Just to head this off before it gets started...
No offense to the engineers that have posted here, I'm not doubting your designs would work at all. I don't think anyone is. As we all know (well, there's a few on this thread that I would question), there are several ways to approach a problem. Having said that, Student Bonfire's stack was designed by a licensed engineer and it is very sound. Don't let the pictures fool you, it is built to only look like the old tiered structure. In actuality, every one of the logs touches the ground. Further, in addition to Centerpole, there are 4 additional poles sank into the ground a distance out from Centerpole and they are then connected to Centerpole via cross-ties. This year they used steel pipe for the cross-ties. The design is open for anyone to review and if you contact ASB, they can give you more information. Or, of course, if Will wants to chime in, he can.
On another point, Bonfire has always meant something different to different groups. Those of us that worked on it could never understand the attraction of just going out and watching a big fire that magically appeared in the fall. While the ones that just went out and watched often didn't understand the appeal of the hard work involved in building it.
It is this lack of understanding that spurs comments like:
"Just let <insert group/company here> build it.",
"Let's just get something that we can burn.",
"That just wouldn't be Bonfire.",...
To each his own. As I have grown up, I realize that one group berating the other is useless. Without one, the other wouldn't be there. I wouldn't trade my work on Bonfire for anything, but I now understand the other side a little better.
To address the inevitable comments about whether what these new kids are doing constitutes Bonfire or not, let me just say that unless you go out and see what they are doing for yourself, you have no basis for negative comments. Go spend a day in the woods or at stack with the new group and you will find very little difference in the "feel" (or smell as one individual likes to put it) compared to days of old. These kids are keeping something alive that helped shape the lives of several (1000's? 10,000's?) Aggies and they are doing it with respect and safety. Regardless of whether it is University sanctioned or not, on campus or not, etc., the spirit, drive, and determination that defined the Fires of old is there.
Scott Coker '92
), and it packs stack to tight.
