Rolly's 'You tube' channel

[Canuck]

Just in case some of you haven't seen Rolly's amazing videos, here's a link to the main page displaying all of them.  If you have an account you simply have to subscribe to his page and you'll get updates of new videos as they're released....

http://www.youtube.com/user/rollyforum

Here's a couple of Mike's :

http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=mpuzzlemaker&view=videos

I've got a buffing video that might be of use

http://www.youtube.com/my_videos

Here's a page with Oskar van Deventer's puzzles, some are very, very cool!!

http://www.youtube.com/user/OskarPuzzle

Richard Gain's Microcubology videos:

http://www.youtube.com/user/microcubology

Roland Koch's 'Crazy Swiss Cube' (Man this is one sweet puzzle!)

http://www.youtube.com/user/KNOXPuzzles

Anyone else have videos?

[rolly_wood]

Thank you John, to those interested in such a method, the video are screencaptures of a browser (Microsoft ie but can be Mozilla, Opera, and so on) showing VRML programs which I wrote. Since the visualization in full resolution with the possibility of stopping, translating and rotating the objects as one prefers needs the installation of a free plug-in (ParallelGraphics Cortona VRML Player) - and sometimes this latter conflicts with some sw and does not work - I preferred to put them in the form above on youtube. But they are much better on full scale and when you can have control of it. Of course nothing comparable to a "real", great code such as Burrtools, my one is a child play just for visualization. Nevertheless  I use it for doing simulated trial-and-error procedures to find some angles or measures which cannot be calculated in closed form (correct me George, I am entering your field  ).
If someone is interested to try directly the .wrl source file, and to install the above component (free, tested and sure http://www.cortona3d.com/install/iexplore.php), I can send him the code. Since they are not professionaly written, and they are totally interpreted (i.e. one can modify it slightly and become his program) I prefer a "direct contact" with the user. (not to put it somewhere for download).
I have many of these .wrl, not only those shown on youtube.

[gibell]

Rolly, those videos are very nice!  I've never used Burr Tools to make a video, but I suppose it is possible using screen capture techniques.  Also Burr Tools cannot display a regular dodecahedron, or many other polyhedra.  Even rhombic dodecahedrons are very time consuming to create.  For cubes, of course, the thing rules.

The buffing video is kind of like watching paint dry!     I wanted to see the piece after you were done with it!

[rolly_wood]

For example I have obtained the distance betweeen holes of this Coffin design by VRML. This is a typical full size screen. I tried to implement shadows but I did not succeed

http://img531.imageshack.us/img531/3313/dimaforilw6.flv

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[Canuck]

The buffing video is kind of like watching paint dry!    

Yeah...now imagine doing several hundred  

[Canuck]

  I wanted to see the piece after you were done with it!

You would have had to buy a copy of the '18 Burr Pieces Packing' puzzle when they were for sale

[Canuck]

For example I have obtained the distance betweeen holes of this Coffin design by VRML. This is a typical full size screen. I tried to implement shadows but I did not succeed

http://img531.imageshack.us/img531/3313/dimaforilw6.flv

That is very cool Rolly! 

[Canuck]

For example I have obtained the distance betweeen holes of this Coffin design by VRML.

Rolly, are you going to post this puzzle as well, I'd like to see it

[rolly_wood]

OK John I need some time and a fast pc to avoid jerking movements in the capture. But I will do it

[Canuck]

Thanks Rolly 

[MarkMc]

For example I have obtained the distance betweeen holes of this Coffin design by VRML. This is a typical full size screen. I tried to implement shadows but I did not succeed

http://img531.imageshack.us/img531/3313/dimaforilw6.flv

This is just awesome.  I envy your skills.  I've been trying to figure out the spacing on this puzzle for a long time (Locked Nest types too).  Is there some way to translate your diagrams into actual measurements?

[rolly_wood]

Yes it is. My diagrams are produced by a code in which I can adjust the shift of the piece in order to meet the bit axis. In that sense I do not actually calculate measurement, neither the sotfware does it, it is simply the trial and error method S. Coffin mentions, but without wasting time and wood  .
Not surprisingly there are only two measurements which have to be taken into account.
Moving into practice it means that translations are obtained by suitable blocks: there are only two types of such blocks. see the photo.
Assumed as 1 the radius (not the side) of the pentagon these thicknesses are 3.1 and 1.9.
Concerning rotations I think the video is self explaining.

Hope this help. Thank you for your appreciation


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[Canuck]

Rolly has once again added a cool video!  Have a look:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tcK4U_HeFtA&feature=sdig&et=1244389510.95

Rolly, I'd like to know a little more about you're dowelled no glue joints for this puzzle?   

[rolly_wood]

You are wellcome John. You know, I am not accurate as I would want in my craftmanship then: when one cannot avoid errors, tries to hide them
If Blossom were glued it would need to be very precisely done to have a tight fit, if instead it is held together by a beech dowel, the blocks can be left a bit spaced apart let us say one or two tenths of millimiter and, in this case, it shows also some degree of flexibility which is optimal for the tight fit.
I use 6 or 8 mm beech dowels and they are rather good but if they are too loose, I put a bit of shellac in the hole and it becomes Ok.

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[Canuck]

Cool idea Rolly!!!!!

You know I sometimes think we are too hard on ourselves when it comes to the 'craftmanship'  I can't think of any puzzle I've ever made that I didn't think had some flaw (no matter how insignificant), heck it's handcrafted shouldn't it appear that way???