Magnetic Cubytites

thingiverse

Do you remember playing with tangrams or wooden blocks when you were a kid? Well, today's toys have come a long way, and those old favorites just can't keep up. I'd like to introduce you to the Cubytite! These small cubes have four ball magnets on each side, allowing you to create objects with overhangs that wooden blocks only dream of achieving. One Cubytite is made up of 25 parts, yet it's incredibly easy to assemble - just three simple steps: print the bare cube, acquire magnets, and insert them. That's it! No extra parts needed to print. One single Cubytite costs around 85 cents (estimated). For materials, you'll need: Preferred Plastic: Amazon's Hatchbox PLA filament (http://www.amazon.com/HATCHBOX-3D-PLA-1KG1-75-GRN-Filament-Dimensional/dp/B00J0GQ2OS/ref=sr_1_14?s=industrial&ie=UTF8&qid=1464745548&sr=1-14&keywords=hatchbox) Magnetic Spheres: DXSoul's 3mm Neodymium Magnet Spheres (http://www.dxsoul.com/product/qs-3mm216b-diy-3mm-neodymium-magnet-spheres-silver-216-pcs-901180808#.V04-pjaKxn4) Important Safety Note: If children are able to release the magnetic spheres, they become a choking hazard that could lead to serious injury or even death. Never leave children unattended with these toys. Recommended for ages 6 and up! Print Settings: Printer: Cobblebot Vanguard Rafts: Doesn't Matter Supports: No Resolution: 100-300 microns Infill: 10%-50% Notes: Make sure the magnetic spheres are firmly pressed into their slots. If they don't stay in, consider gluing them if necessary. As a perfect 20x20mm cube with 24 holes, Cubytite can be an ideal printer calibration tester. Inspiration: This object was inspired by myself and another design on Thingiverse (http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:784951). I created it while playing with wooden blocks with my little brother a week ago. I noticed that the wooden blocks relied entirely on gravity to support themselves, so I decided to make something new. I wanted to create a toy with magnets because they're versatile tools and can be very fun. So, I made a plastic magnetic sphere with 12 magnets around its axes. However, it turned out to be a terrible building block, so I looked for inspiration on Thingiverse and found the Magnetic Bisymmetric Hendecahedrons. This led me to think about Minecraft, a game my brother and I love, and I decided to create a block that could be fun to play with. Design: I designed this object using 123D Design, and its shape is incredibly simple yet has many capabilities when multiple are connected.