Marble fusion: epoxy tips, stand builds, and extra projects

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*****
It takes a lot of effort to simplify.
This one was quite a feat. I know, I know- I say that every time. But seriously, this video was a technical achievement for me. We're looking at almost an hour of quality content here (between this and the main channel vid, which I consider as one). Aside from the prototyping, project build, filming (and magnifications), written dialogue, editing, links, research, attributions, voice audio, music, narrative design, descriptions, hidden crap, and et cetera, there's countless otehr little things thrown in, like footnotes and diagrams. I'm actually proud of these two videos. And despite what you might think of me, I'm not really proud of much. We're talking 30 GB of stuff necessary to make a pair of videos like this. That would have been absurd a decade ago; even hinting at such a thing would have been a far-flung stretch from the accepted reality. But here we are: I'm actually doing active research in preparation for a twenty minute presentation about gluing marbles together, and you are providing enough demand for that strange but growing market in order to support its expansion. Whoa, but I don't mean to sound dismissive or act superior; it's quite rational for you to be curious about doing such a thing, but it just isn't very prudent for you to go off wasting as much effort as I just have on such an excursion of pure novelty. Yet, now you benefit, by being able to produce the fruit for yourself at cost, and without having to do all of the pesky prototyping that would otherwise be associated with facilitating such a project. And now that you can jump right in like a boss, it's worth it for you to go glue some marbles together! ¿After all, that was the goal here, right: enabing other people to craft something that looks crazy complex through a simple process? So if I've succeded in that respect, then I feel both proud and lucky- honored, in fact.
Well, I was supposed to write about order, crystallization, and sphere stacking here, but I'm just too drained to do it now, and I wanted to point out why: it might look like a simple video about an easy process, but that apparent simplicity is an hard-earned illusion. I've earned my salt on this one, so let's cross our fingers and hope that I get a little bit of recognition this time. I really need to get that warm, fuzzy 'it was so worth it' feeling right now, becasue I'm downright tired. It's a special kind of madness to be trapped in a self-affirming whirlpool of your own ideas for too long. Repeatedly watching the same one hour of yourself until the the ideas atempting to express themselves begin to dissociate is not so comfortable an experience. Let's hope that I can stave off ill psychology for long enough to produce something cogent. I guess we should all hope for that.
Maybe I'll update this later.
*****
Music:
"Hard Boiled" and "Bossa Antigua"
Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
creativecommons...

[@SteveRamsey]

BTW. I visit a lot of local SF art galleries and what you've created with these marbles and stands is unlike anything I've seen before. It's unique and transcendent. The amount of patience it takes you to bring this level of beauty into the world is mind boggling to me.

[@skysoldier31]

This has given me so many ideas! Lamps, pixel art! Wow! Thanks, dude!

[@sivanisinha7981]

Hii

[@SteveRamsey]

Haha...you need the HWWTT jingle. Thanks for the shout out. I haven't thought about that in a long time!

[@simidhel]

Tiger's eye is wonderful. The first bit of 'treasure' I ever had as a child was a piece of polished tiger's eye that a colleague of my dad gave me, who was an amateur lapidarist and its chatoyance fascinated me. I love the organic nature of the stands, which have a sort of Fibonacci curve to them, like the unfurling of a newly grown fern leaf.

[@felixthecrazy]

As a blacksmith one the best lessons I got was being able to let things be imperfect. Not crappy looking, but not having to be exactly even/symmetrical/etc.

[@heruhcanedean]

Isn't that why they make swage blocks and flatters? Shits hard to keep perfect. "If you want it perfect make it perfect" Brian Brazeal

[@felixthecrazy]

Sure, but understanding that "perfect isn't required" is a challenge for some of us, lol. "Get it hot, hit it hard, and quit when it looks good." -Mike Garrett.

[@jdniedner]

Main event and the backstage pass. Thoroughly entertained, and inspired. Thanks!

[@Catglittercrafts]

P. S. You really need a trademark and patent these things. Because it's freaking amazing and you don't want people stealing your ideas and making tons of money off of it if you're concerned about that sort of thing.

[@Makebuildmodify]

30 GB is a lot to go through. I have to say that you're my hero when it comes to sharing the minutia. I haven't gotten up the courage to include any of my typically unseen research efforts.

