggins of Bywater — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 13:03:13 +0000

A work of art.

Wonder what the guy in the middle was doing.