How Fast Does an Air Hockey Puck Travel? Make it Faster!
Everyone likes more speed. If it is fast, they want you to or they will make it faster. This includes the air hockey game. Some people are not content with how fast the puck goes. They want to make it go faster.
How fast does an air hockey puck travel? We can say that if hit correctly, the air hockey puck travels at a blink of an eye. By blink of an eye, we mean that the top recorded speeds have reached up to 80 miles per hour.
The speed of an air hockey puck depends on more than just how hard you hit it with the paddle. Continue to read our article to find out the different factors involved with the speed of an air hockey puck.
Air Hockey Puck Speed 101
Average Speed of Air Hockey Puck
There are no speed records for air hockey pucks and since the professional leagues do not keep such records it is hard to estimate what the average speed would be. Yet with the high speeds, up to 80 mph, ice hockey pucks average speed depends on the player, their strength and table conditions.
There is a formula you can use to help figure out your average speed. All you have to measure the velocity of an air hockey puck is to fill in the following equation-- distance/time = average speed. If you can time your air hockey puck and know the distance then you will get the speed of the puck and how fast it travels on your game.
How to Make an Air Hockey Puck Go Faster?
There are several factors involved that influence the speed of an air hockey puck. It is not just about the weight of the puck and how hard you hit it with your paddle. Here are some of those factors that contribute to the speed or lack of speed of an air hockey puck:
- Size and weight of the puck - there are different sizes and weights of air hockey pucks and larger tables require larger and heavier pucks. These pucks may not travel as fast on a smaller table built for kids and to speed it up you need the right puck for the right table
- Air cushion - the amount of air coming out of all the holes in the floor of your air hockey game influences the speed of the puck. Too little air and your puck will move a lot slower. You need to make sure the air blower is pumping out air at the right rate
- A dirty table - will slow down an air hockey puck. To speed the puck up, you will need to clean the dirt and grit off the table’s surface. Dirt adds friction and more friction slows down the speed
- Clean clogged holes - to make your air hockey move faster you need to make sure that all the holes are free from any obstruction. This may be a time consuming chore but if you want more speed, then it has to be done
- Replace the puck - air hockey pucks wear out. When they do, that means they will not go as fast as they did before. Simply replace the puck for more speed
- Polish the table - any air hockey approved polish will help make the surface slicker. A slicker surface means less friction and more speed
- Spray silicone lubricant - silicone is known for making surfaces slicker and faster. You won’t need a lot but it will make the puck slide faster
Answering your questions
#1. Is there a difference between air hockey tables?
Yes there is a lot of differences between tables. Size is one main difference and the components used to make each table are not the same. Even a professional table is different from an arcade model.
#2. What puck size should I use for a 6 foot game?
You want a 2 1/2 inch diameter air hockey puck and it should weigh about 30 grams. This size will work on 5 foot tables as well. For 4 foot tables or smaller the puck size should be 1 4/5” diameter and weigh no more than 9 grams. The 7 and 8 foot tables require a 3 1/2 inch puck and weighs about 42 grams
Some Final Comments
Like ice hockey, air hockey pucks can travel at very high speeds. Of course you have to take care of your air hockey table to make sure friction does not slow your puck down.
Yet, it is more than speed that wins air hockey battles. Like all games, it takes skill to be a top winner.