[@pamcarr4003]

I just read your description. Yes, you make great videos and you put in all kinds of time doing them! I appreciate your time! I'm sure a lot of people, 29.4K to be exact, feel the same way!! So, THANK YOU FOR SHARING THEM! 👏👏👏👏 Pam 😊

[@TheUnlocked]

I had no idea it was possible to get that kind of gleam from a finish. It looks beautiful!

[@pocket83]

Thank you. Choose the right wood, sand well, and be patient.

[@SavvasPapasavva]

You just reminded me of some grape marbles lamps I saw in a Turkish restaurant here in London. I found some examples on Ebay but it's hard to tell how they are made. I think some have tiny holes drilled into them and each marble/grape is glued onto a armature.

[@shadowschyther1259]

To be honest, your videos are pretty relaxing.

[@Stonecon]

Id try to put a cone shape in the middle and lay smaller circles as it climbs up the cone and make a lamp shade. The blue marbles would look great.

[@Nrwn-Qsr]

I've heard that epoxied windings are more skookum than non-epoxied windings... Re: Ordered beauty vs Organic beauty, I find I'm the same way. There is something amazing and satisfying about order and symmetry, but at the same time, I enjoy the flowing sense of randomness in something like a twisted and bent tree or a wind and water sculpted rock. Combining the two forms in one piece is excellent.

[@pocket83]

We're definitely on the same page. When you look at the cell walls in a plant structure, they look like little custom-fit pavers. Human intelligence would prefer an attempt to orchestrate such a mess into a brick-like grid, but this reveals an irrational bias towards the abstract, like an ideal, that fails to take into account environmental obstacles and then appropriately adapt. Cells will fit to their surroundings with no regard for symmetry, order, or pattern; such are the impositions of our minds, which actually believe that they can control something. Disorder always increases. I wish I could just accept that, detach, and enjoy life. Maybe become a Buddhist. But cells don't give a fuck, and I do. Hope we're still on the same page.

[@Nrwn-Qsr]

I think we're on the same page, maybe different paragraphs though. There are some areas I like order, my book shelves for instance, or my tools. In other areas though, I'm a lot more like cells, I just don't care. I tend/prefer to live in a state of organized chaos. My personality type more or less stops noticing something 10 minutes after we've set it down, and it can lay in that spot for weeks unnoticed, until we need it again. As a result, I'm usually surrounded by numerous invisible objects, just waiting their turn to be picked up and put to use again. (most humans would call it cluttered) So, I guess in practice, in most areas, I'm more functionally chaotic. As far as aesthetics go, what I find beauty in, what I perk up and take notice of, is a bit more equally divided. Large numbers of things arranged perfectly, fascinate me. Repeating patterns, predictable placement of things, perfectly aligned, straight, level and flush, etc. intrigue me, but maybe because they're arrangements my brain wouldn't come up with on it's own. That said, things like a crooked picture frame or a misaligned miter joint, for example, drive me nuts. Being around overly organized/tidy things for too long though, tends to wear me out now that I think about it. Places or things with unpredictable, random and asymmetric arrangement e.g. the woods, while not always fascinating or intriguing as a whole, don't stress me out. There, with the exception of long sweeping views of nature, I tend to find beauty in the smaller, individual things that make up the whole. I also tend to ramble...

[@pocket83]

I think one of the most amazing aspects of the natural world is its absence of straight lines.

[@timothybozyczko6469]

Oh, I really like the pixel art idea with marbles. That would be some interesting and beautiful art.

[@learnerlearns]

P83 ...Always fascinating, edifying, unique.

[@spokehedz]

I think I can almost sort of hear the radio playing in the background of your videos? This is incredible.

[@kathryncastanares525]

I'm sure you've already figured this out by now. But if you file the touching ends flat before soldering, it will make the pieces adhere better. Also, the surface you use to solder makes a difference too. One that doesn't suck away the heat and will reflect the heat back to the piece being soldered. Again, I'm sure you probably know by now. I just wanted to leave a tip just incase you didnt.. I too had such a hard time when I tried soldering bent wire etc. I do a lot of filigree, and it really helps to file a good flat(ish) edge to fit the pieces together nicely. :) anyhoo, new sub. Absolutely love your work. And really enjoy the personality you have. It is very genuine and shows you love what you do. It's a breath of fresh air.

