Can five 16” dowels, ten 2 ft long pieces of wood, and 26 rubber bands (total weight of 5 lbs for all parts) be used to build a bridge which spans 5 feet and can carry 60 lbs? You bet! Leonardo da Vinci’s bridge can do it! This kit allows you to build it yourself! Once you’ve caught the principle behind it, who knows what you’ll build!
Leonardo da Vinci invented this bridge between 1485 and 1487 for his patron Cesar Borgia. Cesar was looking for a light and strong bridge that his troops could deploy quickly – one that required no woodworking expertise or knowledge. Da Vinci’s bridge fit the bill perfectly. It has only 2 unique parts and is completely self-supporting.
Unlike this kit, da Vinci’s original design requires no fasteners. Instead, the beams have notches cut in them to suppress lateral forces. For simplicity, this kit does not include notches but uses rubber bands as fasteners. Using rubber bands has the added benefit of allowing us to see how force is transferred in the bridge. The rubber bands stretch as weight is applied, showing how gravitational forces are transformed into lateral forces
Kit includes ten 0.75” x 1.5” x 24” wood beams, five 0.75” x 16” dowels, 34 #64 rubber bands, cardboard storage box and instructions for assembly and experimental activities.
The Eisco Garage Physics line is aimed at students interested in STEM concepts included physics and engineering. Each kit engages learners to discover new ideas about the physical world through assembly and play.
