Tutorial: Nine Cube Lattice (Zen Magnets)

[@viceliag3916]

You're awesome Magnenaut, I swear you're the Bob Ross of magnets. When I have a hard time sleeping I'll pull up one of your videos because it's so soothing

[@sonyador6475]

Welcome back! Thanks for the new tutorial and nice job on it.

[@Magnenaut]

Thanks!

[@natereynolds1062]

cool build

[@TheNCVofficial]

For anyone who wants to make a bigger one: Subunits needed for a 3×3×3 cube lattice: TYPE A 1 subunit with all 8 corners having extra edges coming out TYPE B 6 subunits with 4 adjacent corners on one half of the cube having extra edges coming out TYPE C 12 subunits with 2 adjacent corners having extra edges coming out TYPE D 8 subunits with only 1 corner having extra edges coming out TYPE E 8 extra ultimate joints Type A Requires a central ball of 24 magnets + 16 rings of 6 magnets to form the ultimate joint Requires 96 rings of 9 magnets to make the edges of the cube as well as the 8 extra edges Requires 16 rings of 6 magnets to form the supports Requires 1,080 magnets (1 subunit) Type B Requires a central ball of 24 magnets + 16 rings of 6 magnets to form the ultimate joint Requires 72 rings of 9 magnets to make the edges of the cube as well as the 4 extra edges Requires 32 rings of 6 magnets to form the supports Requires 960 magnets (6 subunits) Type C Requires a central ball of 24 magnets + 16 rings of 6 magnets to form the ultimate joint Requires 60 rings of 9 magnets to make the edges of the cube as well as the 2 extra edges Requires 40 rings of 6 magnets to form the supports Requires 900 magnets (12 subunits) Type D Requires a central ball of 24 magnets + 16 rings of 6 magnets to form the ultimate joint Requires 54 rings of 9 magnets to make the edges of the cube as well as the 1 extra edge Requires 44 rings of 6 magnets to form the supports Requires 870 magnets (8 subunits) Type E Requires a central ball of 24 magnets + 16 rings of 6 magnets Requires 120 magnets (8 subunits) Lattices and their schematics 2×2×2 lattice (7,080 magnets) 8 of type D (6,960) 1 of type E (120) DD DD DD DD 3×3×3 lattice (25,560 magnets) 1 of type A (1,080) 6 of type B (5,760) 12 of type C (10,800) 8 of type D (6,960) 8 of type E (960) DCD CBC DCD CBC BAB CBC DCD CBC DCD For larger lattices, their schematics are as follows: 4×4×4 lattice (63,480 magnets) 8 of type A (8,640) 24 of type B (23,040) 24 of type C (21,600) 8 of type D (6,960) 27 of type E (3,240) DCCD CBBC CBBC DCCD CBBC BAAB BAAB CBBC CBBC BAAB BAAB CBBC DCCD CBBC CBBC DCCD 5×5×5 lattice (128,040 magnets) 27 of type A (29,160) 54 of type B (51,840) 36 of type C (32,400) 8 of type D (6,960) 64 of type E (7,680) DCCCD CBBBC CBBBC CBBBC BAAAB BAAAB CBBBC BAAAB BAAAB CBBBC BAAAB BAAAB DCCCD CBBBC CBBBC CBBBC DCCCD BAAAB CBBBC BAAAB CBBBC BAAAB CBBBC CBBBC DCCCD For larger lattices: 6×6×6 lattice (226,440 magnets) 64 of type A (69,120) 96 of type B (92,160) 48 of type C (43,200) 8 of type D (6,960) 125 of type E (15,000) 7×7×7 lattice (365,880 magnets) 125 of type A (135,000) 150 of type B (144,000) 60 of type C (54,000) 8 of type D (6,960) 216 of type E (25,920) 8×8×8 lattice (553,560 magnets) 216 of type A (233,280) 216 of type B (207,360) 72 of type C (64,800) 8 of type D (6,960) 343 of type E (41,160) 9×9×9 lattice (796,680 magnets) 343 of type A (370,440) 294 of type B (282,240) 84 of type C (75,600) 8 of type D (6,960) 512 of type E (61,440) 10×10×10 lattice (1,102,440 magnets) 512 of type A (552,960) 384 of type B (368,640) 96 of type C (86,400) 8 of type D (6,960) 729 of type E (87,480)

[@ukko82]

Amazing job, as usual :)

[@Jjworld-gi4jl]

This is cool

[@pandaries3236]

When did you start posting again?? I love this stuff

[@Magnenaut]

Just a couple weeks ago!

