Boy Scout Popsicle Stick Bridge Instructions
- 1). Line up three Popsicle sticks along the edge of a table. Cut another stick in half with shears. Glue half of a stick on top of the left-hand Popsicle stick, and the other on top of the right-hand stick. Then, glue two more Popsicle sticks in the middle, creating a second layer. Glue three sticks on top of this layer to make a third layer with the cracks overlapping, as when you make a brick wall. Do this process three more times, and you'll end up with four three-layer pieces.
- 2). Repeat Step 1 two more times but, instead of making pieces three sticks long, have them be two pieces long instead. You'll just have two sticks on the bottom, with a stick between two half-sticks in the middle, and two sticks on top.
- 3
Note the triangles made by the truss beams on this bridge. Yours should look similar.Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
Build a bridge wall. Take one of the larger pieces from Step 1 and a smaller piece from Step 2, and six more popsicle sticks. Use one of the six sticks to connect the left-end of the larger piece with the left-end of the smaller piece, at an angle. Use another stick to connect the right-end of the larger piece with the right-end of the smaller piece, at the same angle. Complete a set of triangles by angling the other four pieces between the larger and smaller pieces. Wait until dry, then flip the wall over and glue six more sticks on the other side, in the same pattern. - 4). Repeat Step 3 so you have two walls for your bridge.
- 5). Use the last two large pieces from Step 1 to make the roadway. Connect them across the top with popsicle sticks. This should take between 30 and 40 sticks.
- 6). Glue the bridge walls to the beams that hold up the roadway. The roadway should connect to the larger pieces along the walls.
- 7). Connect the bridge across the top of the walls as well. You can cover this like you did the roadway to make a tunnel look, or you can use triangles to add strength.
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