Comments on: 5 Steps to Building a Model Bridge

By: Garrett Boon

Garrett Boon — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 15:41:43 +0000

Emmett, what exactly are you talking about buying?

By: Emmett Zettel

Emmett Zettel — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 05:25:36 +0000

Am I able to buy this in the store as well or simply online?

By: bob

bob — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 17:56:05 +0000

thanks 4 ur help!! LOL:)

By: Brock

Brock — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 00:07:12 +0000

Great book and website. I do not agree with the previous comment that the larger members “attract” more load. This would be true if stiffness of members were a factor (moment resistance), but since this is a simple truss your assumptions are basically correct: larger loads should have larger members to reduce the stress (force per unit of cross sectional area) — especially the compression members, due to buckling.

By: terrence douglas

terrence douglas — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 13:22:57 +0000

i was buiding a bridge out of toothpicks. i wanted to know if i hould use hot glue or not……should i ?

By: Garrett Boon

Garrett Boon — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 07:06:34 +0000

Hello Menno,

Thank you for your comment. Unfortunately I have not had the opportunity to take any engineering classes, and base my ebook on my observations from my time spent building model bridges. The ebook wasn’t really meant to be a manual for learning the in-depth engineering concepts that would be useful for building bridges. However, I would love the chance to chat with an engineer about my ebook, and about bridges in general. I always strive to learn more about how bridges work, so thank you for informing me about this phenomena where making a member larger will increase the load acting on it. Do you have any resources where I could learn more about this? Is this something that always happens, or does it depend on the location of the member in the truss?

By: Menno

Menno — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 10:37:25 +0000

Hi Garret

Nice eBook. However, as a structural engineer I can tell you that you are making some fundamental errors in the ebook. Members taking the largest load does not always need to be the bigger member (for efficiency). This is mistake many young engineers make. Increasing the size of your member actually ‘attracts’ more load and so you achieve the opposite. I would suggest you have an engineer have a look at your ebook.

Besides that – good work.

By: Harmony

Harmony — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 17:16:48 +0000

hi i havent read your ebook yet, but this information is really helpful!

By: mariam

mariam — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 16:01:18 +0000

please i also need the cost to build a bridge across seven mile sea and how many engineers i will need and worker just like an estimate

By: Garrett Boon

Garrett Boon — Fri, 29 May 2009 23:33:52 +0000

Peter, thanks for the comment and pointing out the typo.

I had not noticed that trend of balsa wood strength that you mention. I have only been working with Balsa for 9 years.