Odyssey of the Mind Balsa Tests

[homerunx77]

I am wondering what type of structure is better: one with a wider base or wider top?

[fitchly23]

@homerunx77 Def a wider base, but generally I think most people have an equal width for the structure's top and bottom.

[CowgirlLoverHorse]

om is so fun idid it in australia over 36 structures broke

[CowgirlLoverHorse]

om is so fun idid it in australia

[mzaman3]

hey cud u tell me how to make this structure that held over 1000 pounds? plz! i really need the help! mine only held 95 lbs, thank you,

[charter3phx]

At 14" you see the actual deck buckle from the weight. That's awesome!!!

[Mart0r0]

@traxxas100

What glue did you use?

[318secondfall]

hey..do you think it would be posssible to build a structure with curvature..ive made designs for it..but i dont know if it would work..haha the best ive done is 635 in 4th grade..since theni cant get over 400...im in 9th grade now..and i have a design that should,..bee epic

[MythicalTwilight]

props to all the teams that do balsa wood, that's definately not my teams strong poing...we go with the acting ones. lol

[ghettomotrukka]

nice asssss

[star6jj]

Nice job are you still doing OotM?

Hopefully we'll be at worlds this year seeing as how Florida is so competitve in OotM it'll be a challenge this year.

Still trying to break 1000lbs did 930 at regionals but didn't make it to world last year with a structure that held over 800 at state.

Good luck if you are still doing it.

[iKanSpell]

WHOAH!! We won second at regionals, holding the highest amount of lbs, 94. It is mind blowing to think you can hold 1000! Congrats!!

[NinjettiJman]

I'm going to have to do that. The competition is coming up soon

[bazilisk]

Aaw, this brings back the memories. I did this challenge at Odyssey of the Mind in 5th grade. I think ours held like 400 lbs, I forget by now (I am 21 now.) But we got 4th at states. It was so much fun trying to do it well. I wish real life was as entertaining as these random, creative/logical challenges, hah.

Of course, this was all before we had things like YouTube (gets out cane and complains about goiters.)

[jellyfishbones0]

0:18 screaaaaaam !!!

[JellyonToast1010]

Everytime one broke, i kept saying fail, :D

[gegs123eric]

You guys suck with balsa wood!!

And I mean SUCK!

[traxxas100]

If by suck you mean we are capable of building structures that hold over 1300 lbs, giving them a strength to weight ratio higher than high strength steel, then yes we suck with balsa wood.

[bazilisk]

This video doesn't show the countless number of times that the structures DIDN'T break after having weight added. Remember that editing matters, fool.

[drunkmonkey1333]

Hey man.  Nice video. I am a division three team and i am going to worlds with a weight held of 995 but got 1180 at regionals. And ironically i am going to virginia tech next year

[NightmarishGuy]

You didn't even show the one that worked! wtf?

[traxxas100]

If you mean the structure that isn't crushed at the end of the video, it wasn't shown because that was during competition. All the crushes in this video are of practice structures; in competition we don't film our structures. However, you can see the design of it. It is the same design as the structures resting on the uneven blocks seen earlier in the video.

[dfinn12]

UGA will be competing in this problem division 4. It has been a lot of fun thus far. See you guys in Iowa!

[22PlaidBanana]

We tested my team's structure on Shock Waves, it held over 940 pounds when we tested it at home, but at the competition it only held about 730 pounds. (I have no idea why it didn't hold as much) I'm still proud of it though. :)

I'm glad to say my team is going to the world finals this year!

[traxxas100]

First off, Congratulations! Second, don't worry too much, I've had many structures hold less at competition than in practice. Keep at it and good luck at Worlds, see you there!

[bandbanana]

Congrats! I can never do the structure problems...and this year we didn't even do an OM team :(

But last year we got 2nd at worlds!

[joshrulz94]

Whoa, I like the one where it broke the crusher board!! My team got first at state with 732 lbs.

[traxxas100]

Congratulations! I do enjoy the crushed crusher board too. Hope you go to Worlds!

[IFlyHigh32]

heh nice, my team is division 2 shockwaves, we just won state and headin to world, our WITH SHOCKWAVES

held 507lbs

[traxxas100]

Congratulations! Good luck, see you at Worlds!

[dfinn12]

fair enough! Good luck!

