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Questions Doubts and Requests => Questions? Technical Issues? The Survival Guide => Topic started by: Deeau on April 13, 2012, 09:22:35 am

Title: Construction Grade Pasta!
Post by: Deeau on April 13, 2012, 09:22:35 am
Looking for some advice and and experience has shown there is no better place to ask!

My son has to build a suspension bridge out of pasta ( year 12 engineering assignment ) he plans on making pasta and cutting into the shape he wants and then dryng it. We made a test batch yesterday  ( 1 eggs to 100g flour ) and it didn't really dry hard. well not like commercial pasta, obviously to build a bridge we need tough/dry pasta ...any clues or tips?
Title: Re: Construction Grade Pasta!
Post by: dede on April 13, 2012, 09:24:47 am
Would it dry hard if you put it in the oven on low heat for awhile?  I really don't know the answer to that one as I have never made pasta.
Title: Re: Construction Grade Pasta!
Post by: cookie1 on April 13, 2012, 09:35:57 am
I had a class do this many years ago and we used bought pasta. Is that possible?
Title: Re: Construction Grade Pasta!
Post by: Deeau on April 13, 2012, 09:50:37 am
I think they are supposed to use bought pasta ....as usual my son sees a different way of doing things and would like to cut his own truss shapes out of pasta ....if we can't get it hard enough I suppose he will have no choice but to purchase commercial pasta
Title: Re: Construction Grade Pasta!
Post by: Halex on April 13, 2012, 10:47:27 am
The problem I have had with drying pasta, it becomes really brittle.

Sorry :(

H
Title: Re: Construction Grade Pasta!
Post by: fundj&e on April 13, 2012, 11:40:16 am
i made fresh pasta about a few months ago that would have been perfect for his  assignment  ;D

i dry it in the oven over night at 55d oh boy it was so hard that not even a hour of cooking did not help,in the bin it went

 
Title: Re: Construction Grade Pasta!
Post by: dede on April 13, 2012, 11:41:28 am
Lol Fundj ;D
Title: Re: Construction Grade Pasta!
Post by: Cornish Cream on April 13, 2012, 12:42:54 pm
i made fresh pasta about a few months again that would have been perfect for his  assignment  ;D

i dry it in the oven over night at 55d oh boy it was so hard that not even a hour of cooking did not help,in the bin it went

 
:D :D :D :D :D
Title: Re: Construction Grade Pasta!
Post by: cookie1 on April 14, 2012, 09:36:27 am
You could have sold it Uni, to all the students making things with it.

Deeau perhaps your son could make the trusses like they do in rooves. Using long bits only.

How do you spell the plural of roof? It doesn't look right to me.
Title: Re: Construction Grade Pasta!
Post by: dede on April 14, 2012, 09:39:17 am
Roofs? Rolves? Rooves? I have no idea?
Title: Re: Construction Grade Pasta!
Post by: meganjane on April 14, 2012, 09:50:14 am
Rooves. You know, I'd experiment with that pasta recipe and mix in some glue with it instead of the egg.
Just a random thought...
Title: Re: Construction Grade Pasta!
Post by: judydawn on April 14, 2012, 10:47:15 am
You could have sold it Uni, to all the students making things with it.

Deeau perhaps your son could make the trusses like they do in rooves. Using long bits only.

How do you spell the plural of roof? It doesn't look right to me.

No, it's roofs.  Hoof is hooves but roof is roofs - crazy but true.
Title: Re: Construction Grade Pasta!
Post by: fundj&e on April 14, 2012, 11:10:03 am
MR Google said you right JD
Title: Re: Construction Grade Pasta!
Post by: judydawn on April 14, 2012, 11:17:17 am
I was very confident answering that one Uni - that word has stuck in my memory for some reason.  Maybe I got it wrong at school and had to write it a 100 times on the blackboard - do kids still have to do that these days  ???
Title: Re: Construction Grade Pasta!
Post by: dede on April 14, 2012, 11:21:31 am
No black boards these days JD, they have smart boards now ;)
Title: Re: Construction Grade Pasta!
Post by: judydawn on April 14, 2012, 11:32:49 am
Is that like a white board - would want to be better than my white board, it's terrible to clean  ???
Title: Re: Construction Grade Pasta!
Post by: dede on April 14, 2012, 11:46:29 am
Here's a google definition Judy. It's kind of a white board but with computer images.

