"Geo-Hex compatibility" Topic

I know Geo-Hex folded up shop some years back, but are there any companies out there now who currently make Geo-Hex "Compatible" type pieces? Or am I back to hand carving them myself?

Rasil Bathbone

I'm not aware of any. I can say, however, that any good foam fabrication shop should be able to make 12" hexes for you. If you wanted to match the precise Geo-Hex shapes, it should not be hard to fabricate a set of hot wire cutting jigs that would let you make compatible pieces.

Doug

Just to warn you.
Geo-Hex IS copyrighted.
Or patented.

One of those darn things!

I've looked at getting hexes cut. Very easy to find places to do it. Best price I ever saw was $2 USD to do the cutting plus the cost of foam.

I gave up on the idea….

Just to warn you.
Geo-Hex IS copyrighted.
Or patented.

GeoHex was patented. The patent has expired. As for any copyright that might remain, I have no idea who might own it (if any one) now. It would bear looking into if you intended to make duplicate pieces. As for making compatible pieces for your own non-commercial use? I don't see a problem (but then, I'm not an attorney).

Doug

Well, paying someone else to make them, MIGHT make THEM liable!
But, I am not an attorney either, nor do I play one on TV.

Read the patent. It was for the formula for designing pieces that worked with the hex shape.

It was- not a patent for foam hex shapes.

There was a forumula and they didn't just wing it?

I'm shocked and dismayed my hobby was subverted in such an underhanded way!

Winging it was patented by Walt Diney in 1957 and they have good enough lawyer to protect the patent to this day, alas.

Basil,
If you have anything to trade, you could post in the exchange area for Geo Hex. Also post where you're located.

John

Read the patent. It was for the formula for designing pieces that worked with the hex shape.

Their patent, as I (in my legal ignorance) read it, basically covered any geomorphic terrain simulation system using polygonal elements with more than 4 sides (although they specified it by the included angles, rather than by the number of sides – amounts to the same thing). When the patent was still current, then, anyone making geomorphic hexagonal terrain tiles would have technically been in violation of their patent. Since the patent has expired, that's a moot point.

The copyright issue is a kettle of fish of another color, of course.

Doug

Be better off with equilateral triangles with sides which match the geo hex side length.

You only need three variants (full height, one low corner and two low corners) which will be easier to cut (because they contain no internal corners) and they'll assemble to any terrain that the hexes would, plus some others. (EG: there was, IIRC, no hex in the GH range which was full height on all sides and contained a dip in the middle…)

That bit of geometry almost made me lose consciousness trying to figure it out.

KatieL is spot on. I had some triangular tiles 3d printed a few years ago when I was thinking of doing a terrain system product. Triangles rock.

Doug

How big are the Geo-Hex hexes? GHQ has 4" hexes in their terrain maker line.

ghqmodels.com/store/tm4.html

The geo-hex range where much much larger and some had hex patterns printed on them in dots.

link

I only used them once but I think they where 12inch in size.

The GHQ ones can suffer from quality control and my set ended up in the bin as they had gaps and round corners. An Italian company (name escapes me) has 10mm figures and look like they have cracked the QC issue.

The issue with geohex and terrainmaker is that they use a cheap, low density foam that is easily damages thus you get rounded corners, gaps and other problems.

PS I have a bunch of geohex in green with 1" roads that has seen little if any use. I think it is a master set along with a couple supplimental sets. I am thinking about getting rid of all of it.

Dave

I too have alot of Geo Hex I can spare. Trade or buy…

davidmills@comcast.net