ATOT weekly Engineering and Creative Challenge WEEK 3 POLL UP

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: Crono

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
What other standardized materials are there that are easily accessible to almost everyone?

Index cards, if you specify size.
Toothpicks
Paper clips

I don't know about paperclips... I have 6 distinctly different versions of paperclips in my desk right now for example.
I guess that would require some specific measuring and specifying on type?

Index cards are probably pretty safe.

Toothpicks I'm not so sure about.

 

[Freshgeardude]

computer paper, besides the weight, they are all the same size.

scotch tape is more or less the same no matter what brand

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: Freshgeardude
computer paper, besides the weight, they are all the same size.

Doesn't the weight difference imply differences in structural properties?

 

[Freshgeardude]

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello

Originally posted by: Freshgeardude
computer paper, besides the weight, they are all the same size.

Doesn't the weight difference imply differences in structural properties?

well I think its a difference in thickness of the paper

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: Freshgeardude

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello

Originally posted by: Freshgeardude
computer paper, besides the weight, they are all the same size.

Doesn't the weight difference imply differences in structural properties?

well I think its a difference in thickness of the paper

Yes... and isn't that going to imply differences in how it's going to perform when we try to build things out of it?

 

[Freshgeardude]

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello

Originally posted by: Freshgeardude

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello

Originally posted by: Freshgeardude
computer paper, besides the weight, they are all the same size.

Doesn't the weight difference imply differences in structural properties?

well I think its a difference in thickness of the paper

Yes... and isn't that going to imply differences in how it's going to perform when we try to build things out of it?

ehh, well I guess if you want to be technical it will

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: Freshgeardude

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello

Originally posted by: Freshgeardude

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello

Originally posted by: Freshgeardude
computer paper, besides the weight, they are all the same size.

Doesn't the weight difference imply differences in structural properties?

well I think its a difference in thickness of the paper

Yes... and isn't that going to imply differences in how it's going to perform when we try to build things out of it?

ehh, well I guess if you want to be technical it will

Well let me put it this way...

At work I've been scanning documents for a couple years now.

Here's the first round of documents that I scanned by hand...
<a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="https://mywebspace.wisc.edu/spmclaughlin/web/Random/Example Folders.JPG">https://mywebspace.wisc.edu...lin/web/Random/Example Folders.JPG</a>
<a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="https://mywebspace.wisc.edu/spmclaughlin/web/Random/The Whole Lot.JPG">https://mywebspace.wisc.edu...aughlin/web/Random/The Whole Lot.JPG</a>

I've scanned over 5000 documents, some of which were over 200 pages long.

For all these documents, I've physically handled them and I know there's a LOT of variation in paper. I would not be surprised if two pieces of paper that look roughly the same in photographs were actually vastly different in strength.

We can absolutely include different materials that are less standard, but I think we should make an effort to get them as close as possible.

If we include printer paper, I believe we should at least have a "Paper Weight" requirement. I don't know off hand what is most common, but it would seem that 20lb or 24lb is pretty common?

I also realize that even the venerable Post-It note could suffer from the same issues. I certainly didn't specify "3M brand" Post-Its or what specific item number from 3M. In the last competitions we might have had major differences in paper strength, "sticky strip" amount, "sticky strip" effectiveness, etc.

Even pennies have a great deal of variation to them. As I found out in the stacking, the pre-1982 pennies are remarkably uniform while the post-1982 pennies are far more irregular.

 

[The Boston Dangler]

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello

Originally posted by: Freshgeardude
enough with post-it notes, lets move on to something else (the comp paper and tape tower for instance) and maybe go back to post it notes in a few weeks

I've been pleased with Post-It notes for being ubiquitous and standardized.

If we move on to other materials, I would like to keep a high level of standardization of the equipment so it comes down to actual engineering vs. material differences.

If we did do another type of paper, I don't know if we can pick something that has those qualities.

What about newspaper? Is that standardized enough?
Pages out of a phone book?

Even something like paperclips could have a lot of variety.

What other standardized materials are there that are easily accessible to almost everyone?

i too am pleased with the post-in notes. in addition to ubiquity and standardization, they are very cheap and very effective as building material. importantly, the challenge formulae are easy to control with limits on small, standard pieces like PIN and pennies. to put it another way, if we have do a 1 8.5x11" + tape tower, we would need cathedrals to build them in.

Originally posted by: Crono

Index cards, if you specify size.
Toothpicks
Paper clips

index cards - safe
toothpicks - safe, with a description of appropriate toothpicks in the rules
paper clips - very tricky

plastic straws have tons of variety, but i think bendy straws (not crazy straws) seem pretty consistant.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

I thought of straws as well. I considered that maybe we could do something like "McDonald's straws". I'm actually not sure if that would provide consistency, but I imagine that it might.

Bendy straws are probably pretty safe as well.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

1.25 hours until I declare the winners.

If you don't want to see me win the creative challenge and you like Megan Fox, then vote for freshgeardude

If I win the creative challenge, I'd like to combine a couple of the previous ideas...
sao123's idea of creating artwork from old technology parts
and
creating a mascot for ATOT

Since I'm not sure if everyone has access to a lot of used "technology" parts, I think I'd like to make it a more general requirement. At least one object used to create the artwork must be "computer related". I don't have a good definition for this, but if you're unsure about whether it would count, post in here and ask. I guess I'll be the judge of that.
Some wikipedia articles about different forms of artwork related to this...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multimedia_artist
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Found_object

So basically, create an ATOT mascot using primarily found objects. At least one of those found objects must be "computer related". You can modify any of these found objects to your heart's desire including by the use of any traditional artist's methods (painting, drawing, etc.)

