The Soma Cube

A TelExperiment by Sebastian Marius Kirsch

The Soma Cube was invented in 1936 by Piet Hein, a Danish poet and puzzle inventor.replacements PSfrag It represents all possibilities of combining three or four 90 360 cubes in a not-straight 180 way. Its seven pieces crease can be assembled to form edge thousands of gures; it 360 crease is a kind of three-dimensional A Tangram in this aspect. A rst origami version of B the Soma Cube was intro- 1 duced by Steve Biddle in 2 16 squares his book The New Origami. Steve Biddle uses 68 2 Sonob units to produce e the pieces and arrives at the impressive number of 120 units. Maarten van Gelder has developed a Soma Cube whose pieces are each folded from a single square; he uses box pleating techniques developed by Max Hulme. I am presenting a version that is folded from ticker tape. My version gets by with seven 1.1 m long strips of ticker tape; each piece requires between 40 and 60 squares. All seven elements are folded from the same principles. Instead of describing each element step-by-step, I will therefore describe the basic elements and the methods of extending them. These methods are then presented with four of the pieces; the remaining pieces are only described verbally, but are constructed from the elements that have already been described. Before I start, I would like to thank two people: Philip Noble, whose FlexiCube has contributed much inspiration to this model, and Heinz Strobl, who has worked his way through the whole instruction and who has helped by removing many blunders and mistakes. This is a translation of a German article that originally appeared on no. 22 of der falter, the magazine of Origami Deutschland. I dedicate this translation to Jan Polish, whom I tried to teach the model at the Wrzburg 97 Convention at one oclock at night, but in vain. I hope u that my diagrams are clearer than my verbal instructions.

[soma-e.tex,v 1.3 1997/06/17 17:08:30 skirsch Exp skirsch] c 1996,1997 Sebastian Marius Kirsch. All rights reserved. Reproduction and distribution is allowed under the terms of the GNU General Public License. For personal/non-commercial use only.

rag replacements 360

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90 360 180 360 crease crease 1 Some A edge

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180 crease edge 90 360 180 crease edge 360 crease A 180 B 1 90 2 16 squares edge crease 360

introductory remarks 360 crease

360 crease B A 1.1 ASymbols 1 B A 2 The diagrams distinguish between aB B 1 16 squares 2 simple1 fold and the edge of the strip. For 1 16 a thin 68 2 and 90 ),squares line is used 2 folds (180 216(squares For the edge of the strip and squares 16 360 68 ).

2 68 68 creases, a thick line is used ( ). An open 2 ( 68 360 crease 2 arrow ) is used to indicate that the end 2 of the strip is to be laid across a frame, and a lled arrow ( ) is used to indicate that the strip is to be pulled through under a frame. PSfrag replacements

1.2

The Witches staircase

Before beginning, 360 the strip must 180 be A divided into squares. crease edge This is done easiA 90 est with a 360 that fold crease B A is called a HexenB treppe in German. 1 Some people may still know this from B 16 squares kindergarten, but I 2 will briey repeat 68 how to produce 2 PSfrag replacements it. You begin by folding a valley fold of 45 in the middle of the strip. Both 90 end of the strip are now perpendicularto each other. Now you fold B 360 the edge of B down, and so on along the edge of A to the left, A along 180 till the end of the strip. Then you undo the resulting staircase.
crease edge 360 crease The ends are locked by shorten-A ing the remaining strip to two squares,B sharpening it a little, and tucking it 1 into the opposite slot. Long ngernails 2 16 squares

1.3

Locking the ends

and/or tweezers can be helpful for the 68 last bit. 2

rag replacements 90 2360The basic unit

180 Length of the strip = 42 width crease edge I will now describe how to make a basic unit with three cubes. The 360 crease variation with two cubes is easy to produce: Just make each frame two A squares shorter. B rag replacements 11 902Valley fold eld no. 11 down. (Field no. 9 for a unit with two cubes.) 360 16 squares 180 68 crease 2 edge 360 creaseForm a loose horizontal frame, based on the shown valley folds. 2 A B 1 2 16 squares 68 PSfrag replacements rag replacements 2 90 90 Lay the tape one time around 3 4 360 Valley fold the tape to the back 360 the frame. This is the vertical 180 and to the right. 180 frame. crease crease edge edge 360 crease 360 crease 1 A A 2 B B 1 2 16 squares 16 squares 68 68 2 2 rag replacements PSfrag replacements 3a Variation of step 3 for piece 3, 4, 4a Variation of step 4 for piece 4, 6 90 90 360 6 and 7: Pull the tape through 360 and 7: Let a loop stick out on 180 under the frame on the right, lay 180 the underside. it over the frame on the left. crease crease edge edge 360 crease 360 crease 1 A A 2 B B 1 2 16 squares 16 squares 68 68 2 2