[@pocket83squared]

Thanks a bunch. As I recall, the garage was really cold when I was trying to do those solder joints, and I just never really pursued a solution to the problem. I think sanding the spot(s) flat would probably be a great start. Anyhoo to you, I made a video a few years back about soldering Platonic solid wireframes, where I would stick the ends into a coffee can full of sand to use it as a type of clamp. You might want to check that out. It was on my main channel, I think ;)

[@joshg6491]

You can make a picture frame or mirror frame out of the marble circle

[@MeatSim9]

You could stack rings of your marbles to make candle holders or something. Then glue a glass base to the bottom to fill them in.

[@tntexe8949]

Been binge watching pocket83 before I sleep each night. Just cant get enough

[@pocket83]

Thanks. I'm happy that you find some if it useful. Did you have a favorite?

[@tntexe8949]

pocket83 hm... I think the Jurassic cane one

[@spencerbell2199]

Happy day when pocket uploads. Twice

[@Jiisuri]

Thanks for the runes of power; I needed a boost.

[@Kremit_the_Forg]

I wonder how it would look if you drilled a hole trough the threaded-rod-hole and put an LED in it. Awesome things!

[@Catglittercrafts]

Now I want to make marble jewelry The possibilities are endless

[@EsteGlez]

Truly amazing

[@judithwhite2218]

I LOVE THIS

[@JesamJD]

You must end up with a lot of relatively small art projects around the house that you've put a fair bit of time into!

[@pocket83squared]

Here's the main video *(watch first!)* : ►kzbin.info/www/bejne/enPLqq2Oe9plhLc Enjoy ;)

[@voievod7541]

pocket83² Just came here to say hi before you get flodded with comments. Now to watch the main video and then this video to tell you how awesome it was.

[@pocket83]

I hope it doesn't disappoint. Thanks.

[@voievod7541]

pocket83 You're too harsh on yourself. Especially on this video where you put the 'Skip to to watch the stand build'. We like seeing you ramble and showing us unfinished puzzle and prototypes. (Also my OCD is triggered by the fact that you didn't glue *all* the marbles but I still enjoyed the videos kthxbye.)

[@pocket83]

That's just for convenience, reference, and navigation: if people build these, they might re-visit certain parts for a second look. As to your completionist tendency, there is a blue octahedron contained inside that is bound by parameters. I should think that you would appreciate the beauty of that pattern. Just as we don't float away from the Earth, there are tacit boundaries that define all aspects of our lives. Unnecessary connections are useless tethers that reduce the available liberties of a system, as do superfluous rules in a game. So put those compulsions at ease; perfectionism is a useful tool only when used to a useful extent. Thus spoke pocket.

[@KainYusanagi]

Make a dreamcatcher with the circle?

Now, the question is, where can I get glass marbles in bulk for cheap... I'm going to need a few thousand. :D

[@JohnnyFoodstamp]

The copper work is my favorite part of the video. I work in roofing and I do copper work. Lots of dormers, panels, fancy kind of copper roof work. And I always have all these scraps that I try and come up with creative ideas for. Usually just birdhouses with copper roofs but I like incorporating the copper wire. Might try to find a way to press leaves into the sheetmetal and use the copper wire and make a copper plant or something. Well, thanks for your video! Great as always!!!!

[@pocket83]

I was also a roofer for a long time, and I did tons of aluminum work, so I still use trim coil quite a bit. I've never had access to scrap sheet copper, though. I would love to make some stuff with that. But it's too expensive to buy just for tinkering.

[@JohnnyFoodstamp]

It sure is! I think about $127 for a 10ftX3ft sheet last I checked. I've been very lucky to have the scraps. I just struggle to come up with neat ideas to actually use it at home in my shop. That's what I come to you for. I had a feeling after your utility knife video you might have been a roofer at some point lol. No love for the hook blade???

[@pocket83]

Nope. Only for cutting three-tabs into caps, and you don't even need to do that anymore. Be carful up there, and take care of your back. I now have a spinal stenosis from fucking up my back carrying shingles too many times. Don't carry two bundles- ever.

