Lattice Snakes (Double Tube)

thingiverse

This deceptively simple shape forms complex 3D patterns. Place a bowl of these on your coffee table for friends to ponder! It takes time to figure out the various ways this shape can fit together. The pictures above show examples of some basic building "units" that combine to form flat or 3D structures. The end faces of two joined tubes match up with the faces of tetrahedrons and octahedrons in an isotropic vector matrix. Short tube faces are congruent with octahedron faces, while longer tube faces are congruent with tetrahedron faces. A "Double Whole" file is provided for reference only and should not be printed. The "Octa" and "Tetra" sides of the shape are printed separately and glued together. For proper alignment, sides must match perfectly. The "flat" pieces leave accurate alignment up to you, while the "connector" pieces allow you to use two copies of the "Double Tube Connector" for precise alignment. Holes accept 3mm x 3mm cylindrical magnets. Clean out holes with a 1/8" drill bit to remove burrs or imperfections before inserting magnets. Magnets should have opposite polarity on the "tetra" and "octa" ends of tubes. Secure magnets with CA glue. Check out "Lattice Snakes (Quad Tubes)" for a similar design: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4389090