I think it would be cool if each submission included a list of found objects that are included in the piece of artwork.

Anyone have any thoughts about this over the next hour and 15 minutes?

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Week 3 challenges posted.

Let me know if anything isn't clear or needs revision.

 

[Freshgeardude]

damn it I didnt win

I noticed on your system, it doesnt easily show who won the weekly challenges.

Maybe you could make a little system like

Creative Engineer
Week1- yoyo yoyo
Week2- yoyo yoyo

(those arent the actual winners for them all)

but you see what I mean? just make a simple way to keep tally

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: Freshgeardude
damn it I didnt win

I noticed on your system, it doesnt easily show who won the weekly challenges.

Maybe you could make a little system like

Creative Engineer
Week1- yoyo yoyo
Week2- yoyo yoyo

(those arent the actual winners for them all)

but you see what I mean? just make a simple way to keep tally

Yeah, I had it in there, but poorly implemented.

I now have a past winners section.

Oh, and make sure you win the engineering challenge this week Freshgeardude, that way you can make the following week Post-It Note free

 

[crt1530]

Nice thread. Just FYI, there is a significant difference in mass of pre and post 1982 pennies.
http://hypertextbook.com/facts...MillicentOkereke.shtml

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: crt1530
Nice thread. Just FYI, there is a significant difference in mass of pre and post 1982 pennies.
http://hypertextbook.com/facts...MillicentOkereke.shtml

Indeed

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
Hmmm....

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_..._does_a_US_penny_weigh

I knew the composition of pennies has changed over the years, but I didn't know it was going to affect it that much (3.11 grams vs. 2.5 grams per penny).

Assuming an average of 2.8 grams per penny, that means that 162 pennies is about a pound?

So 477 pennies is about 3 pounds worth
647 is about 4 pounds worth

I actually sorted my 3,212 pennies before starting my tower, but I ended up using them all anyway.

You can see where I ran out of post-1982 pennies in this shot
http://pics.bbzzdd.com/users/A...hallenge/YOengW2_5.jpg

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

I forgot that I actually had a reasonably good found object mascot that I made for my elementary education class.

Mr. Robot is made from the cardboard packaging materials for an AT&T DSL package, two phone line splitters, three old speakers crossover boards, and various paper.
http://pics.bbzzdd.com/users/Y...owsDAjello/MrRobot.JPG

 

[The Boston Dangler]

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
I forgot that I actually had a reasonably good found object mascot that I made for my elementary education class.

Mr. Robot is made from the cardboard packaging materials for an AT&T DSL package, two phone line splitters, three old speakers crossover boards, and various paper.
http://pics.bbzzdd.com/users/Y...owsDAjello/MrRobot.JPG

which one is mr. robot?

 

[DrPizza]

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
I forgot that I actually had a reasonably good found object mascot that I made for my elementary education class.

Mr. Robot is made from the cardboard packaging materials for an AT&T DSL package, two phone line splitters, three old speakers crossover boards, and various paper.
http://pics.bbzzdd.com/users/Y...owsDAjello/MrRobot.JPG

Awww, isn't he cute! I shall name him... Mini-yo-yo

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: The Boston Dangler

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
I forgot that I actually had a reasonably good found object mascot that I made for my elementary education class.

Mr. Robot is made from the cardboard packaging materials for an AT&T DSL package, two phone line splitters, three old speakers crossover boards, and various paper.
http://pics.bbzzdd.com/users/Y...owsDAjello/MrRobot.JPG

which one is mr. robot?

The good looking one.

 

[The Boston Dangler]

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello

Post-Its and Pennies can be anywhere in the design, but the measurement will be parallel to the floor from the edge of the table to the nearest edge of your penny

why is there a penny in the middle?

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: The Boston Dangler

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello

Post-Its and Pennies can be anywhere in the design, but the measurement will be parallel to the floor from the edge of the table to the nearest edge of your penny

why is there a penny in the middle?

That's to illustrate that you can put them anywhere if you want to.

Maybe there's the possibility of making a solid penny rod jutting out from the table? I don't know if that's a good idea (or even possible to construct), but I wanted to make clear that it's not against the rules. Pennies and Post-It Notes can be anywhere in the design as long as the only object they touch is the top surface of the table/desk or other Post-Its and Pennies.

 

[DrPizza]

Do the pennies have to remain in the shape of pennies? Can I melt down $5 worth & make some 12 gauge wire?

 

[The Boston Dangler]

Originally posted by: DrPizza
Do the pennies have to remain in the shape of pennies? Can I melt down $5 worth & make some 12 gauge wire?

i hope not, because that contradicts or circumvents the nature of what a penny is. i think post-it notes should be mutilated any way you desire, as long as nothing is added.

 

[Crono]

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
I forgot that I actually had a reasonably good found object mascot that I made for my elementary education class.

Mr. Robot is made from the cardboard packaging materials for an AT&T DSL package, two phone line splitters, three old speakers crossover boards, and various paper.
http://pics.bbzzdd.com/users/Y...owsDAjello/MrRobot.JPG

Domo arigato

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Sorry, I missed the "unmodified" pennies this week.

Pennies should be unmodified. Post-Its can be cut / folded to your desire (or I suppose any other physical process that does not add any other substances to the final configuration?)