Space-Plates

**Charles Pegge** · 03-02-2012, 17:26

http://www.n55.dk/MANUALS/SPACEPLATESG/spaceplatesg.html

**kryton9** · 04-02-2012, 02:52

Thanks I had not seen this technology before, Charles.

I bought a pack of pipe cleaners to try out some ideas for domes yesterday. I live in an apartment so I can only make models for testing ideas now. Once I feel comfortable with a method I will make a bigger one at a park.

Here is the quickest and easiest method I have found so far on the internet that uses pvc piping and plastic ties.

So far I have not seen the wood dowel and rubber tubing and plastic tie dome that I made while living in Ohio. I plan on making a pvc pipe, rubber tubing and plastic tie version.

**kryton9** · 07-02-2012, 08:46

I had forgotten how I got around the struts being the same size when I made my dome in Ohio. Playing with the pipe cleaners and triangles of equal size, it triggered my memory after quite a bit of fidgeting to remember that I had looked at the shapes that the triangles ended up making.

pipeCleaner.png

So then I got on the computer and made this using hexagons and pentagons, with all the struts being the same size.
drawing.jpg

Here is the result after cutting it out and taping. The benefit of going with fixed polygonal shapes is that it is easier to assemble. You can put the top pieces together first and raise the dome up as you go along. Of course in this paper model it was just folding.
dome.jpg

**kryton9** · 07-02-2012, 09:32

Here is a triangle with hexagons. This doesn't give too much protection (coverage). If you join the triangle with the hexagons and their sides, it becomes a vertical structure. Looks better flattened out.
TriHex.jpg
TriHex.jpg

**kryton9** · 07-02-2012, 10:33

11 Pentagons, gives complete coverage.
11Pentagons.jpg
11Pentagons.jpg

**Charles Pegge** · 07-02-2012, 11:53

Hi Kent,

As you have seen, regular hexagons and pentagons make the most elegant geodesic domes. Anything more complicated needs a calculator and Spherical Trig!

This HexaPent Frame is about 3.3M across and all the struts are 650mm long, roofing battens (2x1 inch). small metal strips were used to fix the joints. I made this in 2004, before trying more complex designs. It is still my favourite dome geometry.

Charles

PS: Correction to struct length: 650mm

https://picasaweb.google.com/charles...Nfk3pyF5c_e6QE