Probably the question I get asked the most is “What bridge design holds the most weight?” or “What bridge design is the strongest?”
The answer to that question is not simple and probably is not going to be what you expect. The truth is, I cannot answer the question. There are too many variables that are not being defined.
This ebook, 5 Steps to Building a Model Bridge, answers the most common questions people have about building bridges. In the ebook I outline the steps of building a model bridge, and then walk people through the actual construction of a bridge. The ebook contains many photos and illustrations, as well as 25 bonus tips.
Objective: To build a boomilever with the greatest efficiency. There are two basic types of boomilevers. First is the tension boomilever, where the tension chord is longer than the compression chord. Second there is the compression boomilever, which is the opposite of the tension. It is generally accepted that the tension…
Lateral what, you ask? If you don’t know what this is, you aren’t alone. In fact, it took me quite a while to understand how important lateral bracing is to the success of a model bridge, especially when striving for high strength or efficiency. Definition of lateral bracing Lateral bracing is the term we use to … Read more
Today I found out what exactly a pony truss is. I had heard the term before, but never understood what it meant. In fact, it is quite simple. A pony truss is a truss bridge which allows traffic through the truss, but the top of the bridge is not joined together with cross braces. Example … Read more
All the time I am asked “How tall should I make my bridge?” This article will attempt to answer this question by illustrating a principle in model bridge building. There is no cut and dry answer, as you should evaluate your bridge specifications and guidelines and conduct experiments to reach the best answer for you. … Read more
If you have visited my Projects page, you probably have seen the Fernbank Bridge. It is coming up on a year since I built that bridge. Original Fernbank Bridge Which means, it is about time to build a sequel. Unfortunately, the date for the Atlanta Toothpick Bridge Competition (where I test the Fernbank Bridge) and … Read more
1. Humidity affects the weight of your bridge. Keep your bridge in a closed container with a few grains of rice. or some silica gel packets. 2. Go easy with the glue bottle. As a general rule of thumb, if you can see it then you are using too much. 3. Keep your hands clean! … Read more
An L-beam is more efficient than a square the same width. It is not going to hold as much, but it is going to be more efficient. An L-beam is also more efficient than a square with the same mass of wood. Of course, you have to count in the glue weight for an L-beam.Balsa, … Read more
Bridges must be able to withstand several types of forces. The two most common to model bridges are compression and tension, pushing and pulling respectively. The other two are torsion (twisting) and shear. Learn what these forces mean so that you can build a better model bridge.