Small Stellated Dodecahedron - Laser Cut

thingiverse

I was determined to craft a Small Stellated Dodecahedron, with "small" being a crucial part of its technical name to distinguish it from the Great Stellated Dodecahedron. There are numerous papercraft versions and 3D print models available, but I'm particularly fond of laser cutting, so I set out to find one that fit my bill. Unfortunately, I was unable to locate any satisfactory laser cut designs, prompting me to take matters into my own hands. I had previously attempted two prototypes with underwhelming results, but this time around, the design came together fairly effortlessly using wood glue. The material of choice was 1/8" birch plywood, which provided a sturdy base for the structure. To assemble the model, it needs to be cut three times to yield all the necessary parts. Interestingly, the entire thing can be cut from a single 12"x12" piece of material. The design process involved consulting Wikipedia to gather information on the Small Stellated Dodecahedron's geometry, after which I developed a strategy centered around intersecting pentagrams. The most challenging aspect was determining the precise angles required for the connecting pieces (the intersection angle is 116.565 degrees), but once that hurdle was overcome, the rest of the design consisted primarily of pentagons and triangles. The model was designed in DraftSight, prepared in Inkscape, and cut on a Full Spectrum 80W Laser Cutter at Make 717 in Lancaster, PA.