[@JohnnyFoodstamp]

Sorry to hear about your back. We've had new guys show up and try to carry 2 bundles. We straighten them out real quick. I've never even attempted it and I've roofed with my Dad since I was abut 13 and I'm now 33. No offense or anything but it just didn't seem like a good idea. Thanks for the concern and believe me I'm as careful as I can be but I think you know most roofers say it's if not when regarding a fall. I fell 2 stories a few years ago and broke my scapula. Still not the same. Been considering moving onto crown molding and trim in my "old age" lol.

[@pamcarr4003]

Very, very nice! I loved these vids! Thank you for sharing them! Pam

[@pocket83squared]

Of course! Thanks! Are you going to try the project?

[@pamcarr4003]

I am giving it serious thought! I've got a few things in the hopper, in the meantime I've got feelers out for my "marbles", lol! I love your videos! I've subbed to this channel too! 👏👏👏 Pam 😛 BTW, I like the 'HWWTT', lol! And there's a jingle?! Let's hear it.....😜

[@Siausalas]

24:18 so satisfying : )

[@leighdurrant9116]

Glad you were able to climb out that whirlpool, some great work you've done here thank you for sharing, get some rest you earned it 👍

[@pocket83]

Hey, thanks. It's a relief to finally post a long project. Lots of eggs in one basket, if you know what I mean.

[@TealCheetah]

Damn you are so clever!

[@blackeyes888]

Cool! It ist very beatiful!!!

[@dtec30]

I enjoyed this immensely happy new year buddy I could see 4 marbles "welded" together stick a pencil tip in the middle and point an air nozzle at one of the outside marbles for maximum spin

[@pocket83squared]

Whoa! Wear safety glasses!

[@soosaisteven3984]

In future you may want to make marbles chandelier and I think it will be superb.

[@HammerandNeil]

Do you think this same principle would work with ball bearings? I think the reflectiveness would look awesome!

[@pocket83squared]

Yes.

[@hathalud]

In jewelry making we use silver solder with higher percentages of silver in them than electronics or pipe fitting solder and we break out multiple torches on pieces that are especially large and hard to solder..... But for your tiny little pieces that you were having a hard time with, I'd guess you just need less airflow around it and a heat refractory like a fire-brick. I could be wrong, but I don't think so. I've soldered bigger pieces than that.

[@pocket83]

I think I was working on a piece of refractory cement, but I'll give it a try on a 2300 (kiln) firebrick. Thanks for the tip about the silver solder; I'll look in to that. But another reason for my failure that day was probably the cold garage. Cold air just sweeps the heat right out of copper.

[@hathalud]

pocket83 Cool. The silver solder requires higher temps to melt, but it also makes a much more solid connection too. Yes, the ambient temperature will wick the heat right out of a piece... Metalsmithing is so very temperamental, largely due to the environment and your heat sources. I hope you get the desired hot metal connections you are looking for. Poke me if you need any tips. Good luck!

[@hathalud]

pocket83 Also you might need to use a handful of fire bricks to enclose the piece you are soldering. Jewelers usually keep several loose ones on hand to arrange as needed. Basically you can build a tiny temporary kiln around your work piece as you solder it. Best of all is how soft fire bricks are. With some T-pins you can place nearly anything into the desired configuration and solder it. Additionally, there are different grades of jewellers silver solder so that you can solder in an "order of operations" kind of way. Use hard solder first and then medium or easy solder next so that you can perform multiple soldering tasks near each other.

[@cartermaneki]

Not to sound condescending or anything, but the correct terminology for the "roll" you're doing on the wire ends is called, in the blacksmithing field anyways, a scroll.

[@pocket83]

Noted. Thanks for not being snobby about the correction ;)

[@lalithashali9004]

Pls tell me the name of glue to stick marbles together..... And where it will be available

[@SirBenJamin_]

Sorry for the stupid question, but I am intrigued by your lovely sharp pencil. Do you using one of those long point sharpeners for that? or something else like the belt sander?

[@pocket83]

X-ACTO brand sharpener. It's three bucks at Wal-Mart. I put a golfball on its handle, for maximum smooth operation. Go slow, and don't apply too much pressure. I also only use the *Cedar* Ticonderoga pencil.

