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jgrischow1 wrote:So we ordered some 1/8 by 1/8 36" sticks from Specialized Balsa. Light density, which they advertise as 6-10 lb/ft^{^3}. We ordered 10 sticks, and got the following weights in grams:

1.02
1.11
1..12
1.14
1.40
1.36
2.14
2.24
2.28
3.44

Is that much variance to be expected?

Short answer: "NO", this looks like random selection. I'd email Jake or Darla. I'm sure they'd make it right. Were you charged for the selection service, or random weight?

Long Answer: For Division B, you can get (3) column lengths from one 36" stick. By weighing the 36" stick as a whole, you are in effect taking an average of those 3 column lengths. Consider cutting all of your sticks into 12" lengths, then weighing, bend testing and separating these. In this way you are dealing with individual columns, not averages. You'd be surprised how much difference there is between pieces even within the same stick origin!

dholdgreve wrote:

jgrischow1 wrote:So we ordered some 1/8 by 1/8 36" sticks from Specialized Balsa. Light density, which they advertise as 6-10 lb/ft^{^3}. We ordered 10 sticks, and got the following weights in grams:

1.02
1.11
1..12
1.14
1.40
1.36
2.14
2.24
2.28
3.44

Is that much variance to be expected?

Short answer: "NO", this looks like random selection. I'd email Jake or Darla. I'm sure they'd make it right. Were you charged for the selection service, or random weight?

Long Answer: For Division B, you can get (3) column lengths from one 36" stick. By weighing the 36" stick as a whole, you are in effect taking an average of those 3 column lengths. Consider cutting all of your sticks into 12" lengths, then weighing, bend testing and separating these. In this way you are dealing with individual columns, not averages. You'd be surprised how much difference there is between pieces even within the same stick origin!

Yeah, I looked at the invoice and I don't think they saw my density request because they didn't charge me for it. Oh well. Thanks for the feedback.

Any recent predictions on nationals placings based on state tournaments (Division C)?

I don’t have any for div c but I think div b will be 3000 and above

Hello, I'm not doing towers, but I'm trying to plan how to transport our tower for the team for nats. I did read over the Tower Transportation thread, but it didn't quite answer everything and I thought I'd be more visibility here.
We're in NC, so driving isn't much of an option. If we fly the team out to Colorado, the size of the tower doesn't really fit for carry-ons or personal items, and checking a tower in seems like a bad idea (being poorly handle, getting roughed around, losing structural integrity, etc.)
How do people circumvent this issue?

DaiDiimon wrote:Hello, I'm not doing towers, but I'm trying to plan how to transport our tower for the team for nats. I did read over the Tower Transportation thread, but it didn't quite answer everything and I thought I'd be more visibility here.
We're in NC, so driving isn't much of an option. If we fly the team out to Colorado, the size of the tower doesn't really fit for carry-ons or personal items, and checking a tower in seems like a bad idea (being poorly handle, getting roughed around, losing structural integrity, etc.)
How do people circumvent this issue?

I’m not really sure, and i’ve never been to nats, but you could try packing it really well, and mark it as fragile, and have it checked in. Or you could build a box with plywood that would be the shape of the tower so it can be as small as possible, and it might be able to hold it.

DaiDiimon wrote:Hello, I'm not doing towers, but I'm trying to plan how to transport our tower for the team for nats. I did read over the Tower Transportation thread, but it didn't quite answer everything and I thought I'd be more visibility here.
We're in NC, so driving isn't much of an option. If we fly the team out to Colorado, the size of the tower doesn't really fit for carry-ons or personal items, and checking a tower in seems like a bad idea (being poorly handle, getting roughed around, losing structural integrity, etc.)
How do people circumvent this issue?

The ideal option would be to have someone on the team drive with the builds.

DaiDiimon wrote:Hello, I'm not doing towers, but I'm trying to plan how to transport our tower for the team for nats. I did read over the Tower Transportation thread, but it didn't quite answer everything and I thought I'd be more visibility here.
We're in NC, so driving isn't much of an option. If we fly the team out to Colorado, the size of the tower doesn't really fit for carry-ons or personal items, and checking a tower in seems like a bad idea (being poorly handle, getting roughed around, losing structural integrity, etc.)
How do people circumvent this issue?

My team finished 1st yesterday at our state competition, meaning that we get to go to nationals for the second year in a row (also the second time in a row)! YAY!!!!! But to address your issue, I would just have your team arrive on the 17th instead, and build a tower or two there. That's what I will probably be doing, anyway. It takes me about 5-6 hours per tower, so I think I could pull it off before the competition.

Also, transporting balsa sticks in the triangular Priority Mail box (comes with each Specialized Balsa shipment) is much easier than transporting singular/multiple towers. But, does the air pressure and temperature while flying affect the strength of the balsa?

MadCow2357 wrote:Also, transporting balsa sticks in the triangular Priority Mail box (comes with each Specialized Balsa shipment) is much easier than transporting singular/multiple towers. But, does the air pressure and temperature while flying affect the strength of the balsa?

Air pressure should have minimal effect since typically cargo is pressurized. I don't know about temperature though.