Roll the dice !

(design: October 2003)
(updated: November 2003)

(Pictures of my creations can also be found in my BrickShelf folder)

Is it possible to build a die with smooth tiles on all six sides? When I looked at the Corner-2 element of my Rubik Cube, I just knew it was possible. I only had my doubts about the size of it. If I follow the basic principle (2 studs = 5 plates) one would expect that the final cube would have an "even studs"-size. Unfortunately, to represent all the points on a die in a proper way I prefer an "odd studs"-size. At least, if I want the die to be as small as possible, i.e. every point on the die should be a 1x1 tile.
I tried anyway.
I decided that a die with 9x9x9 studs would be nice to represent all the points with a 1x1 tile. And - to my surprise - it worked.
As a true design engineer, I create behind the screen first. Afterwards, with my partslist in front of me, I gather all the necessary pieces (thanks again Peeron Set Inventories!) to check my design skills.

Only a couple of days later I convinced myself that it's possible to build it even smaller. So I gave it a go with a 7x7x7 studs die. Surprise surprise, with good results (the carefull viewer will notice that not every point on the die is a 1x1 tile).

The challenge: can you make it smaller?? Let me know if you do.

I took the challenge myself: it resulted in a 5x5x5 studs die. There will be no more attempts from myself to make it smaller!

	A new picture: The 5x5x5 dice look much better in other colours. Finally, I have enough white tiles to make two of them.