I am interested in building polyhedra out of a material like wood or plastic. I am wondering about the required precision of mitre angles. I noticed that Squeaky made a wooden one. What precision was used for cutting the wooden pieces?
I have a tool that looks like a combination square, but has a circular part with angle marks in degrees and other parts with straight edges that can be locked to an angle on the circular part. The angles marks are in increments of one degree. Is that enough precision for making mitre angles? Would the required precision vary with different polyhedra?
Good level of precision for mitre angles?
Mitre Angles
Hi Brendan,
Making models of polyhedron, from wood, is not really too difficult provided you are fairly precise with measurments of the component faces and set your bandsaw (cutting the mitres) as accurately as possible.
I use a digital angle gauge that I obtained via e-bay. The resolution of this instrument is 0.1 degrees. I try to get the angles as accurate as possible. In my humble opinion 1 degree accuracy, in measuring the angles, is not good enough
Start with a fairly simple shape .... say a dodecahedron ... don't go too small .... I would say make the component pentagons of a size to finish with a dodecahedron of about 12 inches diameter.
If you make a complicated model with lots of faces then any error in mitre angles is multiplied and when you come to assembly it may start off O.K. but it will not, what I term, 'close'.
If I can help you please ask.
Where do you source your wood from?
Squeaky
Making models of polyhedron, from wood, is not really too difficult provided you are fairly precise with measurments of the component faces and set your bandsaw (cutting the mitres) as accurately as possible.
I use a digital angle gauge that I obtained via e-bay. The resolution of this instrument is 0.1 degrees. I try to get the angles as accurate as possible. In my humble opinion 1 degree accuracy, in measuring the angles, is not good enough
Start with a fairly simple shape .... say a dodecahedron ... don't go too small .... I would say make the component pentagons of a size to finish with a dodecahedron of about 12 inches diameter.
If you make a complicated model with lots of faces then any error in mitre angles is multiplied and when you come to assembly it may start off O.K. but it will not, what I term, 'close'.
If I can help you please ask.
Where do you source your wood from?
Squeaky
Woods
Hi Brendan,
I nearly always use hardwoods ... hardy ever used plastics except one time I covered a 'stellation' with mirror coated acrillic. When I sort out 'photobucket' I will send a picture of this particular model to the forum.
One very good source of hardwood is to buy a single pack of hardwood flooring ... the solid stuff not 'laminated' .. You can buy this material from big DIY shops in England ... it is well seasoned and a very convenient size.
If you are interested I could go through making a model step by step with you.
Squeaky
I nearly always use hardwoods ... hardy ever used plastics except one time I covered a 'stellation' with mirror coated acrillic. When I sort out 'photobucket' I will send a picture of this particular model to the forum.
One very good source of hardwood is to buy a single pack of hardwood flooring ... the solid stuff not 'laminated' .. You can buy this material from big DIY shops in England ... it is well seasoned and a very convenient size.
If you are interested I could go through making a model step by step with you.
Squeaky
When I have some wood and tools, I'll post about that here.