This design was intended to eliminate the Rubik’s internal mechanism to have space for some electronics. The idea was to have each face light up with the correct color. The magnets helped hold the blocks together. I ended up scrapping the effort and filled in the core. The core is split for ease of printing.
There are only 5 pieces. printed multiple times.
- 8 Corner Pieces
- 12 Side Pieces
- 6 Center Pieces
- 6 Caps
- 2 Core Pieces
I used these small magnets
I used some super glue to keep all of the magnets in place. Make sure to keep track of the which faces of the magnets are facing outward. Like pieces should repel each other. I painted the faces, with a black filament as the base.
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:5350399
Incomplete Design
I usually just upload what I get to work as intended, but here are some shots of the previous magnetic Rubik’s Cube designs. Notice how everything is hollowed out.
These blocks are much bigger than the solid design I published on Thingiverse. I had planned to use NeoPixels for the face colors. All of the holes were to hold a metal socket (on the blocks) and metal ball and spring (on the core) to make contact when a block was in the correct location only. The contact would then light the faces of that block.
https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/vector-electronics/T123-500/38984
I think the concept would work. The fabrication and placement of the sockets would have to be pretty precise to no impede the rotation of the blocks.
Booman's Workshop 