[@SirBenJamin_]

Thanks - I'll see what I can find over here in the UK

[@Catglittercrafts]

pocket83 the best

[@Ratchet4647]

pocket83 makes sense that a woodworker would be obsessive with the type of wood the pencils he uses in woodwork should be.

[@pocket83squared]

I wouldn't say I'm _obsessive._ I just want to use the best thing available. I use (and sharpen) pencils daily. Compare to "premium wood": Cedar is softer. It sharpens *much* smoother and easier. This means less work, and the sharpener's blade will last longer. I also believe that a cedar pencil's lead will break less often. Follow me here: a more flexible housing will better absorb drop impact, and even allow the graphite to bend gently. Rigid pine pencils just seem to 'snap.' Pencils with broken lead inside of them are frustrating and useless. And cedar also has a wonderfully pleasant smell!

[@VitorMoura]

Love this channel!

[@sreyemhtes]

Inspiring, enjoyable interesting. Great couple of vids. I love these marbles, ball bearings, neodymium magnetic spheres. They have such a great combination of intellectually stimulating, sensual, beautiful satisfying mojo. I wonder if one could be very careful on the drill press and create a hole up through blthe bottom 3 or 4 rows, then insert a sriff steel rod... It could look loke itd balanced on its bottom marble maybe in a little divot as you mentioned. The entire octohedron could eveb gently spin.. You could even motorize it! Or a lucite rod w an led at the bottom? I wonder if say 1/8" lucite rod would be strong enough. Could you weigh the 15 row one if you get a chance...

[@pocket83]

At around 14 minutes on the first video, you can see that I was taking the mass from sets of 100 marbles. Lets call the average 485 g per 100, so my big octahedron, which is an 8 row, would weigh: 344 marbles/100 = 3.44; 485g x 3.44 = 1668.4g; 454g ≈ 1lb; 1668.4/454 ≈ 3.67 lbs.

[@Internetzspacezshipz]

I wonder if another reason the copper soldering didn't work well is because on the ends the grain is quite rough, making it stronger when soldered... Although now that I say it you probably already thought of this and sanded up the sides of the copper wire before you soldered.

[@debug9424]

I think it's the (cold) glass pane he used as a flat surface. On the icosahedron, there's five "directions" the heat can go towards, the air. On the stand, there's four ways the heat can go towards, plus the air and the glass panel.

[@pocket83]

I tried it on a slab of refractory cement. Also, I did scuff the surface first, and I used flux. The garage was probably just too cold.

[@BaneWilliams]

I only came across your channels today! Awesome stuff. I was wondering what you thought about the concept of having a modulating light inside the octahedron - so that way even at night you can enjoy its morphing brilliance. I'm really unsure how to do this in a compelling way that doesn't sully the overall design when taking into account how gorgeous natural light impacts it. I'll have to do some experiments with a flat coloured marble in the middle to simulate the light impacting brilliance when it's off to see how it works.

[@pocket83]

Another KZbinr and I are actually amid discussion for a collaboration like that. I'm not sure if it will be another octahedron, though.

[@BaneWilliams]

I've already ordered some marbles (+|- 0.05mm precision!!) and are going to do a couple of different experiments. I'll keep you posted (if I notice any fails I'll make sure to let you know) - Also, Crokinole board? You seem to enjoy games, and your woodworking skills are more than up to par for it.

[@etishakhan8302]

Which glue u using for sticking this

[@samterian7694]

I enjoy watching all your videos, do you have a source to buy marbles wholesale and any 2 part epoxy works?

[@pocket83]

Any two-part general purpose epoxy will work. Look for one with a five-minute set time. Marbles: *DON'T buy them by the bag.* There's a discount warehouse not far from here that sells them in bulk. I still spent $50, but that's for an unreasonably huge amount. Check around those hole-in-the-wall surplus stores, especially where craft stuff and fake flowers are sold. Good luck ;)

[@PistolPat]

7:18 Mancrafts lol

[@pocket83]

You are the first one to catch that. It took over a year, and millions of views.

[@BCRBCRBCRBCRBCRBCR]

Wonder how a hollow pyramid with an LED under it would look?

[@XPStartupSound]

Hi Pocket. Sorry that this is off-topic. I see some of your several-part build videos will often not include the last video. I enjoy looking for the secrets you put in those videos, but don't know if I'm going on a lost goose chase here... are the last videos to those multi-video builds hidden as a little surprise for people who look for it? Or are they just projects you decided not to finish/upload for various reasons?

