Hexsticks, plans? angles?
Hexsticks, plans? angles?
I decided to make a copy of the Hexstic Puzzle but the cuts seem to be in very odd angles. Does anyone know where to get building plans for that puzzle or does anyone know the exact angles/measurements for making this puzzle?
I just tried to figure them out by myself but failed...
I just tried to figure them out by myself but failed...
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Re: Hexsticks, plans? angles?
According to Coffin's notes, the notches are all the same dimension of the sticks, and exactly to teh centre. Cut at an angle of 70.5 degrees to the axis of the stick.
Re: Hexsticks, plans? angles?
Thank you very much! After now searching for "Hexsticks + Steward Coffin" I found the patent with the exact masurements: http://www.google.com/patents?id=HcAtAAAAEBAJ
Hexsticks vs Hectix Revisited
After building a "mockup" with triangular sticks (just for analyzing the structure and to have something to 'hold' in ones hand) I now finally made some hexagonal sticks (18mm diameter) that will eventually turn into a puzzle. Now I figured out that there are two know puzzles that pretty look the same but seem to be quite different: Hexstics and Hectix Revisited. Which one do you recommend? On the one hand I read that Hextics is rather a simple puzzle, but on the other hand Hectix Revisited can cause severe brain damage=)
Do you have any recommendations?
Do you have any recommendations?
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Re: Hexsticks, plans? angles?
Since both use the same pieces, I believe revisited is a collection of the sticks glued in a specific way, I'd say cut the pieces for HexSticks, and if you find it too easy, then glue the pieces together to create the harder version.
You should be able to get the comparison easily enough, but if you struggle, let me know and I'll send you the info you need.
You should be able to get the comparison easily enough, but if you struggle, let me know and I'll send you the info you need.
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Re: Hexsticks, plans? angles?
Actually, there are 3 similar puzzles here:
Seven Piece Improved Hexsticks has glued sticks but I don't have them here so can't confirm if the pieces are the same. Hectix Revisited was designed by Bill Cutler and has 12 separate pieces many of which are quite different from Hexsticks.
Re: Hexsticks, plans? angles?
And there is also a difference between Hectix and Hexsticks, one has three different kind of pieces, while the other has only two and has internal holes.
Re: Hexsticks, plans? angles?
Thanks for the hint that there is another "version" of that puzzle! But since I do not want to glue pieces together (due to the lack of being able working that acurately) the only (?) puzzles that comes into consideration are the already mentioned Hextics and Hectix Revisited. What are your experiences with those two puzzles?
PS: I finally found a way for calculating the angle between each two of the four triplets. The have the same angle as the four lines that go from the center of a tetrahedron to each of the edges which is 2*arctan(sqrt(2)/2) approximately 70.5287794°
PS: I finally found a way for calculating the angle between each two of the four triplets. The have the same angle as the four lines that go from the center of a tetrahedron to each of the edges which is 2*arctan(sqrt(2)/2) approximately 70.5287794°
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Re: Hexsticks, plans? angles?
That's interesting because my copy of Hectix has two types of pieces (9 of one and 3 of another), that same as those mentioned in the patent above. I don't have a copy of Hexsticks. Is the patent therefore for Hectix and not Hexsticks?Pio2001 wrote:And there is also a difference between Hectix and Hexsticks, one has three different kind of pieces, while the other has only two and has internal holes.
pouring sauce over the confusion
I just did another bid of research:
- According to John Rausch's site Hectix is just the plastic version of Hexsticks
- Hexsticks consists afaik of 3 different kind of pieces (1,2 & 3 notches, see here at woodpuzzles.com)...
- ...while Hectix Revisited consists of many more different pieces (see Bill Cutler's Site)
- there are some other versions that include glued pieces (e.g. Improved Hexsticks 159a at puzzlemad)
- In Steward Coffin's Patent there is a slightly different version of the Hexstics that consists only of two different kind of pieces (9 with 2 notches and 3 with 3 notches), which apparently has some additional internal holes beside the one big in the center