Super Spirograph: Curvy Diamond
Wheel 80, holes 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11 using Inkjoy pens.
The Super Spirograph curvy diamond layout sits on an 8.5″ x 11″ paper with enough room to make an epitrochoid around the outside if you keep to a smaller wheel – below 40 or so.
(If you’re in a country that uses A4 paper, you’ll be more limited.)
There are 304 teeth around the outside, and 256 on the inside. See Super Spirograph by the Numbers for details, and how you can predict the number of points your design will have.
Or you can just wing it, as I usually do. Pick a wheel and let it surprise you!
The layout goes D-B-C-C-B-D-B-C-C-B, with all the B pieces turned so that the convex side faces inwards. Be sure to use lots of putty – at least one for each piece. If you’re using pins, don’t skimp!
There are some beautiful tulip-like or lily-like effects with some wheels, and interesting geometric patterns with others. Here are some of my results.
[UPDATED Feb. 7, 2020 to correct the layout sequence. Correct: D-B-C-C-B-D-B-C-C-B. Wrong: D-D-B-C-C-B-D-D-B-C-C-B.] Thanks to reader MonaMarieRosmary for pointing out the problem!]
If I had two Super Spirograph sets, would it be possible to make a greater variety of ring shapes? The reason I’m interested is that my vintage set is missing the (female) end pieces – I’ve been searching ebay for these for ages, with no luck – so I’m thinking of buying one of the new ‘complete’ sets. I would love your opinion about this. Thanks.
Yes, I think so. I can’t give directions because I haven’t been in a position to try it. You’d want to get bigger paper (A3 or 11×17″). You might need to use pins or a LOT of putty to firmly hold down those pieces with missing ends. I haven’t tried the new super pieces, so don’t know how well the ends would fit with the old ones. I love the curvier shapes best, so having more pieces to make more curves sounds good to me. Hope you’ll report on your results if you try it.
Sorry but, the way I get it, the shapes of the pieces go D B C C B D B C C B. I only used two D pieces. I just could not get it to work with four D pieces. Did this happen to anyone else?
Thank you! Even looking at the photo I can see that there’s only one D on each side. I’ve corrected the article.
I’m not sure where to post this. Has anyone made a sort of hourglass shape with the bonus tracks, using D A D A B A B A ? I calculate 156 teeth on the inside. Wheels 84 and 80 won’t even clear the inside. Wheel 72 produced a nice shape with 13 points. So does Wheel 60. Then, there’s Wheel 52, which males 3 points! I don’t know how to post a photo in the comments. Try it!