Here are my... things :o - Twisting pentagonal tubular frame

[Eric]

I was playing around with a pentagonal tubular frame, that is very interesting because it's rock solid (but so rods-consumming )
Some simple rules :
- pentagons must be reinforced by a pentagonal pyramid (or a pentagonal panel to spare rods)
- pentagonal pyramids can be turned inwards or outwards (concave or convex)
- leaning on a regular icosahedron or an outwards pentagonal pyramid allows you to change direction.
- a regular icosahedron can support up to 3 different pentagonal tubular frames in 3 different directions

Baby snake

Mother snake

Ascending spiral unstable and too heavy not to be propped up

[Eric]

Ascending then descending spiral in the same movement.
Anyway, something colorful

From a slightly higher point of view

The same .. thing from above. Couldn't have guessed what it would be

[Eric]

An alien creature

It would be a lie to say it is very stable. it is barely at the point of equilibrium. An extra row of rods to the right side would not have been too much

Or maybe a trophy or something?

Nope a definitely terrifying alien thing

[Eric]

Alien Kiss!

From above

Almost symmetrical

I'm telling nonsense. Ok I'm leaving.
It's time to go to bed ...

[Wagyx]

Hey there,
technically speaking, any such shape can be decomposed into:
- Pentagonal antiprism for the tube part
- J62 Metabidiminished Icosahedron as a joint for changing directions
- J63 Tridiminished Icosahedron as a joint for connecting three tubes together
- J2 Pentagonal Pyramid for end caps

Mathematically speaking, I see connecting two shape together face by face as adding (or augmenting in Stella's vocabulary) and extruding one shape from another (like with J2 and any other one) as subtracting or excavating (Stella still).

It make an algorithm for the generation of such tubular shapes much easier to envision.
Of course, other shapes with pentagons could be used too, like the dodecahedron or the pentagonal prism, I guess they would disrupt the intent behind the twisting tubular frame though.