Making a boat from the kitchen
Making a boat from the kitchen
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Boozy

Original Poster:

2,427 posts

249 months

Tuesday 10th April 2018
quotequote all
Hello!

My daughter who is in first grade has been tasked with making a boat for her science fair using stuff from the kitchen and must measure four inches by four inches, what say the collective mass for the vessel that will handle the most pennies!?

Managed 74 last night using tin foil and a basic square shape....

alorotom

12,788 posts

217 months

Tuesday 10th April 2018
quotequote all
Boozy said:
Hello!

My daughter who is in first grade has been tasked with making a boat for her science fair using stuff from the kitchen and must measure four inches by four inches, what say the collective mass for the vessel that will handle the most pennies!?

Managed 74 last night using tin foil and a basic square shape....
marshmallows on lolly sticks as the float with a tinfoil square base as youve done so far id reckon ...

jeevescat

880 posts

241 months

Tuesday 10th April 2018
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Lots of old corks in our kitchen, must be able to support a bit of weight.

RizzoTheRat

28,972 posts

222 months

Tuesday 10th April 2018
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A metal baking tray with as many small bottles as you can fit under it to float it

Or if rafts aren't allowed then you want something with a lot of freeboard so it can sit low in the water, think a large tupaware box, but if you have to make it yourself, a cardboard frame/hull with tinfoil or clingfilm to waterproof it, and maybe use something like lolly sticks or wooden skewers for reinforcement.

If you want to really think outside the box, how about a ziplock bag. Put the pennies in, add a bit of water, then shove in an Alka-Seltzer and throw it in the water. It'll initially sink but if you get the weight right it should refloat as it inflates for your own submarine biggrin

brrapp

3,701 posts

192 months

Tuesday 10th April 2018
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2 litre coke bottle standing upright.

Gary29

5,236 posts

129 months

Tuesday 10th April 2018
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4in x 4in foil tray, as deep as you can find. All about water displacement as I'm sure you already know.

BMWBen

4,906 posts

231 months

Tuesday 10th April 2018
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Hollow out a raw aubergine.

Or just throw a raw chicken in the water - they float you know...

EDIT: oh 4 inches... ok, a baby chicken

louiebaby

10,978 posts

221 months

Tuesday 10th April 2018
quotequote all
What age is 1st grade? 5 or 6 I guess? Surely the point is that they learn about boats and buoyancy, not that they win?

On the otherhand, the 2 litre coke bottle is a great shout, but it's too big, then a spaghetti container might be worth considering.

Alex_225

7,817 posts

231 months

Tuesday 10th April 2018
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Wouldn't a really big cooking pot displace quite a large amount of water? Or would that be cheating a bit?

Vaud

59,650 posts

185 months

Tuesday 10th April 2018
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What is the limitation on height?

daddy cool

4,107 posts

259 months

Tuesday 10th April 2018
quotequote all
Boozy said:
Hello!

My daughter who is in first grade has been tasked with making a boat for her science fair using stuff from the kitchen and must measure four inches by four inches, what say the collective mass for the vessel that will handle the most pennies!?

Managed 74 last night using tin foil and a basic square shape....
Dunno about the best idea, but for the lulz you should make something using empty vodka bottles. At school your daughter could say "these are all I could find in the kitchen. I had my make it myself because mummy and daddy were asleep again".

Would suit your username too!

Hard-Drive

4,291 posts

259 months

Tuesday 10th April 2018
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You need a hull not a raft, get the payload as low as possible with as much freeboard as possible...

Boozy

Original Poster:

2,427 posts

249 months

Tuesday 10th April 2018
quotequote all
louiebaby said:
What age is 1st grade? 5 or 6 I guess? Surely the point is that they learn about boats and buoyancy, not that they win?

On the otherhand, the 2 litre coke bottle is a great shout, but it's too big, then a spaghetti container might be worth considering.
Yes we spent last night talking about the opposing forces of gravity and bouyancy, I’m just looking for ideas to help reinforce that, that and beating the Americans of course.

Peanut Gallery

2,731 posts

140 months

Tuesday 10th April 2018
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If no booze bottle are allowed, I am thinking of a square tub made up with bamboo BBQ skewers, cross braced, corks in the corners to stop them making holes, wrapped in tin foil / cling film. That should displace a lot for its given weight!

Rawwr

22,722 posts

264 months

Tuesday 10th April 2018
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Alex_225 said:
Wouldn't a really big cooking pot displace quite a large amount of water? Or would that be cheating a bit?
A really big 4x4" cooking pot might be hard to find.

RizzoTheRat

28,972 posts

222 months

Tuesday 10th April 2018
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Pringles tube wrapped in clingfilm?

Gary29

5,236 posts

129 months

Tuesday 10th April 2018
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Primary school project, yet half of PH failed to read the criteria properly.

4 inches x 4 inches maximum!

RATATTAK

19,251 posts

219 months

Tuesday 10th April 2018
quotequote all
daddy cool said:
Dunno about the best idea, but for the lulz you should make something using empty vodka bottles. At school your daughter could say "these are all I could find in the kitchen. I had my make it myself because mummy and daddy were asleep again".

Would suit your username too!
Brilliant idea rotate ... a New Amsterdam Vodka bottle is just over 3" x 3" in cross section - just cut the top off and fill it full of pennies

Vaud

59,650 posts

185 months

Tuesday 10th April 2018
quotequote all
Gary29 said:
Primary school project, yet half of PH failed to read the criteria properly.

4 inches x 4 inches maximum!
That's 2 dimensions. What about Z? Otherwise it is technically impossible. #pedantry

brrapp

3,701 posts

192 months

Tuesday 10th April 2018
quotequote all
Gary29 said:
Primary school project, yet half of PH failed to read the criteria properly.

4 inches x 4 inches maximum!
I presumed 4x4 was length x breadth with no limit on height/draught hence I suggested the 2l coke bottle. If there's a 4 " limit on height too, just cut the bottle down to 4 inches.
If there's absolutely no limit on height, a 5m length of 4" drainage pipe with a cap on the top and bottom, although it might bankrupt you filling it with coins. wink