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A Rectangular Tetrahedron

A Rectangular Tetrahedron
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  • tetrahedron004.jpg
  • PICT0281.JPG
Once you know how, this is a simple project - turning a flat rectangular piece of paper into a full tetrahedral solid.
 
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Step 1Thirty-Six by Five

Thirty-Six by Five
That's the secret - you need a rectangular piece of paper or light card with sides in the ration of 36:5.

It can be 36cm x 5cm, 9" x 1.25", whichever you like. Obviously, the larger the piece of paper, the larger the model you can make. You can, if you want, use two pieces that are in the ratio of 18:5, then tape them end-to-end to make a larger piece*.

If you have some sort of graph paper, your job will be made a lot easier, because all you need to do is count squares.

* The next steps will assume you are using a single, long piece of paper, but if you've got the brains to check this footnote, you're able to adapt the instructions to using two separate pieces.
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36 comments
Sep 2, 2009. 12:49 PMSpycrab says:
sweet! going to make an army of these to unleash on. . .my..er..any volunteers? :-]
Jan 2, 2009. 6:20 PMchriskarr says:
It will also work, like with most paper (in America, at least) with 11" X 1.528". With any given length of paper, all you have to do is take the length and multiply it by the result (different calculators will give different results) of the equation 5/36. My calculator gave me 0.13888888888888888888888888888889 which I then multiplied my length, 11", by; 0.13888888888888888888888888888889*11, my calculator gave me 1.5277777777777777777777777777778 There you are, my own formula (and probably the one in use by Kiteman) for finding Kiteman's magical tetrahedron length:height ratio.
Nov 30, 2008. 7:23 AMPKTraceur says:
Schweet! d4!
Jul 27, 2008. 12:00 PMknexfan9182 says:
thats cool i might make it. +5*
Jul 27, 2008. 8:31 PMknexfan9182 says:
np I'm gonna make it after i clean my room tomorrow. *ps do you want before and after pics of my room lol its kind hard to walk in there atm.*
Aug 6, 2008. 9:05 AMknexfan9182 says:
hmm how much of the year can he/she walk in it with out stepping on something?
Sep 25, 2008. 5:16 PMfooter0 says:
i knew you liked D&D >:D
Aug 12, 2008. 5:17 PMdombeef says:
YEA HA!
Jul 29, 2008. 8:34 AMiectyx3c says:
This is great. It works because 9 is very close to the actual value of 8.66 for a regular tetrahedron. And the way it can store flat in your wallet is very cool. Nice Instructable and fun to play with.
Jun 29, 2008. 8:56 AM=SMART= says:
Here is My Tetrahedron, I made the larger size and drew it out by hand. Cool instructable 5*
Jun 29, 2008. 9:31 AM=SMART= says:
Thanks :P, I turned my screen off to use as a black background, but for some reason my fingers are really white in the 3rd pic ?:P
Jun 29, 2008. 10:21 AM=SMART= says:
Probbaly
Jul 15, 2008. 3:57 PMYummyPancakes says:
Or you're just nerdier than you think you are 8-)
Jun 30, 2008. 4:37 AMgmjhowe says:
nice, good job!
Jun 29, 2008. 9:32 AM=SMART= says:
I added this to the Papercraft Group too :D
Jun 29, 2008. 3:52 AM=SMART= says:
Haha very nice, mines printing now :P Looks cool, and good pictures
Jun 28, 2008. 8:56 AMLinuxH4x0r says:
*golf clap* Very nice!
Jun 28, 2008. 1:08 PMLinuxH4x0r says:
No problem. I didn't know it was sarcastic. I liked it. I have no clue why. tired. go away. stop asking hard questions
Jun 28, 2008. 1:30 PMLithium Rain says:
It's a very polite, quiet clap (because we wouldn't want to break the golfer's concentration!). I don't think he meant it rude.
Jun 28, 2008. 2:07 PMLithium Rain says:
No, just polite and quiet-kinda like the British. Ducks head
Jun 29, 2008. 3:53 AM=SMART= says:
WWWWWHHHHAHAAATTTTTTTT!?!?!?!?!?!? lol
Jun 28, 2008. 10:32 AMsmheath says:
You mean 9" x 1.25".

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Author:Kiteman(The Complete Kiteman Shop)
"Happiness is a shed full of power tools." If you need help around the site, or with a project, feel free to contact me.