Floating AirVase

I've been playing around with tensegrity structures and woodworking and of course magnets. Who doesn't love magnets!

But first, what's a tensegrity (ten-seg-grity) structure you ask? Well it's a word coined by artist, inventor and mathematician Buckminster Fuller by combining the words - tensional + integrity. But what is it really (and why did his parents give him that name?) First Tensegrity is...

• a self-supporting and a self-correcting system
• does not require any internal vertical or horizontal supporting structures
• contains isolated, non-touching compression struts within a continuous tension system

Basically it's magic. So let me show you how I made it.

BTW an AI Bot designed the Air Vase logo - cool I think. (Maybe an AI bot is writing this ible too)

Anyway, if I get 99 hearts by end of the month, I'll make a big version of this that one can sit on!.

The components are fairly common but used in a very uncommon way.

• Wood (I had a leftover floor board plank)
• Cocktail Skewers (6 @100mm)
• Fishing Line ( I used 300 pound)
• Crimp beads
• CA Glue
• Crush stone and copper rods (options)
• Of course neodymium magnets. (Warning: Neo magnets are very strong and fragile. They can pinch your fingers if you are not careful and can shatter. Cylindrical ones are a bit easier to manage.)

Update: I did a version with

• TIG welding rods
• 3D Nozzle Screws

I used tinkercad to play around with design ideas. I first started with a cylindrical part for the midsection but found there was interference with the slide struts so I changed to triangles to avoid that. Tinkercad was great to prototype the design, check for interference, and get measurements. This is also how I determined the angle and size of the the various components. I used the thin rods to determine the magnet positioning.

The next step was to create the top and base rings. I did mine on a lathe (see my other ibles if you want to see how) but you can buy your rings or use a scroll saw to cut one out. Make the center the size of whatever you want this structure to hold. These were sized 70mm outer and 45mm inner.

You can use math or trial and error, tinkercad, or just follow me :-). Set your drill table to 12 degrees tilt and drill the rings in 3 locations that are separated by 120 degrees. I made a simple jig to make alignment easier and consistent. I also drilled vertical holes to fish the fishing line (sorry) for outer support parts that you will use later. Other holes are for decoration. I used copper and malachite stone but you can do as you see fit or just skip.

For the triangle centers of the structure,you can use math, tinkercad, or just cut them to 36-40mm if you followed my other dimensions. Find the center of the triangles and then use a compass to create drill points. The are drilled on the high side of the 12 degree drill table. Drill the centers of your triangles to the size of your Neo magnet diameter. I later found out it's easier if you don't drill all the way thru for later glue up.

After you trim the cocktail skewers to 100mmm you can do a dry fit to make sure things are aligned. I made a small dowel rod the size of the magnets to make adjustments easier. Otherwise you'll have a tough time and need an elephant to pull them apart.

Get all the parts ready and put together. Use a ruler to make sure everything is the right height. I used the spacer again to make sizing the fishing line easier since the final gap between the two magnets should be around 5mm. This will put a lot of tension on the fishing lines so the structure is well balanced and hold a 2-3 pound object. The hardest part was to make sure the top is level. Big Tip: After trying many times, I knotted the finishing line on one end and then used crimp beads so they were just to the top of the top ring. The first line I did a heavy crimp then for the others, I just did a mid level crimp so I could still adjust to make sure things are level. The space helps make the magnets a bit weaker so they don't pull the structure apart. Use a ruler to increase accuracy.

These result is surprisingly pretty ( I think) and strong (which the video and I tried to push down the top). Also it's fun to make the structure wiggle. For the holidays, I'll add air plants (hence AirVase) and give as gifts since I've got the production process down. Please don't tell my peeps.

BTW I made this version out of TIG welding rods and 3D printer nozzle screws. You can more easily adjust the tension.

Hope you enjoyed.