Thread: Major engineering challenge

Maybe I'm slow but what is at the other end of the hole again??

Nothing?

A dead end??

If you can access the other end then this is SO easy. If not then I'll keep thinking.

Man, sleep deprivation can make you feel drunk.

Originally Posted by FiReSTaRT

I work for a company that's in the mining industry exploration. Last time I was in the office, the owner came in and presented us with a major challenge that would be on the leading edge of technology.
The task:
1) Thread 2000' of wire through a horizontal (no help from gravity) hole ranging from 2" to 4" in width
2) No access to the end-side of the hole
A competitor has managed to do about 700' and even replicating that would be a major success, but my coleague and I would like to go for gold (both figuratively and literally )
I will be chiming in with some fine tuning details, but this is the basic challenge. If you gentlemen could offer some tips tricks and pointers (like techniques and materials), they'd be much appreciated.
Pulling this off would get me away from the computer and number-crunching and put me into the mines all over the globe.

I took this to mean that it was a dead-end hole.

-whatever

-Lou

I thought I saw that in there somewhere.

Like I said, sleep deprivation is a bitch.

Ok, back to the drawing board.

Originally Posted by gratewhitehuntr

...If you can access the other end then this is SO easy. ...

Yeah....if it was open on both ends, we could just put Hillary on the other end and let her suck it through....Lord knows, she sucks as much as Windows does!



....just a personal opinion.....not meant to piss any one off or anything....



..... or not.


-whatever

-Lou

OK, well it took 1 hour and 3 beers.. or was it the other way around......

I have a semi-brilliant idea and if I can little-kid-draw it well enough to get my point across then I will submit them tomorrow.

It doesn't involve a mini motor or mud or ferrets or even air.

It will "crawl" down the tunnel adjusting it's grip to account for variations in diameter and even rotate to get a better grip if it loses traction.

It will have as much pulling power as you can supply in hydraulic pressure and will lubricate the tunnel as it goes to make the drag easier.

It will anchor itself when it reaches the end of the tunnel and allow you to pull against it as hard as you like.

Only thing I need to know is if something 3 feet long left in the end of the tunnel is going to be a problem or not and how gradual is the curve??

If it doesn't exceed 1 inch in 3 feet then it should be fine.

Oh, and what do I get if I win??

I'm not sure if this idea has ever been used so if this equals big money then you might want to PM me with an email address Ilja so we can avoid wasting a patentable idea by putting it out for the whole world to see.

Oh, and what do I get if I win?? did I say that already.?....

Oh, and what do I get if I win??

Exclusive equipment manufacture contract if it's scientifically/economically viable

...or, how about an Electric Ducted Fan



a hair under 3" in diameter...put a cone-shaped wire grid on the front end to keep it centered in the hole - in a confined space like a 4" diameter hole, this little SOB oughta just scream....if it can't carry the whole load of 2000' of power line and service cable, just clip another one on every 700' or so...


....I'd bring ear plugs, too!

-whatever

-Lou

EDIT: Of course, one or two dirt clods or bits of debris, and the whole thing will disintegrate in a truly spectacular fashoin....I guess that's what the ear plugs are for....so you can't hear your boss screaming at you for getting your hair-brained ideas off a SHAVING FORUM!!!

Cute fan.
However, do it the other way. Create a flexible diaphragm as a seal. Pull a vacuum on the back side to suck the diaphragm into the hole and let the diaphragm pull the wires into the hole.

Rick

Originally Posted by rickw

Cute fan.
However, do it the other way. Create a flexible diaphragm as a seal. Pull a vacuum on the back side to suck the diaphragm into the hole and let the diaphragm pull the wires into the hole.

Rick

I don't understand - how do you pull a vacuum on the back side?

Hollow flex tube connected to the diaphragm and vacuum pump.

Rick