Author Topic: TENSEGRITY TABLE  (Read 1312 times)

Offline Robert Hornby

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TENSEGRITY TABLE
« on: June 08, 2023, 01:45:21 AM »
Following Marv's suggestion, I have knocked up a Tensegrity table in wood. It is similar to the Infinity cube in its construction. The tricky part is getting the cord tensions equal. The cord is outdoors cotton used in sails, so it is very strong.
Age and treachery will always overcome youth and skill

Offline Admiral_dk

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Re: TENSEGRITY TABLE
« Reply #1 on: June 08, 2023, 09:31:07 AM »
Very fine execution of this kind of exercice  :Love:   :praise2:

Per          :cheers:

Offline MJM460

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Re: TENSEGRITY TABLE
« Reply #2 on: June 08, 2023, 12:56:34 PM »
Beautiful job of an interesting project Robert.  Just needs a glass top and a couple of drinks coasters.

MJM460
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Online mklotz

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Re: TENSEGRITY TABLE
« Reply #3 on: June 08, 2023, 03:22:27 PM »
Very nicely done, Robert.  I see that you added two extra cords - the ones on the left side in your first picture.  Although those aren't absolutely necessary, they're good to have if you intend to actually use the object as a table.  My version without those two cords will handle a balanced load on the top but will collapse to the side with a badly unbalanced load.  Your arrangement avoids such a disaster.
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Online crueby

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Re: TENSEGRITY TABLE
« Reply #4 on: June 08, 2023, 05:04:04 PM »
Very nicely done!

If the cords were clear monofiliment, would the table top look to be free floating? 

Offline bent

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Re: TENSEGRITY TABLE
« Reply #5 on: June 08, 2023, 08:29:31 PM »
Very cool, Robert.  Can you elaborate on how you got all the strings tensioned simultaneously before plugging the holes?

Offline Roger B

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Re: TENSEGRITY TABLE
« Reply #6 on: June 09, 2023, 08:16:07 PM »
Splendid  :ThumbsUp:  :ThumbsUp:  :wine1:
Best regards

Roger

Offline Robert Hornby

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Re: TENSEGRITY TABLE
« Reply #7 on: June 19, 2023, 07:59:03 AM »
Very cool, Robert.  Can you elaborate on how you got all the strings tensioned simultaneously before plugging the holes?

Sorry I have been a while responding to this but I have recently had cataract surgery and until I get my new specks I am bit handicaped.
Anyway, I thought about how I would get all the 5 threads tight at the same time and came up with the solution of placing two pillars between each of the frames and clamping them to the work bench. I had threaded a long piece of thread through the lower holes with a knot to prevent them pulling through. I then threaded them through the top holes and over the side where I fixed a weight to tension them up. It sounded great in theory and looked good as I put glue into the counter bored holes to fix the threads. Four of them held well but one of the corner ones slipped a bit much to my disappointment.
With the glue now in all the counter bores I was reluctant to dig it all out. I tried to tension the loose one by placing the sharpened end of a tooth pic with some glue on to see if it would encourage the thread to go further into the hole, and it did. JOB DONE. The thread is 0.4mm (about 10 thou) and the hole is 1.6mm. Unfortunately, I didn't take any photos of this operation.
Another tricky part then was to cut off the protruding tooth pic flush with the frame and hard up to the thread without damaging the thread. This was done extremely slowly and carefully with a fine saw.
Age and treachery will always overcome youth and skill

Offline bent

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Re: TENSEGRITY TABLE
« Reply #8 on: June 19, 2023, 05:21:41 PM »
Thanks, excellent description Robert!  :cheers:

Online mklotz

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Re: TENSEGRITY TABLE
« Reply #9 on: June 19, 2023, 06:02:51 PM »
Regards, Marv
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Offline Robert Hornby

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Re: TENSEGRITY TABLE
« Reply #10 on: June 21, 2023, 05:09:30 AM »
It looks like I did take a couple of photos of the cord fitting.
Age and treachery will always overcome youth and skill

 

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