BB8 Paperweight

This tutorial will teach you how to make a BB8 droid style paper weight. This paper weight will have magnets inside them that way you can use both the body and head of the paper weight it use together or separate. This project is for 9-12 grade students who have access to the software and materials and can use them safely with a instructor.

learning Objective: Students will use 3d modeling software to design and create a small paper weight. The students will also 3d print and assemble the project with a magnet inside of the paperweight.

This project Encompasses the Making and doing, Material Conversion and processing, and creativity standards.

Making and Doing: The students are modeling, designing, printing, and putting the project together.

Material Conversion and Processing: In this instructable the students are using plastic filament in order to model and print the parts. Along with that they are also using magnets in the construction.

Creativity: The students get to be creative by painting whatever style they want on the paper weight however they want.

For this project you will need:

• 3d Printer
• Super Glue
• Magnets: (Circular with 1inch diameter and .2inch thickness)
• Sandpaper
• Paint (Optional)

First you want to open up your 3d modeling program and start a new part. This first part will be the main body of the paper weight.

You want to start off making a sphere with a diameter of two inches.

Then you want to cut off a flat surface on the ball for it to sit. This flat cut should be about .1inches from the bottom of the sphere. This flat surface will be how your droid is able to stay in on place without rolling over.

Next you want to cut out a space for your first magnet to sit. To do this you need to cut out a 1 inch diameter hole with .2inch depth into the top of the sphere. Make sure it is the exact opposite point from the cutout on the bottom or else the droid will be unbalanced and fall over.

This lower head will be the first half of the head and will be where the magnet sits.

First you will make a cylinder that is 1.1inches in diameter with a depth of .3inches

Second you will add a cutout on the top of the cylinder that is 1inch in diameter and is .1inches deep

Then finally you will need to add a fillet around the bottom edge of the cylinder that is .15 inches

This part will sit on top of the lower head and cover the magnet.

First for this step you want to create a half sphere that is 1.1inches in diameter.

Second you want to create the "eye" of the robot. You do this by making a sphere that's center point is tangent to the surface of the half sphere half way up.

Then you add the antenna to the head by adding a cylinder 180 degrees from the eye to the center of the sphere (i.e the other side of the head). You want to add a base cylinder that is .1inches in diameter and make sure that is fully out of the head making a fully circle.

Next you need to add another cylinder that is .05 diameter in diameter on top of the first antenna extruding out .5inches.

Last you will need to add another cutout to the bottom of the half sphere with a diameter of 1inch and a depth of .1inches

The next step is to add all of these parts to a 3d splicing/printing software.

For this part you can add each of the parts separately or together. For each part you will want them to have 10%infil and a Brim around the parts to adhere to the 3d printing surface better.

Next is to add them to a SD card and finally 3d print the parts on any filament that you would like.

`(Note: if you want to paint them then depending on what color you print with might have an effect on how many coats of paint you have to use.)

Start off by taking off the supports of the parts. You can use a chisel or knife to remove them easily.

Next you need to sand down anywhere there are bumps and mishaps in the parts.

First you want to take one of your two magnets and put it into the cutout at the top of the body.

Second you need to put the other magnet into the upper head part.

lastly you need to put some glue onto the bottom of the magnet attached to the head and put the lower head part onto the magnet making sure that the glue is able to make contact with it.

After the glue dry's you should be able to put the head onto the body using the magnets.

For this last step you are able to paint the paper weight anyway you would like. Above are just a few examples!

After you have completed all of the other steps you are done! Feel free to use the paper weight however you like! since it is magnetic it can be used on items such as fridges and other metallic objects!