[dfinn12]

what are you expecting to hold this year?

[traxxas100]

As much as possible

[BSwebcast]

how did you build a structure that held alll that weight?! what design was it?

[traxxas100]

The design changes from year to year to meet Odyssey of the Mind balsa problem rules. In general researching balsa characteristics and structural design along with experimenting with practice structures yields our final competition structure design. You can see in the video that the different problems over the years have required different general designs, and from test to test within that year, improvements and experimental changes are made and tested.

[snandaca]

what's with the fat lady?!?!?!?!?!?!?

[SailorVampire123]

OMG! Our structure in 2004 didn't crush either! It held all the wieght they had pluss one of our eam members! =D

[kncrsr5r]

I have never seen a crusher board failure like you show at :15 sec.! What happend?

[traxxas100]

See my response to charlli12345

[OMFJukilledkenny]

i did this problem 2 or 3 years ago we got into state and got 3rd place poquoson. that video was 911 all over again!!!

[starwarsisboring]

Are all of the designs yours?

[traxxas100]

All the designs are either my brother's, mine, or a collaboration between us.

[ryroo2222]

I got 5th at worlds

[charlli12345]

how come the crusher board in 0:14 broke alomng with the sturcture, how many pounds did it hold?

[traxxas100]

I was wondering when someone would ask about this. The crusher board broke for a few reasons, first it was made out of two particle boards glued together instead of plywood. Second the first weight put on was a 5 pounder to leave finger room. This was the first structure we held over 400 pounds, so we didn't think about how much stress the little weight would concentrate on the crusher board. The structure held 712 lbs. From then on we have always put either a 35 or 45 on the bottom.

[Squee30]

the VT team held 1110 pounds

[lafilardo]

Love VT team @ WF. I worked with them in Sales! :)

[charlli12345]

man, im from arizona division2 in this problem, we already did state competitio and our first place cheated in both regional and state and even the coaches knew and they did nothing! Damn i am pissed

[traxxas100]

how did they cheat?

[charlli12345]

well, first fo all they gained ALOT of outside asistance from other teams from their schools and coaches. Then in the actual presentation, their golfballs fell off the structure and before and of the judges noticed they somehow put it back on. Beleive me, i recorded it with my camera but i cant seem to upload it.

[traxxas100]

Well I will be at worlds to see them, I'll be on the lookout. Judges should be attentive enough to catch something like that. It is sad to here that teams still cheat. Best of luck to you in the future.

[pixelbleed]

im in div1 this year in singapore i doing dinostories

[bkkoolers]

cool

[milochica235]

div 4? get out! that's awesome. I did that two years ago in geometry structure - rutgers. i have the video up too, although it's fuzzy and mostly of the skit. I'm the girl (and the builder btw) on the side doing the testing =) Good luck!!

[traxxas100]

Thanks, and we ended up getting first last year at worlds! Division 4 is pretty awesome, I did the geometry structure problem in high school! We are going to worlds again this year, Division 4 balsa!

[traxxas100]

It's great to see all the chatter about this years problems! I am in college now, so you balsa people can relax a little :-P However, I am on a div 4 team this year, we are currently preparing for states in Tee Structure! We automatically advance to Worlds, but I wish the rest of you best of luck at your Regional and State competition! See some of you at Virginia State Competition and I hope to see the rest of you at Worlds!!! Good luck and keep up the discussion!

[Maitrivia]

OMG...I'm in odessey of the mind right now and I am doing the tee structure problem too...I have no Idea how people can make it to hold 1200 pounds.....tht's decent man!! well I'm going to the state competition...but on the city competition our stucture hold much weigh..but not that much...and now I'm still confuse of how to make my structure better... if anyone have any advice pease help..thankyou

[PanMan29]

hey my team's doing tee structure 2! we made it to states aswell. r u div. 2?

[Maitrivia]

yes...what school are you going?? what's your name?? hope to c u!

[PanMan29]

im not sure what the scool is but we're going to Altoona PA. our team name is Abington Heights MS. tm. A # 28547

[traxxas100]

You shouldn't worry about holding 1200 pounds, this years problem is very very hard, and as someone else mentioned it's just as important to have a balanced team and do well in all areas. Best of luck, keep on building!

