PICTURES, SCORES, VIDEOS!!!

[cheese]

Tested a tower today. Not going to give much detail, but 8390g + 5000g bonus / 5.44g = 2461.4 efficiency, not bad for the first tower this year. I used all X's, 1/8" legs, and 1/16 x 1/32 braces.

B im guessing?

yup

[Random Human]

This year it seems that the mid range will be much more competitive for the bonues. I expect the average score at fairly competitive invites to be around 1500- 2000. 2k will be much easier to hit this year. However, once you get into the 3k range it will be much lower score. Last year someone hit 3800, I think the winning score will be around that. Hitting to the 2500 range gets a bit more tough. But those who go above will face less competition. In the middle there will be fierce competition, once "rare" scores of 2k will be all over this year. I give anything above 3200 will medal at nats. (this is all for b)

[cheese]

2180.12 competition tower: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ziyevg ... sp=sharing

[Unome]

2180.12 competition tower: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ziyevg ... sp=sharing

Per the video, this must be at Boyceville, with (presumably) Marconnet et al running it. It also looks like you finished in first place.

[cheese]

2180.12 competition tower: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ziyevg ... sp=sharing

Per the video, this must be at Boyceville, with (presumably) Marconnet et al running it. It also looks like you finished in first place.

Correct.

[Dohnnovan]

Mira Loma Invitational
Tower score - 1574
Placing, TBD

[Dohnnovan]

Mira Loma Invitational
Tower score - 1574
Placing, TBD

3rd place:P

[cheese]

1960.13 Gopher invitational. First place.

[dhdarren]

Here's a photo of a tower that WOULD have been for the Kenston Invitational today -- unfortunately, really bad weather hit (very icy roads), and our school administrators cancelled us. It held 12.75 kg and weighed 9.53g, giving it a score of 1863 (17,750/9.53), including the bonus. Design was all 1/8 x 1/8 for the legs, 1/16 x 1/16 for all the x's, and a sanded-down basswood strip on the very bottom.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/H2S3oMxNcU6gnVOh2
Also, anybody know how to post the photo directly on here? Bc honestly, idk how many years this link will stay here before i end up removing it from my Google Photos.

For my next tower, I'm planning to transition to 1/16 x 1/32, as widely suggested by the main Towers forum post, but I'm a bit unsure as to how to get these strips of wood. How do you ensure that you strip them consistently, and since these strips are very thin, are you supposed to go for a denser sheet of wood? Thanks for any help!

[Balsa Man]

Here's a photo of a tower that WOULD have been for the Kenston Invitational today -- unfortunately, really bad weather hit (very icy roads), and our school administrators cancelled us. It held 12.75 kg and weighed 9.53g, giving it a score of 1863 (17,750/9.53), including the bonus. Design was all 1/8 x 1/8 for the legs, 1/16 x 1/16 for all the x's, and a sanded-down basswood strip on the very bottom.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/H2S3oMxNcU6gnVOh2
Also, anybody know how to post the photo directly on here? Bc honestly, idk how many years this link will stay here before i end up removing it from my Google Photos.

For my next tower, I'm planning to transition to 1/16 x 1/32, as widely suggested by the main Towers forum post, but I'm a bit unsure as to how to get these strips of wood. How do you ensure that you strip them consistently, and since these strips are very thin, are you supposed to go for a denser sheet of wood? Thanks for any help!

That’s a good looking tower.

On transitioning to 1/16 x 1/32 Xs- per discussions in the Towers (and a couple of other) threads, yes, the density of the 1/16 x 1/32 Xs will need to be substantially higher than that of 1/16 x 1/16. Higher density gets you higher strength.
Because of the length of the lower X sets in the base (and the way length affects buckling strength- that inverse square relationship), they’ll need to be from pretty high density wood, and you might want to play with center stiffening strips – pieces of the same material as the strips laminated on the center of the X strips – on the order of 2-3cm long on the bottom Xs, 1 ½ to 2cm on the next set up. One on the inside/backside, one on the outside/front side,

As you go up the tower and X lengths get shorter, density can be lower. A reasonable starting point for densities – 8, 9, maybe even up to 10gr 3 x 36 x 1/32 sheets at the bottom, maybe down to 7-8gr in upper base, and 6-ish grams in the chimney.
Cutting these strips, you just have to be careful and patient. Cut your sheets into pieces that are just a bit longer than you want the strips (length when in-place on the tower + a couple of centimeters on the ends for easy handling. For a C tower, we’re using 25cm (lower base), 18cm upper base, 12cm chimney. Masking tape along the ends of these sheet segments. Use a good metal straightedge/ruler for cutting. Use a….setup guide, 1/16” thick (could be a piece of 1/16” thick balsa or bass, or plastic, or metal). Position your cutting straightedge/ruler back about 1/16” back from the edge of the sheet you’re stripping from. Put the 16” thick guide piece up against the straightedge/ruler. Move adjust the ruler till the edge of the sheet aligns nicely with edge of 1/16” guide strip. Push down on the ruler with spread apart fingers, flick the 1/16 guide strip out of the way. Keeping pressure on the ruler so it doesn’t move, use razor blade to cut. Don’t try to make the cut in one pass- 2, 3, 4 light pressure passes.

On being able to post pics (and other things) as attachments). We used to be able to do that. For some reason, they changed things so you no longer can. Supposedly someone was working on restoring that functionality. I have no idea why that hasn’t been done. I’d like very much to see it return….