{"id":7683,"date":"2018-11-30T13:56:21","date_gmt":"2018-11-30T19:56:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.lib.uiowa.edu\/eng\/?p=7683"},"modified":"2018-12-31T12:40:08","modified_gmt":"2018-12-31T18:40:08","slug":"duct-tape-rubber-band-engineering-exhibit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.lib.uiowa.edu\/eng\/duct-tape-rubber-band-engineering-exhibit\/","title":{"rendered":"Duct Tape & Rubber Band Engineering Exhibit!"},"content":{"rendered":"

Most of us have a drawer, somewhere in our house, which contains all sorts of odds and ends. In my house it was always the “miscellaneous” drawer, others call it a “junk” drawer. Whatever you call it, I bet you have duct tape and rubber bands shoved in it – and maybe some glue sticks, a cork or two, craft sticks, straws, etc….  Did you ever just look in that drawer and say “wow, I could make a catapult with this stuff!”? You may not have been thinking that, but you could! And with some heavy-duty shipping boxes – you could make a bedroom set. Really.<\/p>\n

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Check out our new exhibit – The Duct Tape and Rubber Band Engineer – and see just some of the cool things that can be made!!<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Duct Tape & Rubber Band Mania Exhibit!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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Duct tape can be used for lots more things that taping your favorite shoes back together or holding the fender on your car while rubber bands have a lot more uses than holding your hair back or holding a bunch of pens or pencils together.<\/p>\n

Duct Tape Engineer: the Book of Big, Bigger, and Epic Duct Tape Projects: From Backpacks to Kayaks, Writing Desks to Rocket Launchers<\/em><\/a> will show you how to build furniture, a kayak, a toolbox and more! A little leery of trying those “epic duct tape projects?” In the introduction, author Lance Akiyama says, “Bigger doesn’t necessarily  mean harder – just more fun. All you need is time, determination, and duct tape. Lots and lots of duct tape.”<\/p>\n

Rubber Band Engineer : Build Slingshot-powered Rockets, Rubber Band Rifles, Unconventional Catapults, and More Guerrilla Gadgets from Household Hardware<\/a>, <\/em>also by Lance Akiyama, will walk you through making a “Many-Thing Shooter,” “Pyramid Catapult,” to a “Pneumatic Magic Box.” In the introduction he says, “Best of all, you don’t need to be an experienced tinkerer to make any of these projects. All you need are household tools and materials, such as paper clips, pencils, paint stirrers, and ice pop sticks. Oh, and rubber bands. Lots of rubber bands.”<\/em><\/p>\n

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Rubber Band Rockets<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Okay. You’ve got duct tape and rubber bands from your junk drawer. Now what? Pick out a project! A “Rubber Band Rocket” is pretty simple (simple enough that I did it!) and a good way to start your tinkering. From there you can move on to the more complex “PVC Slingshot Rifle,” (a project James took on!).  You can make the “Pyramid Catapult” (which I did, with James’ help) or make an “Enhanced Mousetrap Catapult,” (which none of us tried!). There are also instructions for a “Floating Arm Trebuchet,” a “da Vinci Catapult,” a “Robot Arm,” and “Hydraulic Fighting Robots,” for more serious tinkerers! All projects come with a list of items needed (and possible alternatives) with clear written and pictorial instructions!  <\/p>\n

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Check out this video of a simple rubber band rocket! <\/p>\n