Zometools
About Zome
Zometools are a building toy based on a mathematical system called the Zome System. The system is based on 2, 3, and 5-fold symmetries in space (similar to those of an Icosahedron) and the Golden Ratio, and is explained a little bit in the advanced use section of the Zometool website.
While it may sound complicated, it's really quite easy to build with Zometools. Tom's youngest sister Joan could use them at age 4, and just about everyone who picks them up can build something interesting in the first five minutes. Shown here are some of the models we've built, mostly of the more advanced variety.
Tom's introduction to Zome, April '94
Zome Models
Icosahedral Symphonyaka the Icon of L33t
This model combines the compound of five octahedra (in green) with the Buckyball (in blue).
In the center is a rhombic triacontahedron (in red) suspended by yellow struts.
The compound of five octahedra is probably the most technical model I've ever designed, mostly due to the scaling factor.
I explain the design on this page.
We also rendered the model for our lunchboxes.
A high-resolution rendering (4000x3000 pixel .bmp) which is suitable for rendering is available here (1.9 MB .zip file)
Kepler's Obsession
The five Platonic solids in a single model.
The cube is yellow, the dodecahedron is white, the icosahedron is blue, the octahedron and the tetrahedron are both green.
This model is featured (in fewer colors) in the Zome Advanced Math Kit instructions (997 KB).
Zome Tower
A 17-foot-tall Zome tower, viewed from a few different angles
Coffee Table
This is the main design for a Zome coffee table.
Just add a glass top and you're good to go!
Density
Dorothy Catlin's completely filled Zome node, with an Icosahedral shell
Compound of Five Tetrahedra
Rendered by Tom for use in the Zome advanced math kit instructions, and constructed
This was a very difficult model to render -- it turns out there were a few bugs in the software relating to green line directions!