Have you ever been to a coaching session where you've used multifeed drills and are tired, then have to pick up about 50 shuttles on court Tennis has a cool ball pick up device (see attached) which I think we should have for shuttles (although might be a little difficult to design). Or when you are the multifeeder, it can be difficult to hold more than 10 shuttles to feed the other person. It would be cool if we could have a device to hook on to a belt which would store about 40 shuttles making it easier for the person to feed. Or even a shuttle launching machine like tennis ball machines! I know it'll probably be difficult considering the only way to launch a shuttle with speed would be actually hitting it at the cork. There's too much money in Tennis, that's why all this R&D into developing the sport. Come on engineering BC'ers, get your thinking hats on and pioneer something similar!
There already is a shuttle feeder / launching machine in the market. http://www.badmintoncentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=8989
There was a back-mounted shuttle holder tube advertised a while back in the BE Badminton magazine. Personally I don't see the need. Although I can hold 30 shuttles, I'm more comfortable with 15. That way I can concentrate on observing my player(s) at the same time. If I'm holding 30 shuttles, I'll tend to get distracted trying to keep the huge shuttle snake from falling out my arms. If I want to prepare for a long multifeed, I just put several lines of shuttles on the floor (or bring a table on court and put them there). If you do want to hold 30 shuttles, there are two tricks to make it work: Snake the shuttles in a curve, cradled by your arm. Add an outwards kink in the middle of the curve to make space for all those shuttles. Watch out for the moment when you've used about half of them, and the top part flops out and fall over. You'll have to shift your weight or give them a quick nudge to prevent this. That last part is really fiddly. I just don't find it worth the added difficulty. There's also the "Knight Trainer" from Black Knight: http://youtube.com/watch?v=PL7KtT77Lv4&feature=related http://youtube.com/watch?v=6sSZ8kwuhY8
In my local gym, we use the giant size mop to push all the shuttles to the wall side or corner. Now, instead of picking up each one individually, you can use the empty box to "scoop" the piles of shuttles. Of course, if you gym is really dirty (i.e. a long of hairs, etc), then good luck...
i think it is not a joke but in fact probably the best solutions for picking up shuttles. shuttles are light, fragile, and numerous. what's more suitable than using air to suck them up? any mechanical action to grab them will likely damage them.
yea i didn't intend it to be a joke. just that last sentence. haha. the down side is it could be loud. it's for those who has TOO many birds in the gym. up to 50 birds is nothing. just use big broom.
