Uploaded December 2024 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Visit Tim's Toy Shop, at grand-illusions.com
________________________________________________________
Tim goes topological, with some of his best topology toys.
HexiFlex was designed and made by the late Rick Flowerday, who Tim knew for over 20 years. A number of springs connect together to create a toy that you can manipulate into a variety of shapes. Originally from the USA, Rick lived in North London for many years and Tim met up with him a number of times, and later Rick moved back to the USA.
HexiFlex has six springs. Octiflex is another of Rick's designs, this time using eight springs, which means you can create different shapes.
Tim then demonstrates some miniature versions.
Yoshimoto Cubes are up next. Tim demonstrates the commercial version, and then shows a prototype version that was never released. He got this from the company that made these, who were based in the Far East.
Harry Eng designed the next object. Harry was most famous for creating impossible bottles - glass bottles that had a variety of objects inside that were clearly too big to fit through the neck of the bottle. Here Harry designed a three dimensional object that had been cut from a large sheet of thick paper, and assembled into the final structure. However when you examine it carefully, it appears to be impossible to construct this object from a flat sheet of card or paper. Tim reveals all!
A three dimensional structure with coloured sticks and rubber joints, which can be folded and manipulated into all sorts of different shapes.
Finally some designs by Ward Fleming, a designer based in New York. He also designed the Pinscreen, which he estimated has sold over 20 million copies!
Visit Tim's Toy Shop, at grand-illusions.com
________________________________________________________
Tim goes topological, with some of his best topology toys.
HexiFlex was designed and made by the late Rick Flowerday, who Tim knew for over 20 years. A number of springs connect together to create a toy that you can manipulate into a variety of shapes. Originally from the USA, Rick lived in North London for many years and Tim met up with him a number of times, and later Rick moved back to the USA.
HexiFlex has six springs. Octiflex is another of Rick's designs, this time using eight springs, which means you can create different shapes.
Tim then demonstrates some miniature versions.
Yoshimoto Cubes are up next. Tim demonstrates the commercial version, and then shows a prototype version that was never released. He got this from the company that made these, who were based in the Far East.
Harry Eng designed the next object. Harry was most famous for creating impossible bottles - glass bottles that had a variety of objects inside that were clearly too big to fit through the neck of the bottle. Here Harry designed a three dimensional object that had been cut from a large sheet of thick paper, and assembled into the final structure. However when you examine it carefully, it appears to be impossible to construct this object from a flat sheet of card or paper. Tim reveals all!
A three dimensional structure with coloured sticks and rubber joints, which can be folded and manipulated into all sorts of different shapes.
Finally some designs by Ward Fleming, a designer based in New York. He also designed the Pinscreen, which he estimated has sold over 20 million copies!
