locked manually i e without the necessity of using tools of any sort because of the simplicity and regularity of the assembly process it will be realized that it can be automated and done by robot if desired a strut can easily be removed from a connector piece even though the truss is completely assembled it is only necessary to unlock any tightening mechanism insert a blade to retract a spring catch 46 and slide the strut out of engagement with the connector piece under some conditions e g in outer space the transmission of shock and vibration in a space frame can be a problem to reduce such transmission the mating surfaces between the struts and the connector pieces may be coated with vibration absorbing material the basic struts and connector pieces as described above can be assembled into octet truss space frame structures as described in dr fuller 39 s 39 241 patent mentioned above for example or in accordance with a second aspect of the present invention they can be assembled into an octet mast configuration which in turn is used as a strut of a larger octet truss space frame an octet mast is an elongated framework structure.