Block, Paper, Glue

Sooo...a bottle of glue, a stack of newspapers, and a cinder block walk into a bar. The cinder block turns to the glue and says "hey, using newspaper how high can you get me off the ground?" Glue replies "with Lynn's help we can get you nine and three-quarters inches off the ground.

My first thought was how to make the newspaper obtain the most volume. Crumpling it came to mind, but I knew there would not be much in the way of stability. I decided to go with a log cabin shape. With a hollow middle I could have more newspaper to make the frame.  My thoughts were that my frame would support the block better if I placed the brick's corner into the frame, like a cradle.

I measured the block and marked the size on a newspaper I had laid down for a base. I started by folding the paper and alternating which side the paper went on, like Lincoln Logs. When my structure was approximately 3 inches high, it was time to test it. When placing the cinder block point down my structure was not stable enough to support the block. Next I laid the flat surface of the block on my structure. My structure could be laid on top of my structure without tipping but it could not do so without weighing the structure down. Which in return shortened the structure considerably.

At this point I knew I needed more support in the middle to hold the block up without losing height. I proceeded to roll newspaper up and stand them on end inside my cabin frame. After I filled the hole with rolled up newspaper and added enough paper logs to my sides to reach approximately 6 inches, I tested my structure to see if it would hold the cinder block. It was a success. I continued adding to my sides. My time was running out so I folded the remaining newspaper into squares and glued them on top of the structure.

My finished structure held the cinder block nine and three-quarters inches off the floor without falling over.

If I was to try again I would do it slightly different. I would still roll the newspapers up and stand them on end. This time instead of a square frame I would wrap a strip of newspaper around the rolls like tape. Then fold a few newspapers into squares and glue on top of the rolled up papers. I would then repeat both steps until all of my newspapers were gone.