Hollow Cuboctahedron Tutorial (Zen Magnets)

[@Dandrelin]

I really enjoy you giving away the number of magnets formulas, they're pretty useful when you wanna achieve the largest build possible with a given number of magnets. Great tutorial, as usual.

[@NoNameC68]

That spool is really awesome, as well as the tutorial. You're awesome. Glad to see magnet videos being uploaded still : )

[@sonyador6475]

Interesting adaptation of Mathnetism's build technique. The finished build looks really good. Great work Boyd!

[@boydedwards5475]

+Sonyador6 Thanks!

[@Mathnetism]

Lovely shape and great tutorial, Boyd!

[@boydedwards5475]

+Mathnetism Thanks! I learn from the best.

[@1dani1]

I just built this today for the first time! What an amazing shape! Perhaps the most fascinating feature is that before the excess corner magnets are removed, you would have a diagonal cube if the corner voids were all filled. After slicing those corners, I noticed a difference in face polarity! i.e. the triangle faces are parallel polarity, whilst the square faces are anti-parallel, or series polarity. Fascinating to see opposing polarities combined into a single orchestra of amazing magnetics! I would still love to see you revisit the snub ball with a closeup detail build of how each of the subunits fit together. To me, your lighthouse is the ultimate fancy, as your triangles are double-walled, whilst the snub ball’s triangles are single. Also, your pentagonal faces are constructed differently than the basic snub. Your tutorial also failed to mention that the pentagonal faces need to be wound following the opposite polarity, or opposite ends of the chain, should the builder wish to follow same direction winding. I should love to see you make a new video of the project. I would like that you should clarify these situations! Thank you so much!

[@trevorromans8839]

I must have tried to build the very first step about forty times and only two times did it last more than three seconds. I would love to know if there is another way to start the shape without this unbelievable amount of instability, because the same group of seventeen magnets has had every problem they are capable of. If there isn’t, I may just have to give up on this completely

[@boydedwards5475]

Thanks, NoNameC68 and Caelum!

[@caelummcnally1750]

Love your tutorials! Thnx .. Keep it up!! 👍👍👍

[@aguyonasiteontheinternet]

fun fact: if you diminish one of the solids on the cuboctahedron, you get a triangular cupola.

[@PatuNicolet]

Hello Boyd. I've been trying to get this shape done countless of times, however each time I do the base, at some point two opposite corners curl up, while the other two curl down. Once this happens I can't get it back to be flat. I tried it many times but there's something I'm doing wrong and I can't figure out what it is. Any tips you can give me? Thanks!

[@boydedwards5475]

+PatuNicolet Please help me understand the problem. Are you having trouble with the four corners of the actual base, or are you having trouble after completing the base, as you add the walls to the base? As you build the base, there are points at which two opposite corners look different from the other two opposite corners, with the last magnets added near the top for two corners and near the bottom for the other two. This is normal. If you're having trouble with the base, you might find this video to be helpful: kzbin.info/www/bejne/d2S4kJp4n9Gnrrc. It discusses the procedures for building Mathnetism's hollow diagonal cube.

[@PatuNicolet]

+Boyd Edwards Thank you so much for your quick response. I will look at that video. The problem is while building the base, with the four corners of the actual base. Two corners (opposite from each other) curl upwards, and the other two curl downwards. Tomorrow I'll try to upload a picture and link it. Again, thanks for your response and great job with these amazing tutorials.

[@PatuNicolet]

+Boyd Edwards Hello again. Here is a picture of the result from one angle: goo.gl/DT1Ul9 and here's from another angle: goo.gl/7APP7u I did manage once or twice to add up to 2 more layers before this happens... but every time, at one point or another, this happens :( Thanks again for your time and patience.

[@boydedwards5475]

+PatuNicolet I looked at your photos and they look basically right. It might be that all you need to do is to push the corners toward the center when you build them and make sure that the base is a flat, triple-thickness slab at each stage instead of a curved, double-thickness one. Did you follow my tutorial to the letter, replicating each step? (And you can always watch my hollow diagonal cube tutorial at kzbin.info/www/bejne/d2S4kJp4n9Gnrrc as well as Mathnetism's tutorial, which, as I recall, is referenced from this tutorial.) The tutorials seem clear to me, but of course I already know how to build the shape so it's not a fair comparison. There is definitely a learning curve on this shape - that's why I produced my own video of it - it's a bit tricky. I'm definitely interested in seeing whether you succeed in replicating the shape, so please keep me informed of your progress.

[@PatuNicolet]

+Boyd Edwards Hello again. Yes, I followed all tutorials to the letter and had the same issue with the hollow cube. Also, pushing the corners to the center only temporarily fixes the problem, since once I stop pressuring it curls again. Today I tried a couple things of my own to see if it helped. First I tried adding what you call A-layers (on another tutorial) making the base a 5 layered slab. This added the required stability and stopped the corners from curling. However it only delayed the issue, since when I tried to remove this A layers for the second part, chaos set lose. :) What actually did help where two other things. First on the "odd" zig zag layers to extend the base, I made sure they countered the curling effect. So if a corner was curling upwards, the zig zag went on top of it, pushing it downwards. Also it helped to have the base set on a flat surface when adding the missing magnets and the corners. I couldn't do this on two of the beveled corners on the odd extension steps, so what I did was pushed the two magnets on top to the bottom to make the beveled corner go the other way. The process is still far from flawless, it only makes it work for me in about one out of four tries. But at least today I got all the way to the end. Sadly the shape broke when cutting the third corner. I was very close so I'm looking forward to try again tomorrow. On another note, I'm starting to think that not having "zen magnet quality" magnets is also not helping my case. Although there's no ban here in Uruguay (where I'm from) I had a very hard time getting top quality magnets, and had to make due with generic, brand-less magnets. I'm trying to see if I can buy nanodots and I'm following closely Zen Magent's legal battle, which by the way, I'm very happy for Tuesday's ruling. Thanks again for your time and dedication and keeping the interest of these awesome magnets alive.