8 ms·

A website to make 3D geometry shapes out of paper

106 points by bilinualcom 6y ago

vivekseth 6y ago
This is super cool! One suggestion I have is to try to optimize the arrangement of the cut-outs to use the paper more efficiently. In some cases I think up to 2x the cut-outs could fit on a page. You may also want to consider trying to arrange the cut-outs so that the flat edge aligns with the flat edge of the page. Might result in less cutting for the user.
wilhil 6y ago
So... can anyone convert the Batman Equation to a format this site understands?!
- johndough 6y ago
  I am guessing you are talking about https://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=batman+insignia https://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=batman+insignia which is a 2D silhouette, but this website is for 3D geometry, so I am not sure what the goal is here.
  - Something1234 6y ago
    A batman function with a bevel or one super imposed on the x-z plane.
  - wilhil 6y ago
    To try to convert the Batman insignia to draw on this!! Just meant to be a bit of fun!
loxtank 6y ago
Nice! This reminded me of when a friend showed me his collection of early 20th century paper theatre dioramas. Fascinating stuff. I think I'll try to create an actual set-design using the generator/plotter. Thanks for sharing this!
shagie 6y ago
This reminds me of Graphica Obscura - Paper and Plotter: A 3D Surface (1977). http://graficaobscura.com/surf/index.html http://graficaobscura.com/surf/index.html
emj 6y ago
I did this for a bathymetric map, but I it was hard to get the resolution I wanted, I used a laser cutter that was too small, so someone just exported the model and showed me it in AR which actually was a better experience. So this works well for small projects, but it gets insanely work intensive to do for larger projects.
cogburnd02 6y ago
There's a 3D graphing application for TI-83+ series calculators [1] and an easter egg was that it could plot the head of a duck. [2] (it had the equations for the surfaces in the code somewhere, presumably.) The first thing that came to my mind when I saw that you can upload an equation on this site is, 'I wonder what the equation is for a duck?' [1] https://www.detachedsolutions.com/graph3/ https://www.detachedsolutions.com/graph3/ [2] https://www.detachedsolutions.com/features/graph3-3.gif https://www.detachedsolutions.com/features/graph3-3.gif
- mjcohen 6y ago
  Why a duck?
  - cogburnd02 6y ago
    I don't know. However I would guess it's because the main portion is a sphere and that's easy enough to show on the 96x64 pixel screen of the 83+ series calculators.

106 points by bilinualcom 6y ago

This is super cool! One suggestion I have is to try to optimize the arrangement of the cut-outs to use the paper more efficiently. In some cases I think up to 2x the cut-outs could fit on a page. You may also want to consider trying to arrange the cut-outs so that the flat edge aligns with the flat edge of the page. Might result in less cutting for the user.

wilhil 6y ago

So... can anyone convert the Batman Equation to a format this site understands?!

johndough 6y ago
I am guessing you are talking about https://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=batman+insignia https://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=batman+insignia which is a 2D silhouette, but this website is for 3D geometry, so I am not sure what the goal is here.
- Something1234 6y ago
  A batman function with a bevel or one super imposed on the x-z plane.
- wilhil 6y ago
  To try to convert the Batman insignia to draw on this!! Just meant to be a bit of fun!

loxtank 6y ago

Nice! This reminded me of when a friend showed me his collection of early 20th century paper theatre dioramas. Fascinating stuff. I think I'll try to create an actual set-design using the generator/plotter. Thanks for sharing this!

shagie 6y ago

This reminds me of Graphica Obscura - Paper and Plotter: A 3D Surface (1977). http://graficaobscura.com/surf/index.html http://graficaobscura.com/surf/index.html

emj 6y ago

I did this for a bathymetric map, but I it was hard to get the resolution I wanted, I used a laser cutter that was too small, so someone just exported the model and showed me it in AR which actually was a better experience. So this works well for small projects, but it gets insanely work intensive to do for larger projects.

cogburnd02 6y ago

There's a 3D graphing application for TI-83+ series calculators [1] and an easter egg was that it could plot the head of a duck. [2] (it had the equations for the surfaces in the code somewhere, presumably.) The first thing that came to my mind when I saw that you can upload an equation on this site is, 'I wonder what the equation is for a duck?' [1] https://www.detachedsolutions.com/graph3/ https://www.detachedsolutions.com/graph3/ [2] https://www.detachedsolutions.com/features/graph3-3.gif https://www.detachedsolutions.com/features/graph3-3.gif

mjcohen 6y ago
Why a duck?
- cogburnd02 6y ago
  I don't know. However I would guess it's because the main portion is a sphere and that's easy enough to show on the 96x64 pixel screen of the 83+ series calculators.