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90 5 6 Valley fold and mountain fold 360 Pull the tape through under the horizontal frame on the back and the tape: a right-angled triangle 180 is produced. creasein front. PSfrag replacements edge 90 360 crease 360 A 180 B crease 1 edge 2 360 crease 16 squares A 68 B 2 1 2 16 squares 68 PSfrag replacements 2 rag replacements 90 7 Tuck this triangle behind the ho8 Pull the tape through under the 90 360 rizontal frame. vertical frame underneath and 180 360 over. crease 180 1 edge crease edge 360 crease A 360 crease A B B 1 2 16 squares 2 16 squares 68 PSfrag replacements 2 68 90 2 360 rag replacements 9 Repeat steps 68 and pull the 10 Lock the ends. 180 90 tape through under the horicrease 360 zontal frame one more time. edge 180 360 crease crease A edge 68 B 360 crease 1 A 2 B 16 squares 1 68 2 2 16 squares 2

Extension of the basic unit

The described basic unit can be extended by allowing a loop to stick out in step 3 or 8, and by weaving around it afterwards. If you let the loop stick out on the second frame, the woven unit is perpendicular to the basic unit. If the loop sticks out while weaving the basic unit (steps 89), the woven unit is in the same direction as the basic unit. Before continuing, you should rst try to make a basic unit with two cubes, since ve of the seven pieces are based on this unit.

PSfrag replacements The pieces of the cube

90

Using the basic unit, the seven pieces of the 360 cube can now be folded. They can be assembled 180 into thousands of guresinto arches, walls, crease monuments, snakes, ships and much more. An edge example is shown on the left. 360 crease While pulling the tape through under a cube,A the tape can occasionally be caught. You canB help it by rst putting a small strip of paper 1 in as guidance. Thin tweezers or a thin metals 2 strip can also be used as guidance for the tape. 16 squares After the rst steps, the diagrams usually omit 68 the beginning of the strip, because it would get 2 in the way during later steps. Please do not be alarmed by this omission.

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crease edge 360 crease A B 1 2 16 squares

4.1

Piece 1

68 Length of the strip = 55 width PSfrag replacements

90 rag replacementsFold a basic unit with three 1 2 Mountain-fold the tape to 360 right and lay it once around 90 cubes. Let a loop stick out 180 during the repetition of step 8. loop. 360 crease 180 Pull the tape through under the edge creaseframe one more time. 360 crease edge A 360 crease B A 1 B 2 rag replacements 1 16 squares 902 68 16 squares 360 2 68 180 PSfrag replacements 2 crease 90 edgeMountain-fold the tape to the 3 4 Pull the tape through under 360 360 creasetop. loop on the top and between 180 A two cubes in the middle. crease B edge 1 360 crease 2 A 16 squares PSfrag replacements B 68 rag replacements 2 901 2 90 360 16 squares 360 180 68 180 crease 2 crease edge edgePull the tape through under the 5 6 360 creaseLock the ends. 360 creaseloop on the top. A A B B 1 1 2 2 16 squares 16 squares 68 68 2 2

the the

the the

crease edge 360 crease A B 1 2 16 squares

4.2

Piece 2

68 rag replacements Length of the strip = 58 width PSfrag replacements

90 90 Valley-fold the beginning twice: 1 2 360 Leave 16 squares at the begin360 A triangle forms. Tuck this 180 ning, then fold a basic unit with 180 triangle into the loop. three cubes. Let a loop stick crease edgeout during step 8 of the ba- crease edge 360 creasesic unit. Then complete the unit. 360 crease A A B B 16 squares 1 1 2 PSfrag replacements 2 16 squares 90 68 rag replacements 68 360 2 2 180 90 crease 360 edge(old position) Mountain-fold the 3 4 180 (new position) Lay the tape one 360 creasetime around the loop. (cf. piece creasetape to the top. edge1/25) A B 360 crease 1 A 2 B PSfrag replacements 16 squares 1 90 68 2 360 2 16 squares 180 68 crease 2 edge rag replacementsPull the tape through under the 5 6 360 creaseLock the ends. 90 loop on the top, between the two A 360 units in the middle, and once B 180 more under the loop on the top. 1 crease 2 edge 16 squares 360 crease 68 A 2 B 1 2 16 squares 68 2

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360 crease A B 1 PSfrag replacements 2 4.3 Piece 3 16 squares 90 68 Length of the strip = 53 width 360 rag replacements 2 180 90 1 Fold a basic unit with two cubes. creaseLay a two cube wide frame 2 360 edgearound the loop, as indicated by Let a loop stick out during step 180 360 creasethe dotted lines. 8. (cf. piece 1/1) crease A edge B 360 crease 1 A 2 B 16 squares rag replacements 1 68 902 2 16 squares 360 PSfrag replacements 180 68 90 2 crease 360 edgeMountain-fold the tape to the 3 4 Lay the tape once around the 180 360 creasetop. new frame. crease A edge B 360 crease 1 A 2 PSfrag replacements B 16 squares 68 901 2 2 360 16 squares rag replacements 180 68 crease 90 2 edge 360 5 6 360 180 Mountain-fold the tape to the creaseWhile pulling it through. left and pull it through under the A crease B edgeoriginal loop. 1 360 crease 2 A 16 squares B 68 1 2 2 16 squares 68 2

