Not something that usually comes out of a workshop!

[The Welsh Wizard]

I was set a project of making a model of a strand of DNA by my biology teacher and the first thing that popped into my head was WOOD! If you aren't familliar with the shape of DNA this is it.

So after 9 hours of solid labour (forgot to have lunch) this is the result. I glued it before finishing it and unfortunately it was too unstable to finish but I am reasonably happy with its general appearance.

Unfortunately my calculations let me down and I did't get it to twist quite enough.

 

[wizer]

Looks like a fun but tedious job. Well done

 

[The Welsh Wizard]

It was possibly the most repetitive wood working job I have done with over 200 holes to be drilled and over 40 pieces of dowel to be cut not to mention tapering the dowel at each end glueing and assembling the entire structure

 

[OPJ]

That is impressive, even though you say it isn't perfect. :shock:

I assume you bought a load of wooden balls and dowels? Can't imagine you turned them all on a lathe and assembled this within nine-hours...?! :? :wink:

 

[SammyQ]

Speaking as a practicing Biologist - who had a pint in THAT pub in Cambridge not long ago - have you ensured that the right number of base pairs will occur in a 360 degree twist? (18 I think from memory). :lol: :lol:

Love the way you arranged the phosphates by the way.

Sam

 

[The Welsh Wizard]

I assume you bought a load of wooden balls and dowels? Can't imagine you turned them all on a lathe and assembled this within nine-hours...?!

Yes I bought the balls and dowels in as I only do pole turning and would never be able to turn the balls or dowels in under 9 hours let alone complete the rest!

Speaking as a practicing Biologist - who had a pint in THAT pub in Cambridge not long ago - have you ensured that the right number of base pairs will occur in a 360 degree twist? (18 I think from memory).

Love the way you arranged the phosphates by the way.

There should be 10 base pairs per 360 degrees and I would have about 15 if I got it that tall. It was partly due to miscalculation on my part and problems with the drill wobbling around and making the holes to big or at the wrong angle.

I wasn't sure whether to keep it going in a continuous spiral, have the phosphates coming out parallel to the base pairs or perpendicular so i went for the latter to keep the size down

 

[SammyQ]

TWW, I'm just teasing - the whole thing is magic. Keeping the balls still to drill on an axis is bad enough, but you managed up to 5 extra holes per ball on two additional different axes. And, let us not forget, x,y and z axes, not x and y as is more normally found in woody working!!

Respect.

Sam

PS Phosphates/space; quite agree. Bl**dy nuisance in molecular modelling.

 

[Crooked Tree]

Tough homework! "Playing" with MolyMod (sp?) was one of the fun bits of chemistry when I did it, although we were never asked to make our own.

I am relieved to hear that you bought the spheres and dowels - nine hours was making me feel even slower than I am!

 

[Modernist]

I wouldn't eat that apple if I were you