Tensegrity Table – Will this work?

I saw a tensegrity toy and thought I would make a table. I made the prototype yesterday (https://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/1-hour-from-concept-to-working-prototype/) and it was okay so I thought I might have a go at a full size table.

Today I googled it and it turns out loads of people have done similar so I thought what twist could I add?

Looking around the garage a spotted the worlds best known, but possibly least recognised application of tensegrity -the bicycle wheel. Basically the hub is just tied in place by a load of spokes. Could I adapt that to make a nice seat/table for the garage?

How easy it is to make custom length spokes and do you reckon this would work?

Maybe it’s my E in A level physics, but I’m struggling to see anything that would stop that collapsing to the left.
Edit: or front. Or back.

That’s my concern, it only seems braced in one direction. Either left to right OR front to back.

I shall go ponder some more

A rim as the base and a rim as the top. Two sections of wheel welded to form the central ‘hook’ and then some fancy wire through the spoke holes top and bottom to give tension. Does rely on a solid weld for the hooks but I could try and re-enforce it and hide the re-enforcement

I think you’ll need diagonal tension wires to stop the twist that will lead to collapse.

I was going to thread some the other way but the picture got too complicated to really see what was happening.

My super cad skills are limited by using MS Paint for all prototype diagrams :-)

How easy it is to make custom length spokes and do you reckon this would work?

Yeah, that should work – it’s basically the same as your prototype. Assuming of course the rims are firmly fixed to the wood.

Sounds like a path to a World class accident to me!

A quick mooch around the garage for materials have changed the plans slightly and they now involve and Aston Martin wire wheel with a damaged hub and some inch thick planks but no more info until the teaser movie…

In that case, it needs to be the next “Are you bored enough…” film!

How easy it is to make custom length spokes

How long? You can get Sapim plain gauge in 310mm, and then cut/thread them, 80mm is the smallest my machine will do. You can thread both ends if that helps.

There are a few online places that offer custom cut spokes if a local shop cant.

You can thread them with an old school windy tool, but it is purgatory if you have to do more than a couple (in my opinion)

You are relying on the rigidity of the bits of steel doing the hanging bit of the work. If they flex you lose your bracing. It also would help to make sure that none of the tensioning ropes are parallel to resist twist. Adding to the number of tensioning ropes isn’t going to help if there is flex in the steelwork