clamshell portion 112 forming an interior portion 117 of node 110 as shown node 110 is comprised of three equidistant node legs u2014 first leg 114 second leg 115 and third leg 116 each leg 114 115 and 116 is generally cylindrical in shape and defined by an axis a 2 b 2 and c 2 respectively as shown the arc angle between adjacent axes a 2 b 2 c 2 is 120 degrees it will be appreciated that other alternative embodiments of node 110 may include elliptical or oval shaped tubing when viewed in cross section or the arc angles may be of varying angles such that only two are the same or that none of the angles are the same each of the varying embodiments fall within the scope of the invention and the exemplary embodiment shown is not meant to limit the invention the axes a 2 b 2 and c 2 each fall within a common plane though it is contemplated that other embodiments may include one or more of axes a 2 b 2 and c 2 falling in different planes though corresponding legs 114 115 or 116 will still intersect at a common node intersection point not shown each of legs 114 115 and 116 contain a circumferential mating flange 72 73 and 74 respectively at a mating face edge 75 76 and.