[@pocket83squared]

I didn't finish the lazy susan one. It wasn't getting views. Beyond that, I'm not sure. I don't think that I've ever hidden the last part of a series, except in the 'just for kicks' case- I had to stop that series because of all the hate.

[@XPStartupSound]

pocket83² thanks for the reply! Glad I asked

[@Krish-pw2gi]

Where do you get your marbles

[@muskanrm5944]

wich glue you use?

[@gyjpeo]

What were you coating the wood with?

[@pocket83]

Teak oil.

[@gyjpeo]

Wow Pocket83 answered me!!! Thank youu I always enjoy your videos i feel smarter after i watch them haha

[@jayantimohite9149]

👌

[@AaronALAI]

You did fool me!

[@AndrewHelgeCox]

Where can I buy marbles in bulk?

[@pocket83]

Check craft stores or discount warehouses. Especially where they sell fake flowers.

[@extreamemineing]

Amy one else remember handy woodworking tip time

[@MusicalBox]

Only one thumb down ? Who killed the trolls ?

[@peter_fbx]

looking for pockets face in the reflection

[@tobymarsh7830]

Picture frame?

[@jonathin5852]

Lamp shade?

[@kishorshelar3729]

Plz send me glue name and pics plz

[@samanthasimental3788]

Picture frame

[@samidamntheducc4066]

Gr8 double upload m7

[@AjayKumaryadav-tx8yz]

Yah kaun si Gam

[@kodiandroid8821]

You are nuts in a funny way..cool

[@jackhuang2279]

he needs to see magnetic balls

[@tntexe8949]

o_0 o_0

[@sivanisinha7981]

Hhiiiiii

[@SeraphimKnight]

Not to be pedantic or anything, but chatoyance is pronounced "sha-twa-yance".

[@pocket83]

I don't mind details, when they're supported. Still, this one borders on the silly. Nevertheless, let's examine. You're a credible source. First, the obvious: Google 'chatoyant definition,' and then press the 'listen' key on google dictionary. SHəˈtoiənt/ or "sha-toy-ent." Further, the French word for eye clearly sounds more like 'oy,' so it seems like I'm in the clear so far. However, my intuition slightly agrees with you- having taken four semesters of French. The word has likely been anglicanized. I think, given the rapid speech of its progenitors, that the word probably once sounded something like 'sha-twince' before we assimilated it. But given the arbitrary, dynamic, and nebulous nature of language, it might be hard to really ever know.

[@SeraphimKnight]

I'm just some guy on the internet, but my native language is french and I live in french canada (quebec), so take that as you will. Pretty sure french people from france also pronounce it that way. (consonant)oy is usually pronnounced -wa in french. Ex: festoyant (fess-twa-yan), aboyant (ah-bwa-yan), etc. The "ant" sounds is kinda hard to explain in text to english speakers since the N and T are not actually pronounced.

[@pocket83squared]

Ha! You certainly are credible! Still, English has taken the word, so don't expect a change anytime soon. We also pick and choose which elements of the Metric system we like.

[@fleanine]

Great videos, thanks for sharing....This is a pretty cool technique, lots of potential .. I'd love to see how it would work out with one of those "puzzle cubes" with all the various tetris shaped parts that fit together to form a cube, with different colored marbles for each section... kind of like this image... cdn.instructables.com/F5A/NZPX/HA4MMJ3F/F5ANZPXHA4MMJ3F.LARGE.jpg

[@pocket83]

Naturally. I've already been all over that. In fact, I have a similar video in the works. I did make a cannonball puzzle video a few years back, which even had a marble version that was a precursor to this project: kzbin.info/www/bejne/h2Wmn39ti8mFbtE

[@fleanine]

That's awesome! I recently (re)stumbled into your channel and am working my way through all your videos.. I would have made it there eventually :) Thanks for doing what you do. Quite an interesting variety of projects. Much appreciated! I actually saw your Yoshimoto cube video a while ago randomly, and it inspired me to make one on my 3d printer!.. now I've found your other videos in a different unrelated search, and realized I should have subscribed when I saw that video long ago.