Popsicle Stick Bridge Links
Here is a collection of the best of the web on Popsicle Stick Bridges. Digital Structures – Popsicle Bridges Building a Popsicle-Stick Bridge (Web Archive)
Garrett Boon
Basic Arch Popsicle Stick Bridge
This is a very simple yet elegant looking bridge that I built over Christmas break. This bridge spanned 16 inches and was made from 48 popsicle sticks. It held 75 pounds, which was right at what I was expecting.
Truss Series: Howe Truss
The Howe Truss was designed by William Howe in 1840. It used mostly wood in construction and was suitable for longer spans than the Pratt truss. Therefore, it became very popular and was considered one of the best designs for railroad bridges back in the day. Many Howe truss bridges exist in the North West United States, where wood is plentiful.
How to Build a Popsicle Stick Bridge
Building popsicle stick bridges is one of my favorite activities to do in my spare time. I have built many popsicle bridges over the years, and love coming up with new designs. A huge focus of my bridges is designing blueprints that are easy to build and structurally sound at the same time. You can purchase many of my plans and blueprints in my store.
Truss Series: Pratt Truss
The Pratt Truss was designed by Thomas and Caleb Pratt in 1844. It became popular for railway bridges because it was able to have long spans. The Pratt has many variations, most with their own unique name. For instance, the Baltimore, Pennsylvania, and the Parker are all based off the Pratt.
Truss Series: Warren Truss
The Warren Truss was patented by James Warren in 1848. It has been around a while. It is one of the most popular bridge designs and examples of it can be found everywhere. The Warren Truss uses equilateral triangles to spread out the loads on the bridge. This is opposed to the Neville…
Short Howe Truss Popsicle Bridge
I built this popsicle stick bridge to complete my short popsicle bridge series. This bridge uses the Howe Truss design. Previous to this I had built bridges using the Pratt and Warren trusses. This bridge was 13.5 inches long and used 50 popsicle sticks. It ended up holding 117 pounds before failing.
Balsa Wood Bridge Statics Project
I like this video because it is very systematic and well documented. The video shows a Balsa wood bridge built for a statics project. The bridge ended up with an efficiency score of 514.
How to Build a Model Bridge
Building a model bridge is one of the most rewarding hobbies I have done in my entire life . I have learned a ton about working with wood and tools. I have also learned the basics in bridge engineering, and have a greater appreciation for real bridges. Model bridge building has also given me a originative outlet that I can share with others. Not only does it give me something fun to do, I can show off my creations and attest to their abilities.
Cyanoacrylate Glue
CA Glue (aka Cyanoacrylate) could revolutionize the way you build models. CA glue takes away the wait time for glue to set. No longer wait 30 minutes, or even 4 hours for the glue to harden up enough to move on in the building process. Instead, CA glue allows you to instantly bond two surfaces together. However, CA has disadvantages as well, including health concerns. Read on through this entire article before making your decision to use CA glue.