Page 68 - Making things move_ DIY mechanisms for inventors, hobbyists, and artists

Chapter 2 Materials: How to Choose and Where to Find Them 49

Recipe:

1. Allow about 10 in of each material to hang off the edge of a table. Clamp the
wooden paint stick to the edge.

2. Clamp the remaining three materials underneath the book or scrap
wood piece.

3. Duct tape the clay blocks to the ends of each material.

4. Notice how small changes in geometry as well as material affect how far the
clay droops at the ends of the diving boards. Always keep material and
orientation in mind when designing structures for your projects!

References

1. Michael R. Lindeburg, Mechanical Engineering Reference Manual for the PE
Exam, 12th Edition (Belmont, CA: Professional Publications, 2006).

2. Buddy Ratner, Allan Hoffman, Frederick Schoen, and Jack Lemons, eds.,
Biomaterials Science: An Introduction to Materials in Medicine (San Diego,
CA: Academic Press, 1996).