[@charuvillathu]

I'm having trouble sticking 8 double 6 rings on the 24 ball.

[@surgemagma1178]

Hey @magneaut I have a question. How many magnets did you use in your diagonal cube alternate method video? I want to know. Thank you.

[@TheNCVofficial]

You said at 5:01 that the strut that holds the cube frame is much too long. Why didn't you make it four high from the beginning? It would have taken 588 magnets less. I'm curious. Nice shape however!

[@Magnenaut]

If I understand you correctly, you're suggesting a simple stack of hexagon rings with a height of four? A column like that would be a couple of millimeters too short, and the support wouldn't fit tight inside the cube.

[@TheNCVofficial]

Yeah, you understood me right. Would a stack of five rings be a better strut instead? The strut would look like two octahedra with middle ring shared between the two.

[@Magnenaut]

@@TheNCVofficial The length on that one would be close to correct, but leads to a different problem - the triangle at the end of the strut needs to align with the corners of the cube, which only happens with even-height stacks. The odd-height ones are off by 15 degrees. You could then fix that by attaching the struts to the center joint via stacking rather than interlinking, but that then adds more height and makes the strut too long!

[@trevordavgin8988]

Any advice on how to control/keep track of polarity? Not on this build specifically, just in general when working with a lot of modular pieces.

[@Magnenaut]

You know, this is one of the more common questions I get. But it's hard to answer in a comment. Maybe I should make a video and discuss some of the methods I use?

[@trevordavgin8988]

Magnenaut that would be amazing!!! Please do, that is really the only thing holding me back from making awesome big shapes!

[@SepirothX10]

I find it impossible to make those small 24 ring balls in the beginning. It just explodes in a mess when I try to pull the two rings. Any tips?

[@SepirothX10]

Ok, ill answer it myself...figured it out finally. It’s all in how you pinch the two rings. Don’t try to pinch both rings. One should grip the first ring, and the other hand should grip the second ring. Then you can bend the rings together without everything collapsing. The ring(S) bending together should touch to form a cluster of 4 balls ...its not easy but with practice it’s possible

[@racso_a3152]

Thank you this really helped me

[@Magnenaut]

​@@SepirothX10 Sorry I didn't get a chance to reply before this, but I'm glad you figured it out! I often have a tough time answering comments like these because it can be hard to know what the problem is without being able to actually see you.

[@edwardcaldwell793]

Where do you get the idea's

[@Magnenaut]

Different places. Sometimes I start with an idea for a complete shape and then figure out how to build it. More often, I stumble on a new kind of connection or subunit, and then try to find out what I can use it for.

[@Samuel-cs5ox]

Where did you buy your zen magnets? I’ve always wanted to ask you and it’s like a wish come true that you started making videos again

[@Magnenaut]

Can't post links in a comment, but I primarily have bought them from Zen Magnets, on their website. I've also gotten several free sets from them for participating in the Flickr gallery. And thanks, it's good to be back!

[@danielastreit6842]

Do you use magnets of 3 or 5 mm diameter?

[@Magnenaut]

I use 5 mm zen magnets. There's no reason you couldn't do these shapes with the 3 mm micromagnets, though!

[@si3rra777]

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahaaaaaa Finallyyyyyy I can make advanced shapes and make up excuses for my tesssst

[@nicholasmacejak1156]

Where do you get your magnets?

[@Magnenaut]

Can't post links in a comment, but I primarily have bought them from Zen Magnets, on their website. I've also gotten several free sets from them for participating in the Flickr gallery.

[@nicholasmacejak1156]

Magnenaut thank you!

[@jjaapp18]

How do you have so many of these? You'd have to have spent over $1300. I wish I could have this many, but there's no way I could ever afford it.

[@koalavictor]

build a city !

[@russellmckeithan9861]

Is called spiral bind not ring bind

[@titaniumcassowary]

Looks like 8 cubes to me

[@Magnenaut]

Yeah, the ninth one is really difficult to see since it's in the very center of the shape. But it's there!