FLEXIBLE TUBE CONNECTOR

A low-cost solution for flexible joints, made from lengths of tubing held together with a nut and bolt. Simple and effective. All of the parts should be available at your local hardware store.


Assembly instructions (100% free and open-source)

To make a 6-way connection, simply slip a strut into each of the tubes. The longer the tube, the better the grip.

For a 5-way connection, just ignore one of the tubes and the whole thing will flex into the right position.

3D-PRINTED CONNECTOR

A robust ball-and-socket connector, makable with a 3d printer. Each strut has a ball-end cap that firmly snaps into central hub, forming a flexible joint. The design was made using a parametric 3d modeling tool called OpenSCAD and can be easily modified to accept different conditions and symmetries.


Assembly instructions (100% free and open-source)

Connectors feature an integrated thumbscrew that locks the strut to the node.

Just slide the struts into the caps and tighten the thumbscrew. The connector will then self-adjust to the correct position.