Build Instructions

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• 1

  Step 1

  Build the edge segments

  • Grab two LEDs
  • Bend one leg up by 180º on each
    (the same on both, e.g. the anode = longer leg)
  • Align the LEDs facing each other
  • Solder the bent leg of one LED to the unbent leg of the other, and vice-versa.
    The LEDs are now wired in anti-parallel.
  • Repeat this process for the required number of edges for your polyhedron. (see table)

  * Ensure that the distance between both LEDs is the same for all edge segments you build. A template placed below the LEDs while soldering might help.

  		Segments	LEDs
  Tetrahedron	6	||||| |	12
  Cube	12	||||| ||||| ||	24
  Octahedron	12	||||| ||||| ||	24
  Dodecahedron	30	||||| ||||| ||||| ||||| |||||	60
  Icosahedron	30	||||| ||||| ||||| ||||| |||||	60

• 2

  Step 2

  Build the first face

  • Align two edge segments' ends at the appropriate angle, to create the first vertex of the polyhedron. (see table)
  • Solder the vertex
  • Complete the first face by adding more edge segments until a ring is formed

  	Face shape		Inner angle
  Tetrahedron	Triangle	△	3x 60º
  Cube	Square	□	4x 90º
  Octahedron	Triangle	△	3x 60º
  Dodecahedron	Pentagon	⭔	5x 108º
  Icosahedron	Triangle	△	3x 60º

• 3

  Step 3

  Build more independent faces

  Depending on the polyhedron you are building, you may be able to build more of these 2-dimensional faces before joining them in 3D space.

  		Independent faces		Single edges
  Tetrahedron	1	△	3	| | |
  Cube	2	□ □	4	| | | |
  Octahedron	4 *	△ △ △ △	0
  Dodecahedron	3 (!)	⭔ ⭔ ⭔	15 (!)	||||| ||||| |||||
  Icosahedron	7 (!)	△ △ △ △ △ △ △	9 (!)	||||| ||||

  * The octahedron might be the easiest choice in this respect, as it has four independent faces which comprise all edges. Joining them should be relatively easy. I have not tested this myself.

  (!) I did these calculations in my head without testing. Let me know if you find a mistake!

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