Our civilization was built on a technology so advanced we still don’t know everything it’s good for. But somewhere along the way, most of us seem to have forgotten lashing: how to tie these things together.
Yet, if you can tie things together securely, you can make almost anything from practically nothing.
Our civilization was built on a technology so advanced we still don't know everything it's good for. But somewhere along the way, most of us seem to have forgotten how to tie these things together.
Yet, if you can tie things together securely, you can make almost anything from practically nothing.
Consider the golf ball - underneath those dimples, an incredibly long rubber band subjects the core to almost 10,000 pounds of pressure.
The secret is in the wrapping - every turn adds pressure, which is the same principle at work in a lashing - the result is very strong, but with a little bit of give.
Starting from your finger, wind the line counterclockwise around the vertical stick, then down around the horizontal stick, and clockwise around the lower portion of the vertical stick.
Always keep the line tight and tidy as you lay it down.
Keep going until you have enough wraps (usually 8 to 10 for twine and string).
It's not exactly lashing, but when you need real compression, a few long loops around a pair of poles and a short stick make for a highly effective turnbuckle.
Gever founded Tinkering School in 2005 in order to learn how children become competent and to explore the notion that kids can build anything, and through building, learn anything. A self-taught computer scientist with no formal education, Gever’s expertise is really in… thinking. Gever has taught workshops and made presentations to both kids and adults around the world. He has spoken at TED, twice, written articles for Make:, and authored the book Fifty Dangerous Things (you should let your children do).
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