Author Topic: Toothpick Bridge (Read 14367 times)

Fullmetal_Steeb · « **on:** May 22, 2008, 01:57:40 PM »

We have to make a bridge out of toothpicks for an engineering class I'm taking. Does anyone know of a good site to visit to help, or can give me tips?

KnacK · « **Reply #1 on:** May 22, 2008, 02:02:38 PM »

http://www.toothpickdesign.com/

http://www.pisymphony.com/toothpick/toothpick1.htm

http://www.uen.org/utahlink/activities/view_activity.cgi?activity_id=7498

Google is your friend

TinMan · « **Reply #2 on:** May 22, 2008, 02:03:17 PM »

Toothpicks and what? Glue? String?
What's the size and weight limit?

Fullmetal_Steeb · « **Reply #3 on:** May 22, 2008, 03:23:45 PM »

Knack - too lazy to use google. this is my homepage, so i figured "hey theres alot of smart people on dp forums..." that was my first mistake...

tinman - toothpicks and wood glue. up to 1000 toothpicks, 12" x 3" minimum (length x width, no height requirement, no weight limit other than what is pretty much enforced by the number of toothpicks...)

wafflez205 · « **Reply #4 on:** May 22, 2008, 03:30:17 PM »

we had to do the same thing with popsicle sticks and glue. we only had 100 popsicle sticks. we have a cool program at our schhol called modelsmart. helps a lot

Garrett · « **Reply #5 on:** May 22, 2008, 04:27:55 PM »

I made a 5 story pop. stick house and set it on fiRE. Between the gasoline and the glue, the bonfire was sweet. Took me 4 years to build and over 5000 sticks.

y00tz · « **Reply #6 on:** May 22, 2008, 04:57:59 PM »

Quote from: Garrett on May 22, 2008, 04:27:55 PM

stick house and set it on first.

Call me cliche, but I think a house should be on home...

Justinph5 · « **Reply #7 on:** May 22, 2008, 05:07:53 PM »

I've had to build a bridge out a spaghetti and hot glue. Our bridge tied with how much it held, but was lighter than the other, so we won

We made sure not to use single pieces, but we glued everything in groups of 4 for all our supports. Also, if theres no weight limit or limit for glue, cake all the joints with a lot of extra glue....

I'll see if I have a picture, but it was from 5 years ago, lol

Garrett · « **Reply #8 on:** May 23, 2008, 12:13:49 PM »

Hehe, sorry y00tz. I meant to say fire.

nightryder · « **Reply #9 on:** May 24, 2008, 03:54:42 PM »

triangles are the strongest shape... unless u make a perfect sphere out of toothpicks

TinMan · « **Reply #10 on:** May 24, 2008, 04:13:26 PM »

Or an arc, which is why most bridges have them.

Fullmetal_Steeb · « **Reply #11 on:** May 24, 2008, 08:50:03 PM »

I drew the blueprint as a truss bridge with all off the trusses being equilateral triangles. It's pretty good looking.

Garrett · « **Reply #12 on:** May 24, 2008, 10:10:11 PM »

Quote from: Fullmetal_Steeb on May 24, 2008, 08:50:03 PM

I drew the blueprint as a truss bridge with all off the trusses being equilateral triangles. It's pretty good looking.

Truss bridges are the strong but an arc bridge is the strongest of all but is a pain in the butt to make.

y00tz · « **Reply #13 on:** May 24, 2008, 10:13:14 PM »

Fullmetal: Is this for a class competition, or just an assignment?

Fullmetal_Steeb · « **Reply #14 on:** May 24, 2008, 10:22:18 PM »

A little bit of both. There's bonus points for the top few strongest in the class.

wafflez205 · « **Reply #15 on:** May 26, 2008, 09:44:14 AM »

Quote from: Fullmetal_Steeb on May 24, 2008, 08:50:03 PM

I drew the blueprint as a truss bridge with all off the trusses being equilateral triangles. It's pretty good looking.

pics?

KnacK · « **Reply #16 on:** May 26, 2008, 11:07:48 AM »

Take a read here -> http://www.pisymphony.com/toothpick/toothpick1.htm
Great pointers.

Fullmetal_Steeb · « **Reply #17 on:** May 27, 2008, 01:45:31 PM »

Here's a pic of most of the blueprint. The end is cut off, but it's got all the measurements in the top corner. I suck at drawing, that's why it doesn't look very good.

wafflez205 · « **Reply #18 on:** May 27, 2008, 01:53:46 PM »

looks like it will be strong. do you have enough tooth picks to put a centre beam in all of the triangles instead of just every second one in the bottom row

Fullmetal_Steeb · « **Reply #19 on:** May 28, 2008, 01:44:35 PM »

I'm in the process of building it right now, and it does look like I'll have enough to do that. I'll post pics as I build.