Material for not permanent 'sticking'

[homer5677]

Not sure if this is the right forum at all but maybe you guys might have something.

Basically, I need to stick and object that is thrown to another stationary object. But the object thrown needs to be able to be taken off.
So far there is velcro to velcro and we have an object which is magnetic and a magnet as the background.
I've googled around for another suitable material but can't seem to find one. I have thought of possibly using electromagnets and enable them at certain times. But I'm not sure how this will work with detecting the objects that are being thrown.

Not really sure if I can use different types of magnets with different strengths or whatever.
Any Ideas or input would be great. Cheers guys.

 

[TumblingDice]

Can the object itself be a solution?

www.officeplayground.com/Suction-Ball-2-inch-P1949.aspx

Or do you have a specific object that must be thrown? If so, can you tell us what?

 

[Bobbywhy]

The adhesive on "Post-it" stickers is made to adhere to smooth surfaces and then "peel off" easily. Could this be used in your application?

 

[homer5677]

A physical game is being designed for kids to play - more engineering than physics but this part is troubling.
The objects being thrown are small 'plush' with one side of Velcro around the outside, some have magnets in the middle some don't.
That idea is for little kids to attempt to throw the right object to the right location on a board. The object sticks if it is right-magnet and opposite Velcro, but falls if it is thrown at the wrong location.

The sticky note adhesive could work however I don't think it would be that practical for continued use.

Specifically a third location and corresponding way of determining correct or not needs to be achieved. If possible.

 

[TumblingDice]

If the magnet idea works OK, how about using polarity to create two flavors of plushes and target areas? Possibly use disk magnets, make some targets '+' and some '-', and also fix magnets on plush. Tell them apart by colors of your choice. Wondering how the magnets might create interesting end-of-flight paths...

 

[Bobbywhy]

A physical game is being designed for kids to play - more engineering than physics but this part is troubling.
The objects being thrown are small 'plush' with one side of Velcro around the outside, some have magnets in the middle some don't.
That idea is for little kids to attempt to throw the right object to the right location on a board. The object sticks if it is right-magnet and opposite Velcro, but falls if it is thrown at the wrong location.

The sticky note adhesive could work however I don't think it would be that practical for continued use.

Specifically a third location and corresponding way of determining correct or not needs to be achieved. If possible.

Thank you for the clear and concise explanation of your project. The detailed proposed equipment specification given at the outset in the opening post avoids sincere members from speculating and guessing.

 

[homer5677]

If the magnet idea works OK, how about using polarity to create two flavors of plushes and target areas? Possibly use disk magnets, make some targets '+' and some '-', and also fix magnets on plush. Tell them apart by colors of your choice. Wondering how the magnets might create interesting end-of-flight paths...

The disk magnets is a good idea, but that will require them to be fixed on the outside of the plush which kinda will let them know what is what, I guess the throwing object design could be modified to accommodate the magnet on the outside rather than the inside. It would be good having it on the inside but I guess there is nothing that is stopping the object from 'flipping' around to get the + to - connection.

Anyone else got any miraculous joining product? It's actually quite amazing that magnets and velcro are really the only 2 main options!

 

[TumblingDice]

The disk magnets is a good idea, but that will require them to be fixed on the outside of the plush which kinda will let them know what is what, I guess the throwing object design could be modified to accommodate the magnet on the outside rather than the inside.

Perhaps I'm not familiar with the term 'plush'. I was picturing something like a bean bag, but softer/lighter. What prevents fixing them on the inside?

It would be good having it on the inside but I guess there is nothing that is stopping the object from 'flipping' around to get the + to - connection.

Glue.

It's actually quite amazing that magnets and velcro are really the only 2 main options!

More ways of things sticking together in our world might precipitate amazing problems.

 

[jbriggs444]

Blobs of clay or putty could discriminate between a smooth non-stick surface and a roughened surface like chalk board and should be wash-off-able.

I do not know off hand how they would do against Velcro.

Or there's the obvious -- darts on cork.

 

[homer5677]

Perhaps I'm not familiar with the term 'plush'. I was picturing something like a bean bag, but softer/lighter. What prevents fixing them on the inside?

Yes it is how you decide and nothing would prevent them from fixing them on the inside, however correct me if I'm wrong (it was a long time since I've done magnetism) but a magnet as a positive and negative side. In order for the object to actually stick, the magnets will have to be pretty strong. I was referring to having two walls which had opposing poles facing towards the thrower. If I want to keep the thrower throwing the correct object at the correct wall, I will have to some how prevent an object which is not correct but matches with the other wall magnet from flipping around and attaching by the unintended pole.
^^
Probably does not make sense...
Hopefully easier to understand: If I have a magnet as the "receiver" with the + pole facing outwards, In order to attach the thrown object needs to connect by the - pole. If I have 2 sets of receiving magnets but with opposite poles facing outwards. What is to stop the two sets of thrown objects from connecting with the opposite receiver (which I don't want to happen) by flipping (mid air) and connecting via the opposite pole.

Glue.

By this do you mean I can just put a fair amount of glue on one side of a disk magnet and then that side will be virtually non - existent (in terms of polarity). Forgive my lackluster magnetic knowledge!
If so, this could work. I may try experiment with this tomorrow.

 

[UltrafastPED]

Basically, I need to stick and object that is thrown to another stationary object. But the object thrown needs to be able to be taken off.

You can look at classic carnival games; I think these cover the entire spectrum of possibilities!

But your requirement that "things" only stick when you hit the correct target with the corresponding missile would seem to be impossible ... darts stick to dartboards, magnets stick to magnets, and velcro sticks to velcro.

 

[TumblingDice]

By this do you mean I can just put a fair amount of glue on one side of a disk magnet and then that side will be virtually non - existent (in terms of polarity).

No, I meant that you could use glue to afix one side of a disk magnet to the inside of your object. Feeling a wee bit responsible for this suggestion, I just did an easy test of what I had in mind. You were right about requiring very strong magnets - I withdraw my suggestion. But I'll review it - what didn't work:

REAL-LIFE TEST:
I have some disk magnets about the size of an American quarter. They were originally embedded in fancy boxes from the Apple store that opened/closed tightly like a book. I rolled up a sock and slid one of the magnets inside so it was only behind one layer of material. I then used a piece of duct tape to afix another magnet to a wall, with the proper polarity facing outwards. Simple and easy to test, and everything worked very well... ...as long as you throw from very, VERY close. The magnets I thought were a good idea are not anywhere NEAR strong enough to 'catch' a normal throw.

On another note, I've been thinking about you mentioning it's amazing there weren't more stick-together options. And that's led me to wonder further, is there any good lesson for kids to learn from this type of game? Is there a concept it's meant to help teach?