Roger's Connection^®
ON-LINE INSTRUCTION MANUAL

Building the Icosahedron

An icosahedron has 20 sides, 30 edges, and 12 vertices. With Roger's Connection, that translates to 30 magnetic tubes, and 12 connector balls. There are many ways to build this shape, but here is one simple way. Once you become familiar with the icosahedron, you may find your own favorite ways to build it. Be patient! This one takes a little extra care to construct, since you have to hold a few partially constructed sections in place while you complete the design. Once complete, it is quite strong since it is fully triangulated.

Step 1 2 3 4

First, using five balls and five tubes, construct a pentagon, shown here in blue. Next, attach five tubes to a single ball, forming a "pentpod" (like a tripod, but with five legs instead of three). The pentpod is shown here in red. Next, attach the red pentpod to the blue petagon. Congratulations! You have just created a pentagonal pyramid! Now carefully turn the pentagonal pyramid upside down, so that the original blue pentagon is now facing up, and slanted toward you. You can balance it on one of the triangular faces. Next, prepare five "bipods", each with one ball and two tubes, shown here in black. Attach the two free ends of the first bipod to two adjacent balls on the blue pentagon. Continue around the blue pentagon, connecting the remaining bipods to adjacent balls. At this point the partially constructed icosahedron is very delicate! You will have to carefully hold the bipods in place or balance them as you complete the design.

5	6	7	8

Next, use five additional tubes, shown here in light gray, and connect a tube between the adjacent free balls of the bipods as shown.	Here, the five light gray tubes are shown attached. Note that they form another pentagon.	Next, prepare another pentpod, shown here in yellow.	Finally, attach the free ends of theyellow pentpod tubes, to the five balls of the light gray pentagon. Congratulations! You have successfully completed the icosahedron!

Step 1	2	3	4

First, using five balls and five tubes, construct a pentagon, shown here in blue. Next, attach five tubes to a single ball, forming a "pentpod" (like a tripod, but with five legs instead of three). The pentpod is shown here in red.	Next, attach the red pentpod to the blue petagon. Congratulations! You have just created a pentagonal pyramid!	Now carefully turn the pentagonal pyramid upside down, so that the original blue pentagon is now facing up, and slanted toward you. You can balance it on one of the triangular faces. Next, prepare five "bipods", each with one ball and two tubes, shown here in black.	Attach the two free ends of the first bipod to two adjacent balls on the blue pentagon. Continue around the blue pentagon, connecting the remaining bipods to adjacent balls. At this point the partially constructed icosahedron is very delicate! You will have to carefully hold the bipods in place or balance them as you complete the design.