RSSBridge Building Instructions
Use triangles - they are an engineer's best friend when building bridges. Use a lot of popsicle sticks - sheer mass can perform very well. One team plugged in an iron, turned it upside-down, made a little pot out of aluminum foil and then melted glue in it so that they had a pot of glue that they could dip things in. In my competition, I set a time limit and so it was very important that teams be able to work together and develop a plan so that they could build their bridge in time.
Watch the video and make sure to download the pdf to get all the juicy details on how to make your own popsicle stick bridge Or subscribe in itunes and it will be downloaded automatically for you! - PDF Link
Posted by Bre Pettis |
Dec 22, 2006 10:00 PM
MAKE PDF, MAKE Podcast, Weekend Projects |
Permalink
| Comments (1)
Recent Entries
- HOW TO - build a water mortar
- Jake's steamcar project, dashboard redo
- Build your own water quality tester
- MAKE @ Yahoo! Buzz
- Made in Japan Vol. 3
- Super Breakout version allows for competitive or collaborative gaming
- How DIYers just might revive American innovation
- Light-Field camera makes blurry images a thing of the past
- Make a pizza box solar oven
- DIY Security system calls your phone
Comments
Oldest comments listed first.
In my engineering Statics class in college, we had to construct a bridge out of paper/cardboard, white glue, and paint. The weigth, length, width, height, and size of center gap (at least x high in the middle and y wide at between the outside supports) limits were given (I don't remember them off hand, but I'll measure my bridge).
The bridges were then tested to destruction on a hydraulic press by applying pressure to a 1" square in the center of the span.
Grades/awards were given for most weight held, highest weight held to bridge weight ratio, and aesthetics. I built mine out of thick art board by making triangular girders glued to flat supports. It held 212 lbs before deforming and ranked in the top 10 on weight ratios and won "most aesthetic". The winners on weight took cardboard and glued sheets together to make plywood, cut the bridges out with bandsaws, and drilled holes to get the weight down. They were much heavier than mine, but under the limit, and some of them held around 1,000 lbs.
I've still got my bridge - I'll try to post some pictures to the Make group this weekend.
Subscribe to MAKE Magazine!
Subscribe today, save 42% and get web access to MAKE free. MAKE Digital Edition is available only to subscribers.
$34.95 / 1 year
(4 Quarterly Issues)
Features and more @ MAKE!
MAKE @ The NYC Toy Fair 2008 - Covering DIY!HOW TO - Build the arms of assistance.
MADE in Japan - Part I.
MADE in Japan - Part II.
MADE in Japan - Part III.
Make store - Blinky bug kit - Blink!
Make store - Loud Objects Noise Toy Kit
Makers - MAKE Flickr pool contest. Win cool stuff!
Makers - Join the MAKE Facebook page - Meet other makers.
MAKE on Twitter - Tweet! Tweet!
What you're reading in MAKE - Data!
Add MAKE to your RSS reader - Real simple.
Why advertise on MAKE?
Read what folks are saying about us!
Click here to advertise on MAKE!
Phillip Torrone
Senior Editor
Tel: 707-827-7311
Gareth Branwyn
Robot Maker
Jonah Brucker-Cohen
Researcher
Natalie Zee Drieu
Senior Editor
CRAFT
Becky Stern
Culture jammer
Collin Cunningham
Sound Maker
Marc de Vinck
CNC Maker
Current Podcast
AHAB High Altitude Ballooning - Best of Weekend Projects
mp4|mov|hd|3gp|3g2|itunes This week on Best of Weekend Projects, we look back at part two of the AHAB (High Altitude Balloon Adventure). In this epic Bre & Co. travel to Eastern Washington to launch a GPS and camera enabled balloon...
More...
