Tensegrity Table OpenSCAD

thingiverse

I'm finally ready to unleash my first Thingiverse upload onto the world, despite its likely inadequacies. For too long, I've been hesitant to share my creations due to a need for perfection that's often unattainable. There have been numerous iterations of the "impossible table" lately, featuring tensegrity designs held together by strings and defying expectations. Unfortunately, I don't have links handy, but rest assured that these tables are worth exploring. I've already developed scripts on this subject, but they require tinkering with code rather than simple customization. My first attempt is impossibletable.scad, where you can adjust various parameters at the top, such as the number of sides, diameter of the circumcircle, height, and size of different components. This version creates spokes from the center to the corners but doesn't produce a flat surface – you can always add a plate or something on top. Feel free to experiment with it. However, I'm more proud of newtable.scad, which shares many parameters with the first script but uses them more effectively and consistently. You have two modules to choose from: regulartable() and multilegtable(). The former creates a table like impossibletable.scad with one leg on a spoke toward the center, while the latter produces a table with legs along each side of the polygon, making it stronger. This script is quite flexible and mathematically sound. Both modules take parameters (corners, hi, lng, howmuch). 'Corners' determines the shape of the polygon, 'hi' sets the height of the legs, 'lng' controls their horizontal length, and 'howmuch' affects how high up the leg the reinforcement goes. The script is also reasonably intelligent, as it will always try to place the tips of the multilegtable's legs exactly at the halfway point along each side, preventing any sideways torque. As for tying the strings, I've experimented with numerous possibilities. You can opt for a single strand with a knot or a loop (which, incidentally, is missing – there should be a notch in the tabs for the loop). I've even attempted using magnets for the center string (not a great plan practically), but you can check out knots #1987, #1988, and #1989 from the Ashley Book of Knots for ones that can slide along and lock into place. #1987 is probably the best choice if you're using a loop. Still, it's challenging to get them just right. Lately, I've been working on hanging the top from a framework placed on top of some cups (to keep it level) and doing the outside strands first – seems to have had some success. Sorry for the disorganization; otherwise, this would never see the light of day because I'd spend forever perfecting it.