SMART Board is an interactive whiteboard to help improve learning outcomes. Combining the simplicity of a whiteboard with the power of a computer, the SMART Board interactive whiteboard lets you deliver dynamic lessons, write notes in digital ink, and save your work – all with the simple touch of a finger.
Title: Re: Construction Grade Pasta!
Post by: judydawn on April 14, 2012, 12:00:58 pm
Oh yes, I want one of those for my fridge instead of the one I have.  I'd love to see one in action.
Title: Re: Construction Grade Pasta!
Post by: Meagan on April 14, 2012, 04:54:21 pm
Judy they are great. My son had one in his kindy class last year.  Thy are great interactive tools for classrooms.
Title: Re: Construction Grade Pasta!
Post by: judydawn on April 14, 2012, 11:54:26 pm
Meagan, I have been to both a kindy class and junior school class visiting my GD on Grandparents' Day but it is so full on that I didn't think to look - I will pay special attention on my next visit.
Title: Re: Construction Grade Pasta!
Post by: fundj&e on April 15, 2012, 12:18:20 am
my  fridge or freezer is my white board  ;D
Title: Re: Construction Grade Pasta!
Post by: Deeau on April 15, 2012, 08:28:31 am
He/we made a batch today with 200g flour an egg, 25mls of PVA and about 20 mls of water cut shapes and baked in the oven for 2  hours at 100 degress ( left another piece in for another hour ) both very hard the extra time made little difference, no cracking so should be great for bridge construction. I am sure the teacher means work out a design with commercial pasta but there seems to be nothing to say you can't design your own pasta? The requirements are pasta, PVA and glue gun so I don't suppose it matters if the PVA is IN the pasta!
Thanks for your help without the comments from Fundj and Meganjane I would probably still be mixing test batches! Amazing what you learn when you put it "out there " to you ladies and gents!

He now has to draw his design on the computer before he can make the actual pieces.
Title: Re: Construction Grade Pasta!
Post by: dede on April 15, 2012, 08:34:31 am
Would love a picture of the finished product. Sounds like your getting as much fun out of this as your DS. :)
Title: Re: Construction Grade Pasta!
Post by: fundj&e on April 15, 2012, 12:16:49 pm
would love 2 see the step by step of the  construction Deeau
Title: Re: Construction Grade Pasta!
Post by: cookie1 on April 16, 2012, 09:10:21 am
Yes please.
Title: Re: Construction Grade Pasta!
Post by: meganjane on April 16, 2012, 03:56:51 pm
So glad it worked out.

And, here's the spelling for the plural of roof: The plural of roof is roofs or rooves. "Rooves" is an older form of the word and rarely used these days.

I must be old fashioned.
Title: Re: Construction Grade Pasta!
Post by: cookie1 on April 17, 2012, 02:13:54 am
Thanks MJ. When I typed rooves I looked at it and felt it was wrong. Then I remembered it was one of those 'change the 'f' to v' and add es. Like hooves. Thank goodness I was right. I don't like spelling errors. I feel bad enough when I make typos.
Title: Re: Construction Grade Pasta!
Post by: meganjane on April 17, 2012, 03:23:36 am
my  fridge or freezer is my white board  ;D
Does it come off OK fundj? Do you find that certain brands of white board markers are better for the fridge?
Title: Re: Construction Grade Pasta!
Post by: dede on April 17, 2012, 04:44:40 am
Megan I read somewhere that you can use some clear contact and put a square on your fridge/freezer and use that to write on with white board markers. If it starts to get a bit tacky then throw it away and put a new piece on. :)
Title: Re: Construction Grade Pasta!
Post by: fundj&e on April 17, 2012, 05:40:56 am
i have done that 2 dede when i hade white kitchen tiles

yes i do find that MJ. at the momet i am using a pentel brand one which comes off easy. if u find it will not come off try some pure alcohol, i know you have some good ****  ;)
Title: Re: Construction Grade Pasta!
Post by: judydawn on April 17, 2012, 06:22:35 am
Or buy a new fridge  :D
Title: Re: Construction Grade Pasta!
Post by: dede on April 17, 2012, 06:23:51 am
Lol ;D