tower tips for a first timer

tcm1234
Member
Member
Posts: 3
Joined: December 23rd, 2011, 8:30 am
Division: B
State: NC
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 0

tower tips for a first timer

Post by tcm1234 »

i need help from someone who has done towers before! its my first time :mrgreen:
Schrodingerscat
Administrator
Administrator
Posts: 413
Joined: March 2nd, 2011, 7:10 pm
Division: Grad
State: KS
Pronouns: He/Him/His
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 24 times

Re: tower tips for a first timer

Post by Schrodingerscat »

I have never done towers (and it is very likely that I never will), but I would suggest that you start by reading the other threads about towers in this forum. You can also read last year's tower forum and the wiki, but be sure to read it with a grain of salt as to new rule changes that might apply (As of this post, the last update for the wiki was before the release of this years rules). My final suggestion is that after you read all of this material, you return and ask specific questions. You will be far more likely to get help from other people if you ask a question about something in particular, rather than the general event.
User avatar
SirBobo
Member
Member
Posts: 87
Joined: October 24th, 2011, 8:17 pm
Division: B
State: CA
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 0

Re: tower tips for a first timer

Post by SirBobo »

I would
1. Find out the lightest and strongest wood there is.
2. Look at other works to get an idea
3. Plan your tower
4. Make your tower
5. Test your tower
6. Find the flaws
7. Remake and retest
8. Repeat step 7 until satisfied
9. Good Luck
ITS ALWAYS HARD THE FIRST FEW TIMES!
I am SirBobo and I approve this message

"Insert meaningful quote here"

Image Image
jjnv
Member
Member
Posts: 10
Joined: December 5th, 2010, 2:26 pm
Division: B
State: VA
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 0

Re: tower tips for a first timer

Post by jjnv »

Our students built their first tower for an invitational this weekend. The tower is not perfectly level. Therefore the chain might be touching the base of the chimney. Will they get disqualified for "9. Clearance to fit Loading Block and chain"?

Thanks a lot for clarification.
User avatar
sj
Member
Member
Posts: 191
Joined: March 12th, 2009, 7:37 am
Division: C
State: NJ
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 0

Re: tower tips for a first timer

Post by sj »

If the chain is obviously leaning on the tower I believe that this will result in a disqualification though it has never happend to me personally....
2011 Nationals Results : Sumo Bots 2nd, Helicopters 4rd, Mission Possible 4th, Towers, 9th
WWP SOUTH 3rd At NATS!!!!!

2012 Events: Robot Arm, Towers, Gravity Vehicle
Balsa Man
Coach
Coach
Posts: 1318
Joined: November 13th, 2008, 3:01 am
Division: C
State: CO
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 3 times

Re: tower tips for a first timer

Post by Balsa Man »

jjnv wrote:Our students built their first tower for an invitational this weekend. The tower is not perfectly level. Therefore the chain might be touching the base of the chimney. Will they get disqualified for "9. Clearance to fit Loading Block and chain"?

Thanks a lot for clarification.
There is nothing in the rules that says contact of chain to tower either gets you (before testing) put in something other than Tier 1, or (during testing) says you have to stop loading. There was in the past (had to stop loading. Now, that doesn't mean every Event Supervisor will go with the rules as written.

More importantly, if you have enough lean - if the tower is not "true"/ is asymmetrical enough that you're getting the touch you describe, you have major problems and are not going to do very well; if the tower is strong enough to carry any significant load with enough lean to get the chain touching, it will be uncompetitively heavy; if it is at a competitive weight, it will carry very little load with that amount of lean. There is lots of good discussion in past posts on a) the importance of precise construction, and b) how to get the precision you need; worth your time to review.
Len Joeris
Fort Collins, CO
sciencegeek8
Member
Member
Posts: 10
Joined: January 8th, 2012, 3:32 pm
Division: C
State: DE
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 0

Re: tower tips for a first timer

Post by sciencegeek8 »

Me and my amazing partner :) are new at tower building. We are not sure what degree angle our tower should be at in the 30 cm base section that connects to the top "chimmney". Does anyone have any pointers?
Example of response: 45 degrees is stronger than 60 degrees... anything like that.
sciencegeek8
Member
Member
Posts: 10
Joined: January 8th, 2012, 3:32 pm
Division: C
State: DE
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 0

Re: tower tips for a first timer

Post by sciencegeek8 »

Is it detrimental to the tower if we turn it 90 degrees above the tower base hole thing. Would it focus all the weight onto those four points, making it collapse more easily?
sciencegeek8
Member
Member
Posts: 10
Joined: January 8th, 2012, 3:32 pm
Division: C
State: DE
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 0

Re: tower tips for a first timer

Post by sciencegeek8 »

If we were to have a 15 cm "chimmney", would 5 cross sectional supports be too much and would 3 cross sectional supports not be enough? PLEASE HELP US!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! or what you know :)
User avatar
lucwilder42
Member
Member
Posts: 114
Joined: March 30th, 2010, 10:01 am
Division: Grad
State: MI
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 0

Re: tower tips for a first timer

Post by lucwilder42 »

First, read the towers wiki page, then look through the image gallery. If that doesn't provide what you're looking for, read through the towers threads on the forum.
I'm just here to build bridges
Locked

Return to “Towers B/C”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 4 guests