SCREWY OCTAHEDRON 4 - George Bell

[Canuck]

Here's a link to George's recently published sphere puzzle on Ishino's site:

http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~uy7t-isn/Puzzle/ScrewyOctahedron/4/



and here's my version using 'bevel edge cubes' with Padauk...a cool design feature to note with this puzzle is that it uses a 'tetrahedron to make an Octahedron'...well done George!  

[rolly_wood]

WOW! is this a surprise?

A pleasure to finally see a George design in wood! And crafted by John! what else?

May you disclose info about it? how it assembles? two halves? coordinate motion?

Do not you let us like that! 

[gibell]

Actually, all the "Screwy Octahedron" versions were designed using spheres.  But only the fourth could possibly be assembled using RD or beveled cubes.  I asked John's opinion on whether it could be assembled.  Meanwhile I stared at the computer screen for an hour trying to decide if it was possible, maybe using coordinated motion?  I finally concluded, reluctantly, that it could not.

Just that moment an email arrived from John.  He has not only made the puzzle but found that it could be assembled!  And it is not held together with duct tape like I would have assumed a prototype was, but a perfectly finished puzzle!

At the moment I still don't fully get how it goes together.  At least, I don't think all three pieces have to move together, but two of them do.  It uses three identical pieces of 5 units each, plus the 4-unit tetrahedron.  I have made the sphere version of this puzzle, and it goes together quite easily.

[rolly_wood]

Great! I love this category of puzzles and this looks as a attracting design. (still I cannot imagine how it works). Handcrafting will be excellent, of course...
A success for sure!

PS have you re-sent the email to my home address George?

[Canuck]

Great! I love this category of puzzles and this looks as a attracting design. (still I cannot imagine how it works). Handcrafting will be excellent, of course...
A success for sure!

Thanks Rolly...the design really is quite nice, I don't think George will mind me posting pics of the pieces...I really think it would look much better with RD blocks but I'm not set-up to make them right now, but once I finish with my 'hex' stock, I'm going to revive my 'Kaleidoscope' RD block method 

[rolly_wood]

very interesting design... in my opinion BCs look better than RDs, more faces, more "polyhedric" aspect, seem more elaborated... it is, all in all: 18 vs 12 faces............ IMHO of course.

it is not space filling but who cares? 

[Canuck]

You're right Rolly  ...maybe that's why Stewart made most of the later RD designs from BC's... 

Curiously enough the 'space filling' situation would probably play a role in this particular design, but I won't know for sure until I make one from RD blocks...to be continued...