[boondoggler]

didja win the ranatra fusca?

our team in highschool built our structure without glue--seriously. It held a decent amount of weight.

That was impressive, though.

[traxxas100]

We did win a ranantra fusca for that unbroken structure.

[revolcirosh7]

im in odyssey of the mind and we just won the competition today and we won the award that is a very long hard word

[styledgirl]

tee structure!!

haha one of our structures couldn't even take the crusher board

finals!!

[neri65]

im on tee structure lol... next week is the final :S

[ireland145]

we're doing dinostories

[nina16666]

us 2!!!

[wizmaster188]

GO MUSES!!!

[tokyomewmewfan4ever]

We're doing the Eccentrics! I'm a random guest star, Dorothy!

[NeverTakingMeAlive]

Yeah, so am i!

[luckotheirish5]

GOOOO DINO STORIES!

[nina16666]

us 2

[20sweetangel06]

My team is doing Dino Stories this year!

[nina16666]

me 2!!

[tokyomewmewfan4ever]

This year my team is doing the Eccentrics.

[ab111396]

i just made it in to ootm

[jwilson24]

God I miss this. I built the structure for my team for 10 years (1991-2001; my 3rd-12th grades). Went to state every year, but only made world three times and the best finish there was 6th. Good luck and have fun!

[fairgeek]

hey I have to build a structure similar to the OM one for my engineering class (max 18 grams, 3-5in wide & deep, 8 in tall) and am wondering if you have any tips? It has to hold at least 200 lbs but would be great if I could get 600+, we are given random pieces of wood so can't select quality.

Thanks!

[licker1775]

I can build you 1 that will hold over 1000 lbs

[NobutadasFFXI]

Hey. You guys doing the one this year with the golf balls? cause if you are, hope to see ya guys at states. :p

[pennylane90]

awesome job! what team are you from?

[proovingapoint8]

wow...were those all made by u 2 that broke before from past years? Or were they from other teams? Sweet job btw

[traxxas100]

Those were all made by us for our team, and thanks!!

[traxxas100]

Franklin County High School, Virginia

[emccartn]

awesome. this brings back great memories from when I was in Jr High School twenty years ago. I was on three OM teams that went state, but never got to nationals. I was a big structure geek -- had to build a bridge one year, and an extra light weight tower the next. keep it up dudes.

[traxxas100]

I actually did the bridge and tower balsa problems you are talking about when I was in elementary school.

[slagnan]

I'm sorry, but I think the balsa problems are most boring. I'm in around the world in 8 minutes, going to worlds.

[traxxas100]

:-P I understand. It is really boring until you try and build a structure, then you can appreciate the crucial details that make a structure work. Congratulations on WORLDS!!!! I'm going with my family! Perhaps I'll upload some performances, they are much more entertaining.

[fishbob42]

I've never watched a Balsa Competition and now it seems pretty cool. I just wish I could have seen the winning (the one at the end) structure.

[drunkmonkey1333]

i need some ideas for thgis years problem

[jcz94]

I am making a balsa wood structure and i m not sure what to do...i want to go for OM too

[nowhereman890]

I used to be in OM but then there was a big fight and im in DI now.the structure challenge this year is to make a structure out of cards.

[johndeere0710]

my team is going to world finals this year for balsa!!! YAY

[pawel2705]

Balsa if hard thing to do. In Poland it`s even dificult to get balsa wood. Congratulatios fox, and god luck on world finals

[Judill]

that's amazing!

[boyofwits]

woah! nice! maybe i saw u guys at worlds!

[traxxas100]

Possibly, we were there last year in Geometry Structure. We ended up placing 3rd in the World! The structure you saw at the end was from regionals, Crazy Columns year. We never did break that structure. However our practice tester was so bad that when we went to compete at states the structures didn't sit right and wobbled. It only held 800 at states and thus we didn't advance to Worlds that year.

[metal102guitar]

The crazy columns year was crazy. We had a structure that held 1100 lbs, and we had a large T beam on the taller side that gave out in competition causing us only to hold 220lbs. We showed the judges pictures and everything and we got the award for best design. We brought that same exact structure back home to test, and it held 1380.. it was so disappointing. We had weights stacked above the pole, so when we stacked we had to line everything up perfectly.. it was sketchy.. but what a good year