diff --git a/3d-models.cpp b/3d-models.cpp
index 76c0d4e7..30c60e17 100644
--- a/3d-models.cpp
+++ b/3d-models.cpp
@@ -1214,6 +1214,36 @@ void geometry_information::make_3d_models() {
   finishshape();
   }
 
+hpcshape& geometry_information::generate_pipe(ld length, ld width) {
+  int id = int(length * 17 + .5) + int(157003 * log(width+.001));
+  if(shPipe.count(id)) return shPipe[id];
+  hpcshape& pipe = shPipe[id];
+  println(hlog, "generating pipe of length ", length, " and width ", width);
+  bshape(pipe, PPR::WALL);
+
+  const int MAX_X = 8;
+  const int MAX_R = 20;
+  auto at = [length, width] (int i, int a) {
+    return xpush(i * length / MAX_X) * cspin(1, 2, 360 * degree * a / MAX_R) * ypush0(width); 
+    };
+  for(int i=0; i<MAX_X; i++) {
+    for(int a=0; a<MAX_R; a++) {
+      hpcpush(at(i, a));
+      hpcpush(at(i, a+1));
+      hpcpush(at(i+1, a));
+      hpcpush(at(i+1, a+1));
+      hpcpush(at(i+1, a));
+      hpcpush(at(i, a+1));
+      }
+    }
+
+  last->flags |= POLY_TRIANGLES;
+  add_texture(*last);
+  finishshape();
+  extra_vertices();
+  return pipe;
+  }
+
 #undef S
 #undef SH
 #undef revZ
diff --git a/config.cpp b/config.cpp
index 82dc823f..b05209c7 100644
--- a/config.cpp
+++ b/config.cpp
@@ -298,6 +298,7 @@ EX void initConfig() {
   addsaver(vid.linewidth, "linewidth", 1);
   addsaver(precise_width, "precisewidth", .5);
   addsaver(linepatterns::width, "pattern-linewidth", 1);
+  addsaver(fat_edges, "fat-edges");
   addsaver(vid.scale, "scale", 1);
   addsaver(vid.xposition, "xposition", 0);
   addsaver(vid.yposition, "yposition", 0);
diff --git a/geometry.cpp b/geometry.cpp
index b9b91e2f..61a94917 100644
--- a/geometry.cpp
+++ b/geometry.cpp
@@ -249,6 +249,8 @@ hpcshape
     shAnimatedEagle, shAnimatedTinyEagle, shAnimatedGadfly, shAnimatedHawk, shAnimatedButterfly, 
     shAnimatedGargoyle, shAnimatedGargoyle2, shAnimatedBat, shAnimatedBat2;  
 
+  map<int, hpcshape> shPipe;
+
   vector<hpcshape> shPlainWall3D, shWireframe3D, shWall3D, shMiniWall3D;
   vector<hyperpoint> walltester;
   
@@ -401,6 +403,8 @@ hpcshape
   void require_shapes() { if(state & 2) return; state |= 2; prepare_shapes(); }
   void require_usershapes() { if(usershape_state == usershape_changes) return; usershape_state = usershape_changes; prepare_usershapes(); }
   int timestamp;
+  
+  hpcshape& generate_pipe(ld length, ld width);
   };
 #endif
 
diff --git a/graph.cpp b/graph.cpp
index 7a730a7f..3bafafef 100644
--- a/graph.cpp
+++ b/graph.cpp
@@ -3592,8 +3592,18 @@ EX ld precise_width = .5;
 
 int grid_depth = 0;
 
+EX bool fat_edges = false;
+
 EX void gridline(const transmatrix& V1, const hyperpoint h1, const transmatrix& V2, const hyperpoint h2, color_t col, int prec) {
   ld d = hdist(V1*h1, V2*h2);
+  
+  if(WDIM == 3 && fat_edges) {
+    transmatrix T = V1 * rgpushxto0(h1);
+    transmatrix S = rspintox(inverse(T) * V2 * h2);
+    queuepoly(T * S, cgi.generate_pipe(d, vid.linewidth), col);
+    return;
+    }
+
   while(d > precise_width && d < 100 && grid_depth < 10) { 
     if(!eqmatrix(V1, V2, 1e-6)) { gridline(V1, h1, V1, inverse(V1) * V2 * h2, col, prec); return; }
     hyperpoint h = midz(h1, h2); 
diff --git a/pattern2.cpp b/pattern2.cpp
index 326c7dab..efdae879 100644
--- a/pattern2.cpp
+++ b/pattern2.cpp
@@ -2863,7 +2863,10 @@ EX namespace linepatterns {
       });
 
     dialog::addBoolItem_action("edit widths individually", indiv, 'I');
-    
+
+    if(GDIM == 3)
+      dialog::addBoolItem_action("fat edges", fat_edges, 'F');
+
     dialog::addBreak(50);
     dialog::addInfo("change the alpha parameter to show the lines");