Introduction: Pi Chart - Visual Art of 1000 Digits

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Pi is a truly remarkable concept. As a mathematical constant that has yet to have a final number because the pattern does not repeat.

Visualizing pi as a long string of numbers is easy, and rather dull. If there was some way to demonstrate the irrational seemingly chaotic nature that is pi in a much more pleasing to the eye method.

Ah! There is.

My Pi Chart actually shows the first 1000 digits of pi. It serves absolutely no purpose other than decoration. I really like the symmetry of it, even though pi does not have a pattern in itself. I think it makes a unique piece of art or display that could actually be hung in any math class.

This is how I made my Pi Chart - Visual Art.

Step 1: Materials

  • 5 gallon plastic bucket – I chose a bucket because it is already a circle and being plastic is easy to work with.
  • 10 – 1.25” machine bolts
  • 20 nuts to the machine bolts
  • 10 washers that fit on the bolts
  • 10 grommets (Curved washers)
  • 300 yards of embroidery thread
  • Super glue
  • Keys 0-9 from a dead keyboard

Tools

  • Hacksaw or sharp knife
  • Drill with bit the same size as the bolts
  • Screwdriver
  • Needle-nose pliers
  • Cloth measuring tape
  • Tape
  • Marker
  • Printout of pi to 1000 places

Step 2: Bucket List

  1. First, I had to prep the frame ring of my chart.
  2. With the drill, I made a pilot hole under the lip structure of the bucket.
  3. With the knife, I carefully cut around the bucket starting at the pilot hole.
  4. I removed the handle from the ring.
  5. With the cloth measuring tape, I measured the outside circumference of the ring. I found securing it with tape made this easier. (The circumference to my ring came out to an even 100 centimeters.)
  6. I divided this by 10. (This made the even spacing for my 10 numerals.) Easily enough, it came out to every 10 cm.
  7. With the tape measure, I marked off every 10 cm with the marker. I made the marks on the part of the ring between the edge and the heavy structure where the handle was connected.
  8. Finally, I drilled a hole at all 10 marks around the ring.

Step 3: Nuts and Bolts

  1. First, I prepared the bolts by adding one nut and one grommet to each bolt. I inserted the grommets upside down, making the curve toward the open end of the bolt. I did it this way, because the holes in the ring are just against the curvature of the structure and a regular flat washer would dig into the plastic.
  2. Next, I inserted the bolt from the outside of the ring into the drilled holes.
  3. Then, I added a washer and another nut.
  4. I adjusted it so the last nut was just to the end of the bolt.
  5. I tightened (or is it loosened) the middle nut back toward the other nut, sandwiching the plastic ring between the nuts.
  6. Using the needle-nose pliers, I tightened the outside nut while holding the bolt with the screwdriver. Doing it this way prevented the inside nut from turning and loosening.
  7. I left about 1 inch of bolt sticking out from the ring.
  8. I repeated for the remaining 9 bolts.

Step 4: 3.1415926…

  1. First, I added a piece of tape on the heavy structure ring at every bolt.
  2. With the marker, I wrote the numbers 0-9 on the tape pieces. This labeled the bolts.
  3. Next, I made a loop in the thread and tied it to bolt labeled 3.
  4. From bolt 3, I ran the string over to bolt 1, looped it around, then 4, looped it around, then back to 1, etc. I made sure to keep the thread tight, but not too tight to break it!
  5. After every 100 digits, I added super glue to the embroidery thread on the bolt to prevent it from unwinding.
  6. Continue on as long as you choose. I stopped at 1000 digits. The 1000th digit is 8. NOTE: The 1000th digit of pi is 8 because the 3 is the first digit, but the 1000th decimal place is actually 9.
  7. I tied off the thread at 8 and added a little more glue to hold it.
  8. Next, I snipped off the remaining thread.
  9. I removed half the taped numbers. (Not all! You have to know where the actually numerals begin!)
  10. I glued the keyboard keys in place, indicating the numerals.

Step 5: Finished!

There you have it! That is how I made my Pi Chart - Visual Art of 1000 Digits!

I hope you enjoyed this.

And as always, thank you for checking out my Instructable!

Pi Day Challenge 2016

Runner Up in the
Pi Day Challenge 2016

Bucket Challenge

Runner Up in the
Bucket Challenge

Hand Tools Only Contest 2016

Participated in the
Hand Tools Only Contest 2016

Full Spectrum Laser Contest 2016

Participated in the
Full Spectrum Laser Contest 2016