diff --git a/fourDShape.js b/fourDShape.js
index 9d5dcd7..35e6c0e 100644
--- a/fourDShape.js
+++ b/fourDShape.js
@@ -71,16 +71,35 @@ class FourDShape extends THREE.Group {
 		const centre = new THREE.Vector3();
 		centre.lerpVectors(n1.v3, n2.v3, 0.5);
 		// is this really the only way to do this?
-		const geometry = new THREE.CylinderGeometry(this.link_scale * s2, this.link_scale * s1, 1);
-		link.object.children[0].geometry.dispose();
-		link.object.children[0].geometry = geometry;		
+		//const geometry = new THREE.CylinderGeometry(this.link_scale * s2, this.link_scale * s1, 1);
+		//link.object.children[0].geometry.dispose();
+		this.forshortenLink(link.object.children[0].geometry, this.link_scale * s2, this.link_scale * s1);
+		//const link_hack = this.link_scale * (s1 + s2) * 0.5;		
 		link.object.scale.copy(new THREE.Vector3(1, 1, length));
 		link.object.position.copy(centre);
 		link.object.lookAt(n2.v3);
 		link.object.children[0].rotation.x = Math.PI / 2.0;
+		// link.object.children[0].geometry.needsUpdate = true;
+		// link.object.children[0].geometry.computeVertexNormals();
 		link.object.visible = (!links_show || link.label in links_show); 
 	}
 
+	forshortenLink(geometry, top, bottom) {
+		const count = geometry.attributes.position.count;
+		for( let i = 0; i < count; i++ ) {
+			const x = geometry.attributes.position.getX(i);
+			const y = geometry.attributes.position.getY(i);
+			const z = geometry.attributes.position.getZ(i);
+			if( z == 0 ) {
+				geometry.attributes.position.setX(i, x * top);
+				geometry.attributes.position.setY(i, y * top);
+			} else {
+				geometry.attributes.position.setX(i, x * bottom);
+				geometry.attributes.position.setY(i, y * bottom);
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
 
 	setFaceGeometry(face, geometry) {
 		const values = [];