YouTuber manages to swing like Spider-Man with custom-made web shooters
Real-life superheroes seldom have the technology demonstrated in movies although they may not be lacking perseverance and grit. Using just those two virtues and some remarkable engineering, a South African YouTuber called JT who runs the Channel "Built IRL" managed to design and build web-shooters that almost let him swing like Spider-Man in real life. Here's how he did it.
JT has previously recreated a version of Batman's grappling gun. He has also tried the Spider-Man swinging idea at an internship but abandoned the project due to time constraints. Now he decided to take it up as his university thesis project (imagine defending that thesis!). Thankfully, the college accepted his proposed topic "investigating the possibility of Spider-Man swinging as a novel form of locomotion."
JT created the web shooter using a steel tube modified to contain pressurized propane in one half while the other half contains a modular polycarbonate tube housing the web. The web isn't exactly a web, though. It is a series of steel hooks on a strong cord that locks on itself when it is looped around objects. JT calls this the "hook chain."
When triggered using a small button, a short fuse sets off a custom-made spark plug that ignites the compressed propane. The polycarbonate cartridge with the hook chain is then shot out of the other end of the tube. The steel casing had an attached fabric handle that allowed JT to swing once the hook chain had secured itself around something.
The ingenious YouTuber also made a propane and air refueling system for the web shooters to save himself some time. He quickly discovered that using these web shooters was no child's play. So, he spent weeks at an indoor trampoline park practicing the swinging so he had a soft landing if things went wrong. This also allowed him to perfect the design.
After practicing, JT managed to complete two and a half swings and land on his feet, proving the point he set out to investigate with his thesis. While the project may have its inadequacies and ample room for improvement, the young man's perseverance to reiterate after failures and build something this novel is truly special.
