Day 4: The End of the Beginning

It's a Beautiful Day

Hello bloggers of the internet! Welcome back to more building of the Truss Bridge. As the title of this section implies, today was, not only beautiful, but magnificent! Today marked the end of our perilous bridge building as we took both of the sides of bridge and merged them together into one huge unifying bridge structure! To get a better picture of what it is supposed to look like, take a peek down below!

The End is Nigh

Before we started to combine the bridges we needed a few more materials to combine both bridges. We were told that we were to need four 10 cm tubes. Scavenging through the rubble of our manila folder, to our despair we were not able to find a tube piece leftover that was a suitable length. But this will not take us down! For we used the strategy stated earlier and made two more 30 cm tubes. With these new tubes, we measured each down into 3 10 cm tubes. After that, we measured 5 mm from the edge of each and then cut on the corners. They turned out looking like the two below!

Using the diagram shown above, we were able to deduce how and where to put on the tubes. With a steady grip on the glue, we glued the very first tube onto a corner triangle gusset by placing the glue on the flaps and then placing on flap on the edge and the other three on the gusset. 

We continued the same process for the other corner's gusset. To glue on the gusset in the bottom center, we simply placed all four flaps on the area of the gusset. Finally, to get the top tube glued on, we placed the tube in a diamond shape on the gusset with two flaps on the edge and the other two on the area of the gusset. Taking the second side, we glued all four on at once using the same method for each corresponding gusset and tube.

Top view of both sides combined.

 Side view of both sides combined.

Now, you may be asking yourself, have they done it? Have they finally reached the end of this treacherous journey?! Sadly, no. There is still one more hill to climb before the end is reached. But this hill is small, so it won't be a difficult trek. Using the leftover pieces from the 4 mm strips, we created a cross shape on the bridge on the side by gluing each end onto the bridge. This will help give the bridge more stability and strength.

The crosses on one side of the bridge.

Using the same method, we also completed the second side with the cross.

The. End.

And now, my friends, is when we can finally take our sigh of relief. The journey is over. We've reached the end of the road. The only thing standing between us now is the test of our bridge's might and strength. But as for the bridge building, we have done it! With our trusty building supplies and wits, we were able to take a manila folder and turn it into a powerful bridge that can hopefully hold 5 kg of mass! Tomorrow we will post the results, but as for now, this is goodbye. Stay tuned tomorrow for the results! You know you want to... 

The completed bridge.