Subject:
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Re: Pythagorean Triads and Almost-Triads
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.build
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Date:
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Sat, 22 Jan 2000 06:09:38 GMT
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Viewed:
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741 times
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I wrote:
> In lugnet.build, Paul Baulch writes:
> >
> > John J. Ladasky Jr. wrote in message <38814540.ED2D820E@my-deja.com>...
> > > I think that you want to measure your error margin as a fraction of the
> > > total hypotenuse length, rather than as the absolute number of studs.
> >
> > I think I don't. You see, my rule of thumb is that the walls that form the
> > sides of the triangle will not be absorbing ANY deformation stress,
>
> Do we know this for a fact? The LEGO hinge bricks are pretty snug. The
> joint is a Technic peg, but it is fixed to one brick. And you can't even
> disassemble the hinge plates. In spite of this, both Ed Boxer and I have
> built a 45-degree, seven-stud wall, which exceeds your rule-of-thumb error
> of 0.05 studs. The error is 0.071 studs.
>
> Tell you what. When I go home tonight, I will try to build a 45-degree wall
> that is 14 studs long, defining the hypotenuse of a 10-10-14 triangle. I'll
> report back and tell everyone whether it works. If it does work, the error
> will be 0.142 studs. We'll know which way of measuring error is more
> realistic.
O.K., I did it, and it WORKS! Here are the details (I wish I had a digital
camera, or LDRAW right now):
On a 32 X 32 baseplate, I constructed three walls using several 1 X 4, 1 X 6,
and 1 X 8 bricks, four 1 X 4 hinge bricks, and two 1 X 8 plates. The two plates
were used as the bottom course of two eight-stud walls. These two walls were
perpendicular, and the closest ends of the two walls were separated by ten studs
in each direction. In between these two walls, I built a fourteen-stud wall at
45 degrees, which was suspended over the baseplate by the height of one plate.
The walls were six bricks plus one plate in height. The hinge bricks were
placed in the second and fifth rows. This way, I could see whether the strain
imparted to the bricks would prevent the attachment of additional components,
either above, below, or between the hinges.
Additional tension was noted when trying to add parts to the 45-degree wall, but
not enough to impede building. Once I reached the third course of bricks, I
could pile stuff on top of the 45-degree wall as if it was attached to the
baseplate. I was worried that bricks might pop off of the bottom course while I
was pushing on the top of the wall. Nothing moved at all. Tiles underneath the
45-degree wall are thus structually unnecessary. They are nice for decorative
purposes, however.
I did not observe any significant bending of the baseplate, nor any distortion
in the shape of the walls. I suspect that the strain is being distributed into
the cracks between the bricks of the 45-degree wall. I can't prove this without
the use of a micrometer, however.
So, the 45-degree wall here is 14.000 studs long, however it is meshing nicely
with the baseplate at coordinates separated by 14.142 studs. Let's hear it for
the power of experimentation, and the plasticity of ABS!
--
John J. Ladasky Jr., Ph.D.
Department of Structural Biology
Stanford University Medical Center
Stanford, CA 94305
Secretary, Californians for Renewable Energy <http://www.calfree.com>
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Message is in Reply To:
 | | Re: Pythagorean Triads and Almost-Triads
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| (...) Oh great, another one of our geeky debates! 8^) (...) Do we know this for a fact? The LEGO hinge bricks are pretty snug. The joint is a Technic peg, but it is fixed to one brick. And you can't even disassemble the hinge plates. In spite of (...) (24 years ago, 21-Jan-00, to lugnet.build)
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