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☖ Forums → Discussion Forum → Boat Building with Cans and Duct Tape
Boat Building with Cans and Duct Tape
2010-01-28, 9:55 PM #1
Any boat builders in Massassi? I have to build a boat out of aluminum cans (soda) and duct tape for physics and I'd like some pointers.

Thanks!

2010-01-28, 10:01 PM #2
How big?
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2010-01-28, 10:19 PM #3
*Only* cans and duct tape?

Either way, making sure every can is water tight sounds like a PITA.
2010-01-28, 10:32 PM #4
Might not be too bad. I would try putting the open ends of two cans together and duct taping the crap out of the seam. If you're careful, I would think it would be water-tight. Lather, rinse, repeat.

Also, make a duct tape skin for the boat to hold out water. At least on the bottom half. And use colored duct tape, it's fancy.
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2010-01-28, 10:52 PM #5
Oh, I forgot. I has to support someone from 140 - 200 pounds (weight extremes of our group) and has to be some what streamline cause we're gonna be timing who goes fastest on the boats

2010-01-28, 11:06 PM #6
Have you done all the calculations yet, or do you just need ideas about how to put cans together?
Warhead[97]
2010-01-28, 11:21 PM #7
You should make a pontoon boat
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2010-01-28, 11:38 PM #8
We need more info. Aluminum cans and duct tape and NOTHING ELSE? Are you allowed to cut the cans up into aluminum sheets?
2010-01-28, 11:41 PM #9
Industrial design students at my school were required to make a boat out of cardboard and cling wrap that had to support a 250lb person for at least 10 minutes in order to get into the program.
>>untie shoes
2010-01-28, 11:46 PM #10
Originally posted by Antony:
Industrial design students at my school were required to make a boat out of cardboard and cling wrap that had to support a 250lb person for at least 10 minutes in order to get into the program.


How many of you just stacked it all together and made a thick cardboard raft?
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2010-01-28, 11:50 PM #11
Mythbusters built a boat out of duct tape.



Maybe you could cut the cans and roll them tightly into a wire. Or even cans taped up end to end may be enough to make a solid enough beam. I would suggest asking around on this forum: http://www.woodenboat.com/forum/

I'm active there, and theres plenty of boatbuilders and engineers. Probably someone whos done something similar.

o.0
2010-01-28, 11:53 PM #12
Originally posted by Commander 598:
How many of you just stacked it all together and made a thick cardboard raft?

I didn't join the ID program, but I did go to the test. There was a finite amount of cardboard to be used for the project... I think you got like 15 square feet or something. Only like 10 people made it.
>>untie shoes
2010-01-29, 12:05 AM #13
Originally posted by Crimson:
Might not be too bad. I would try putting the open ends of two cans together and duct taping the crap out of the seam. If you're careful, I would think it would be water-tight. Lather, rinse, repeat.

Also, make a duct tape skin for the boat to hold out water. At least on the bottom half. And use colored duct tape, it's fancy.


Crimson's idea sounds pretty solid
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2010-01-29, 12:08 AM #14
Originally posted by zanardi:
You should make a pontoon boat

This is probably the way to go. With some duct tape it should be pretty easy to seal the cans using the groove around the inside of the rim.
Bassoon, n. A brazen instrument into which a fool blows out his brains.
2010-01-29, 9:09 AM #15
I have no experience doing this but it sounds fun. I don't think I would attempt to seal the cans at all. Rather orient them open end down so that the air bubble remains trapped. Then only use the duct-tape to bind the cans together.
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2010-01-29, 9:33 PM #16
Not a bad idea. I think it would only work for cans used as a flat bottom though. If they're at much of an angle, wouldn't the air be able to move out?
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2010-01-30, 4:16 AM #17
Stick a can underwater and see.
2010-01-30, 2:30 PM #18
Lazy.
Little angel go away
Come again some other day
Devil has my ear today
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2010-01-30, 2:34 PM #19
I think Crimson's concern is that the cans will tilt as the boat rocks and as the water surface changes shape, water will work its way into the cans.
Bassoon, n. A brazen instrument into which a fool blows out his brains.
2010-01-30, 2:42 PM #20
Exactly. That's why I think it would work well for a bottom, but maybe not so well towards the sides. Maybe try something like a pontoon boat with a flat bottom. Make the pontoons like I suggested before, then a flat bottom of down-turned cans. Then you'll probably want a skin on it so your feet don't get wet.
Little angel go away
Come again some other day
Devil has my ear today
I'll never hear a word you say
2010-01-30, 2:50 PM #21
You could still use duct tape to attempt to seal the holes, providing some security in that respect.
Bassoon, n. A brazen instrument into which a fool blows out his brains.
2010-01-30, 2:53 PM #22
True. How big does this boat need to be? If large enough for a couple people to sit in, I could see it being a fairly expensive/PITA project because of the duct tape. Are the supplies provided for you?
Little angel go away
Come again some other day
Devil has my ear today
I'll never hear a word you say
2010-01-30, 9:45 PM #23
Does duct tape itself float? Maybe you don't even need the cans :neckbeard:

(although I'm sure they probably thought of this when they designed the experiment)
2010-01-30, 10:03 PM #24
Wasn't duct tape invented to patch bullet holes in higgins boats?
>>untie shoes
2010-01-30, 10:07 PM #25
According to Wikipedia, "duct tape was originally developed during World War II in 1942 as a water resistant sealing tape for ammunition cases"
Bassoon, n. A brazen instrument into which a fool blows out his brains.
2010-01-30, 10:09 PM #26
So why isn't it called Ammo-Tape?
2010-01-30, 10:20 PM #27
I remember hearing a story about guys using to patch the bullet holes in their higgins boats because it's waterproof... Maybe that's where I got that. I think my sister-in-law told me about her grandfather saying that. He was in WW2.
>>untie shoes
2010-01-31, 3:34 AM #28
Just read a piece on wikipedia about duct-tape trying to find it's density so I could answer the question if duct-tape itself could float on water. It seems duct-tape was used to make a wheel fairing extension on the lunar rover, here is an image
2010-01-31, 8:55 AM #29
Originally posted by need help:
Just read a piece on wikipedia about duct-tape trying to find it's density so I could answer the question if duct-tape itself could float on water. It seems duct-tape was used to make a wheel fairing extension on the lunar rover, here is an image


Today such an issue would requiring scrubbing the mission for another half decade to rebuild and retest the entire vehicle at the cost of untold billions. :colbert:
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