Tensegrity Tetrahedral Tower

by BevCanTech in Craft > Art

1253 Views, 4 Favorites, 0 Comments

Tensegrity Tetrahedral Tower

20210408_221735.jpg

There are a few 'Tensegrity Tables' on the internet. They mainly appear to be made of two 'J' members with the top one upside down. They are interesting and intriguing but not the only compression members which can be used to make a tensegry structure. In this instructable I will be using Tetrahedrals.
The Tetrahedral is made of 4 equilateral triangles. This also give it structural rigidity.
Each of the tetrahedrals are suspended independently, meaning they don't touch each other, only being connected by nylon fishing line.

Make the Members

20210407_111134.jpg
20210407_112952.jpg
20210409_174516.jpg

Partially blow up 4 balloons so they are round but not too bigs, these will be used as connection point for the tubes.
Make Cross members by rolling up some cardboard into 6 tubes.
Attach a tube end to a balloon with tape.

Make a Triangle

20210407_114023.jpg
20210407_114837.jpg

Make a triangle by joining together 3 balloons and tubes with tape.

Make a Tetrahedral

20210409_181058.jpg

Make a tetrahedral by joining 3 more tubes and a balloon to the triangle.

Positioning of Tetrahedrals

20210409_180834.jpg

Make two more tetrahedrals but in these hold off finishing connecting one of the tube ends to a ball on. This is so it can fit into the center of the first tetahedral so the 3 are linked.
Connect through the 1st tetrahedral and secure to the last tube ends to their balloons to complete the tetrahedrals, now linked together.

Tower Build

20210329_223624.jpg

After the tetrahedrals have been built linked together. Use nylon fishing line to suspend the upper tetrahedral from the lower one so they form a tower.
Then connect the side balloons together with fishing line and tape so the tower becomes stable.