User:Natebeger/enes100/My Work P2

Bridges: Team Page

Write problem/project Goal
To design and create a sturdy spaghetti arch.

My First Task
I am going to look online and develop design ideas for the arch.

Summary of actual work over first weekend
I looked online and searched for spaghetti arches. Most arches online had limitations on the structure from how many noodles to how much paste is used. I then looked online at arch bridges and their designs.

Week1 Narrative

 * I started searching online for spaghetti arches and most search results had building restrictions on their projects. So far the only project limitations we have are the arch. I continued with the online search to find complaints about curved noodles being weaker after the curving process. I came to the realization that the strength does not have be reliant on just the curve. I searched online for bridges with arches to gather ideas. I looked at the red cliff arch bridge that has a road on top instead of the bottom. The I looked at the Dunn's Bridge in porter county and has the road at the bottom of the arch. http://www.historicbridges.org/indiana/dunns/. It connects to an identical arch. It has multiple support beams between the curved top and bottom. Maybe a good starting point with the spahgetti bridge.

My Second Task

 * Try different noodle types or modify noodles to see which would be sturdiest for the arch.

Summary of actual work over second weekend

 * I tested different noodle types and came to the conclusion that maybe ziti noodles are not the best option but penne noodles are.

Week2 Narrative

 * I started off by looking at the pictures of the current spaghetti bridge winner. I couldn't tell what type of noodle they were using. So I set off by trying different type of noodles around the arch of a wooden table. The arch from appearance appears to be similar to the one used in class. I started with regular spaghetti noodles but they couldn't be bent around the arch without breaking. Tried lasagna noodle sheets but had the same result of breakage. Went to the noodle type (ziti) we experimented with in class. The noodle is sturdy and doesn't need to be bent due to it's size. However, when it comes to gluing the noodles together, the noodles are not flushed with each other. This allows the noodle to be easily separated from each other. I decide to try an file down each end of the noodle to fit the arch perfectly. This took a bit of time with a regular nail file and some of the noodles would crack and break when using a knife. Next I tried Penne noodles, they are just as strong as ziti noodles but they come with staggered cuts all ready in them. Penne Connection.jpg
 * These noodles do not fit the form of the arch perfectly but they have more of a contact surface area making them stronger when glued than the ziti noodles.

My Third task

 * I am going to design a box that a noodle can be placed in. Which will allow each noodle to be filed down to the exact angle each time.

Summary of actual work over third weekend

 * I created several designs for the box and attempted to construct but will have to finish in class.

Week3 Narrative

 * I started with creating a design that would be used for a single noodle. The box design will have a metal face so that the electric powered file wont degrade the box and will let it be used over an over again. The sides will be wooden so they can be cut easily to fit the degree. SKetch.jpg side block will be cut to 1.5" and the sides will have a 4.3 degree cut for the metal face to lay on. The bottom piece of wood is measured out to be a bit longer than a 1.5". The design requires a back and a middle piece with an identical hole in the front for the noodle to sit. There is no top to the box so that the user can hold onto the noodle while it is being grind ed down. I started to build the box with wood, sheet metal and glue. I tried sawing the wood with a saw but the saw broke. I used a knife but the would chipped. I decided to make all the measurement at home and all the cuts at school.

My Fourth task

 * Create new designs that would incorporate the filed down noodles and construct the box"

Summary of actual work over fourth weekend

 * I came with ideas of the arch designs that would solve the issue of sturdiness and will allow for it stand up on it's own. I also constructed the box and tested several noodles.

Week4 Narrative

 * With one arch structure it is very weak and cannot stand up on is own. I went to the next idea of connecting two arches side by side but will have the same issue of the arch falling over. I went to the next idea of connecting the arches together with joiner noodles. However, I was thinking of how the joiner noodles would have gaps between the ends of the noodle and the side walls of the noodle (will not increase strength). Making the joiner noodles not stable and adding extra additional weight. Joiners are needed to make the structure stand up by relying on each other. There only needs to be a few joiners to connect the arches together. The final design will have four arches, two of which are connected side by side. Next thing I did was finish creating the box according to the design. I cut the side wooden pieces to 4 degrees. Then glued the sides to the base. Added a rear piece and center piece. I drilled a hole in the metal piece that went though the center piece. I then used the grinder to grind down several noodles. After several test I was unable to tell if the noodles were cut that degree.

Complete Team Page
Fill out the Team Form (should have already copied the form, created the team page, linked to it and started filling it out).