physics project...building a tower

[HaxorNubcake]

I have a physics project that's something like this: http://www.msoe.edu/ae/ASCEregionals/downloads/rules-balsa_tower.pdf

Have any of you guys had any experience or successful designs with something like that?
any help is appreciated.

 

[Buttzilla]

i thought it was gonna be the glue and toothpick tower...now that was fun!

 

[xyion]

triangles.

 

[EvilYoda]

and circles.

 

[HaxorNubcake]

Originally posted by: Buttzilla
i thought it was gonna be the glue and toothpick tower...now that was fun!

it essentially is...except with balsa wood
or at least i think.

 

[MikeMike]

how much can it weigh?

take the balsa wood,
1.turn it into I-beams,
2.and lots of triangles. with a good base
3.....
4: profit

MIKE

 

[HaxorNubcake]

Originally posted by: nourdmrolNMT1
how much can it weigh?

take the balsa wood,
1.turn it into I-beams,
2.and lots of triangles. with a good base
3.....
4: profit

MIKE

what are I beams? 🙁. i know... i'm incompetent.

 

[crab]

Triangles! Three sided.

 

[MikeMike]

dear god...

they look like an I

go look for a large metal beam in a house, its an I beam

butyou will have to cut one of the things of balsa in half to make it work

MIKE

 

[Googer]

Originally posted by: crab
Triangles! Three sided.

I beams are beams when sliced in to a cross section have the shape of the capitol letter I

http://www.members.aol.com/jirip/Cofea/ibeam.gif

http://www.firstclassstructures.com/ibeam.gif

http://www.firstclassstructures.com/example.html

Also Lamante your wood by glueing multiple pieces together as stated in the rules

Laminating wood members together is allowed by the student (i.e. bonding wood
layers together). However, commercially laminated wood is not allowed. Each
laminated member cross-section cannot exceed ½? x ½

 

[BlueWeasel]

Actually, they are no longer referred to as I-beams, even though they do resemble the letter I. The current designation is Wide Flange (or S-shapes). For example, a W8x15 is a wide flange beam that is approimately 8" deep and weighs 15 pounds per foot.

That's your structural engineering lesson for today and I'm also a member of ASCE. 🙂

 

[Goosemaster]

STATICS

 

[Indolent]

hey, that's my school! I'm not an AE though, didn't do the competition.

 

[BadNewsBears]

use contact cement o laminate the wood and use pressure 45 lb plates work excellente

 

[HomeBrewerDude]

can you use kittens in your final design?