I was wondering if there was a tool to connect a sequence of hinge plates to a destination point, almost as it it were a flexible piece.

An example: The Taj Mahal set has a pillar on each corner, and the circular base is approximated using hinge pieces at nearly (but not quite) 45-degree angles. it is anchored to the base at either end as well as by a single stud at the midpoint, and there are three hinges between each pair of anchor studs. (Sorry if this isn't clear; the component in question appears on pages 20-22 of this pdf: http://cache.lego.com/bigdownloads/buildinginstructions/4536802.pdf )

Is there a tool to get these kinds of things to line up properly, or is it a matter of finding the right angles with trigonometry and plugging them in myself?