Glue

[jayhawk101]

For me, my partner and I used Zap-a-Gap Glue. It worked perfectly! We almost won, but our tower was less than a cm too tall! I was so depressed.

[Littleboy]

I too use zap a gap as it is duarable

For me, my partner and I used Zap-a-Gap Glue. It worked perfectly! We almost won, but our tower was less than a cm too tall! I was so depressed.

Do you mean to short. There is no heigh limit.

[Freyssenet]

Hi experienced folks, this is my first time in the Tower competition. I was wondering is those Scotch reusable tabs (http://www.scotchbrand.com/wps/portal/3 ... 9TV9MDJ2bl) qualify as "glue" . I was intending to use the tabs at the base of the tower to impair from slipping away when loaded. Does anyone has any experience with this or other tower-base gluing method?

Thanks!

[Balsa Man]

Hi experienced folks, this is my first time in the Tower competition. I was wondering is those Scotch reusable tabs (http://www.scotchbrand.com/wps/portal/3 ... 9TV9MDJ2bl) qualify as "glue" . I was intending to use the tabs at the base of the tower to impair from slipping away when loaded. Does anyone has any experience with this or other tower-base gluing method?

Thanks!

Two quick thoughts-
1)Those tabs are not wood or glue- rules say the tower has to be built of wood and glue; don't think you'd be allowed to use them.
2) You do understand correctly that the bottom ends of the legs are being forced outward by the load on the tower. To control that, you are going to have to design/build in some pieces that attach to the legs, right at/near the bottom, and attach somewhere else, and act to hold the legs in-place. A couple possibilities would be strips around the outside, right at the base, or diagonal strips coming in from above (X- or Z-braces). With the leg angles you have to use in a C-Tower, there is a fair amount of force pulling leg ends out. It will take pieces under tension to control that force.

[Freyssenet]

Thanks Len fore the explanation, I will use some light strips in tension to take the horizontal forces in the inclined elements as you pointed out. I though for a second that a little piece of these tabs could weigh less, but it will be like walking into ambiguity and with so much effort and time, it is not worth exposing the kids to technical disqualification.

Jose

[Balsa Man]

Thanks Len fore the explanation, I will use some light strips in tension to take the horizontal forces in the inclined elements as you pointed out. I though for a second that a little piece of these tabs could weigh less, but it will be like walking into ambiguity and with so much effort and time, it is not worth exposing the kids to technical disqualification.

Jose

Glad to be able to be of help. The strips needed can be quite light. On a B-tower bottom section (30 cm high), 4-legged; if you have ladder pieces at 10, 20, and 30 cm above the bottom, and run X-bracing, so that at each leg bottom, you have 2 X-braces attached at the leg bottom, and running up to where the first ladder meets the legs, at a 15kg tower load, each of those strips will be seeing just a bit over 1/2kg. 1/16th wide strips, cut from 1/64th sheet - medium-high density balsa (like a 36" x 3" sheet at oh, 8.5 to 9.5 grams) will handle that easily.

[bmbw123]

How well would some super glue from Home Depot work? It's pretty cheap and easily accessible. I also had a type of "super gel" super glue by Loctite, and it seemed to be decent.

[iYOA]

any type of super glue works fairly well. just make sure you like the viscosity and the viscosity likes you. also with gel, be careful because the amount you apply might be harder to control.

[bmbw123]

Alright thanks. My last experience with super glue wasn't too great. Got it on everything - shirt, pants, ipod, phone, etc.

[Balsa Man]

Also, see my post earlier in this thread about fine applicator tips, and Jander's about applicator made with two pins cloce together. The trick is getting a small amount right where you need it. That way, no extra weight, and no glue .....where you don't want it