PSfrag replacements 90 360 90 180 360 crease 180 edge creasePull the tape through between 7 8 Lock the ends. PSfrag 360 crease replacements edgethe unit, on the right under the A 360 creasenew frame, and under the loop. 90 B A 360 1 B 180 2 1 crease 16 squares 2 edge 68 16 squares 2 360 crease 68 A 2 B 1 2 16 squares 4.4 Piece 4

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90 Fold a basic unit with two cubes, 2 360 Tuck this triangle under the rag replacementsand let the vertical frame stick 180 frame. 90 out (cf. steps 3a, 4a of the ba- crease edge 360 sic unit). Pull the tape through under the frame twice and fold a 360 crease 180 A creasetriangle. edge B 1 360 crease 2 A 16 squares B 68 1 2 2 16 squares 68 2 rag replacementsPull the tape through on the 3 4 PSfrag replacements(new position) The loop on the back is a result of the last step. 90 top and on the bottom under 90 Valley-fold the tape twice. 360 the vertical frame, let a loop 360 180 stick out in front (as indicated 180 creaseby the dotted lines). crease edge edge 360 crease 360 crease A A B B 1 1 2 2 16 squares 16 squares 68 68 2 2

2 This piece is one of the mostreplacements dicult. Two distinctive loops have to PSfrag stick out. This makes the rst steps particularly unstable. Persevere!

Length of the strip = 60 width

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90 90 360 360 180 180 5 Tuck the triangle into the loop. creaseLay the tape once around the 6 crease edge edgeloop. 360 crease 360 crease A A B B 1 1 2 2 16 squares 16 squares 68 68 PSfrag replacements 2 2 90 360 rag replacements 7 (new position) Mountain-fold 180 Mountain-fold the tape to the 8 90 the tape to the top, pull it left and lay it once around the 360 through under the loop on the creaseloop. edge 180 top and in the middle twice, so creasethe vertical crease is hidden. 360 crease A edge 2 B 360 crease 1 A 2 B 16 squares PSfrag replacements 1 68 2 90 2 16 squares 360 68 180 crease edge 9 10 Lock the ends. rag replacements(new position) Mountain-fold it the tape to the left and pull 360 crease 90 A 360 through on the right and in the middle three times. B 180 1 crease 2 edge 16 squares 360 crease 68 A 2 B 1 2 16 squares 68 2

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PSfrag replacements A
90B 3601 1802 4.5 Piece 5 16 squares crease edge 68 Length of the strip = 44 width 2 360 crease A This is a variation of piece 1. You begin with a basic unit with two B cubes, let a loop stick out during step 8 and continue as in piece 1. 1 2 4.6 Piece 6 16 squares

360 crease

2 This piece consists of a basic unit with two cubes, where the vertical frame has been formed into a loop, and a unit with two cubes that has been woven onto it. PSfrag replacements You can follow the directions for piece 4 until step 5, but you may not let a loop stick out during step 3! Just imagine that the loop in step 34 90 is not there. 360 Then you do not weave a single cube onto the loop, as in pieces 4/67, 180 but you weave two cubes onto it as in piece 3. You lay the tape to the crease edge back around the loop and allow a three-squares long frame to stick out behind. Then you turn the cube for 90 clockwise around its vertical axis. 360 crease Now you can follow the directions for piece 3. The loop is in the same A position as in piece 3/2. B

Length of the strip = 54 width

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4.7

Piece 7

1 2 16 squares 68

2 This is a mirror-image version of piece 6. You follow the directions for piece 4 until step 5, but do not let a loop stick out during step 3! Now you turn the basic unit around its vertical axis again, but in the opposite direction as in piece 6, that is, counter-clockwise. Now the tape will stick out to the back. You lay it once around the loop to the left, so it lies on the front side. Then you can follow the directions for piece 3 and weave two cubes onto it. In the pictures of pieces 6 and 7, the two cubes at the bottom are the basic unit, as you see it in piece 4/4. The two cubes on the top are the cubes that are woven onto the loop.

Length of the strip = 56 width

Ticker tape? Whats that?

META: This page is to contain a short article on ticker tape, where to get it, etc. Unfortunately, it is not written yet. Expect it for the nal revision, which is to come out in a few weeks. (Just before the OUSA Convention, to be precise.) META: I can only judge from my experience here in Germany, where you can occasionally nd a few rolls of ticker tape still on stock in some oce supply stores. Id very much welcome any tips from people in other countries regarding where to nd rolls of ticker tape or any other foldable paper tape in their country.