bucky ball space frame joiners

thingiverse

Create a buckyball using rods or tubes, requiring only one type of connector. Two sizes, 6mm and 3mm, are presented here; larger structures can be made with scaled-up parts but at increased cost. A complete set of 60 3mm connectors uses approximately 100 grams of plastic, taking around 5 minutes each to print at .4mm layers. Multiply the material and time requirements by a factor of eight for 6mm rods and again for 12mm rods, with corresponding increases in cost (3mm: $3-6, 6mm: $24, 9mm: $150). Print joiners in pairs to optimize packing during printing; ensure correct orientation to form the ball. Both .4mm and .2mm prints work, but the latter may not be worth the extra time. Print multiple parts at once if your print bed allows. Clean up holes with a drill, and use 3mm OD bamboo skewers or drinking straws for sticks depending on desired durability. A reference .stl is provided. Assemble by first forming pentagons, then connecting them using hexagonal sticks, ensuring flats are consistent to form a ball.