We are proud to announce that we now hold the world record for the tallest tower made from VHS tapes! Currently I am building another tower that will crush the current record. Right now it is 8′ 8″ and I’m still building up. A new post will be coming very soon!
Here is the link to the record: Tallest VHS Tower
Now we know this as been done before because who hasn’t noticed the similarity in shape between a domino and a VHS tape, but since we are in the business of using VHS tapes in other ways than how they are intended to be used we wanted to do a little demo. This is only a preview of what you can expect to come next from VHS Construction.
Following the many highs and lows of our awe-inspiring double arch bridge we were once again left with over 600 VHS tapes and a blank slate. This time we wanted to experience only highs. So towards the heavens we began to build. We were so confident in this construction that Dan was able to sit on top without it collapsing only holding onto a pipe with one hand for balance. This is true engineering.
From the surface of the desk the tower stands 6′ 3″ tall and from the ground it stands 8′ 9.5″.
Never being fully satisfied by the latest incarnation of our bridge, the double arch bridge soon began to evolve into what we hoped would be one single arch spanning over two cubicles. We began by shifting the tapes from either side into the middle reaching higher and higher and removing tapes from the middle support.
And so I made a mistake.
Creators David and Dan kneeling proudly under the arches of their creation.
Sometime in January of 2009 Dan became bored and began stacking his used VHS tapes in an overlapping style — not unlike the stacking of bricks. David, after spending only a few minutes exposed to the growing tape wall inside Dan’s cubicle, was struck with divine inspiration. “A bridge!” he exclaimed, “We must build a bridge.”
It was then that Dan and David began building elaborate structures under a strict set of rules:
They were met with skepticism. They were met with opposition. These are the photographic proofs of their master work.
(This is David’s account)
This was our second attempt at the ultimate structure. To say we did not make any concessions would be a lie. At first we believed the arch would span both cubicles without the use of the center cubicle divider. We also believed the arch could be built without using temporary supports made out of DVD spindle cases. We were wrong on both these fronts, but our results were not disappointing.
It took perhaps a full 3-4 weeks of building to reach the point the bridge is at now. We started with the belief that a double thick base would create in the end a stronger bridge. What we found was that those tapes could better be used elsewhere.
We drew diagrams and used mathematics. We ran small scale mock arches to figure out the tape-to-arch ratios. All the math in the world, though, could not prepare us for the trials of the spirit brought on by the construction. True knowledge of the arch came only from touching the tapes, feeling their weight, lifting the unfinished bridge, feeling it’s sheer mass. This is how we were able to make decisions without thinking. This is how the arch became instinct.
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Dan’s Account of the Sphere Experiment:
Following the highly acclaimed VHS dome I was pumped and ready for something more challenging. This time I would construct a perfect sphere, or 1:240,000 scale Death Star if you will. This took far more thought and strategy than the dome, but after a very insightful suggestion from our coworker Fabricio to fill the sphere in with tapes I had the weight I needed to hold the bottom half together until I could complete the top half. Once the top was nearly complete I was able to reach inside and remove all of the tapes from the center to create a perfectly hallow hollow sphere with only VHS tapes.
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Dan’s Account of the Dome Experiment:
After the trials and tribulations of our first attempt at bridge building I needed to meditate and strengthen my mind for the arduous task of completing the bridge we were destined to construct. With stacks of rejected tapes growing in my cubicle I decided to start fresh and take on a different and possibly more achievable feat. I would build a dome. Better yet, I thought to myself, a dome with an opening like an igloo. These photos document the build.
After this success our spirits were lifted and we were one step closer to reaching our goal.
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This was our first attempt at bridge building and our true failing was surrender to fear. It was very much an experiment, we had many fewer tapes to work with, and all the tapes were in active circulation around the office. There was, perhaps, too much pressure to succeed in this attempt and so we sabotaged ourselves. We told each other we were doing it wrong, that it was impossible, that it was too heavy, and we said, “Save it for another day.” Both of us had much growing to do spiritually.
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