to reveal the image dimensions. Click on the Cut Area button 
and then on the lower case "b" key to reveal the Cut Panel.
icon in the download server corresponding to the location nearest to you.
Save the file HexaflexagonXmasEdition.exe to your hard drive. Locate,
then click on the file name to install the program. Click on
I Agree
and Install as each appears. Locate the file Hexaflexagon Toolkit.exe
in C:/Program Files/Hexaflexagon Tookit, then drag it to your desktop
creating an shortcut for easy access.
When Hexaflexagon Toolkit creates a flexagon, each of
six distinct images is squeezed or stretched until the ratio of the width
to height is roughly 200:173. Then each image is trimmed to the shape of
a regular hexagon
and subdivided into six congruent equilateral triangles. If you use images
with a 200:173 width to height ratio, these will be no image distortion.
To edit/crop your selected images, run Ultimate Paint, then
Open
each image file in turn. Use the information button
to reveal the image dimensions. Click on the Cut Area button
and then on the lower case "b" key to reveal the Cut Panel.
Run Hexaflexagon Toolkit by clicking on its icon. You should see the beginning of a strip of 36 equilateral triangles in a special window. This is a Christmas template which you can print for practice and to which we will refer in the folding directions that follow.
Select Images and then Image1. Locate, select, then Open your first image. The 6 triangles in the strip of 36 equilateral triangles that comprise Image1 will be replaced by the 6 triangles that comprise your first image. You will see the replacement of the first of these triangles in the special window. If you wish, scroll through the window to examine the entire strip. Replace each of the other five images in turn.
When your strip of triangles is complete, rotate it by clicking on the 30º button, then increase the resolution of the eventual printout by clicking on the + button twice. Select File, then Export JPEG. Save your flexagon file to a standard disk (or to your hard drive) using a convenient name, say hexaflexagon.jpg. If each of your cropped images does not exceed 800 x 692 pixels, the flexagon file size will not exceed the capacity of a standard disk.
Run Ultimate Paint. Open your flexagon file. Select File, then Print.
Edit your printer Properties. A Tabloid paper size (11 x 17 in) will produce an excellent model. If that paper size is not an option, then use a Legal (8.5 x 14 in) size. Letter size (8.5 x 11 in) is too small for easy flexing. Change the orientation to Landscape. Select a Normal print quality. Select OK to close the Properties window.
In the Ultimate Paint print window, make sure the Keep Aspect Ratio box is checked, then select Fit to Page under Image Size. Press the Print button, then await your printout.
Cut out the printed shape. Fold it in half lengthwise. You should now have a single-triangle-wide strip printed on both sides. Align the strip as shown below. The back side of the left-hand end of the strip should be GLUE X.
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08-May-2005
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