Dodeca Rubber Fidget Ball From Inner Tubes

This project represents combination of two ideas. Firstly it’s rubber band balls, and Flying Squirrel’s instructable (INNER TUBE RUBBER BAND BALLS) was a part of my inspiration. And secondly, dodecahedron, made of inner tube rings/loops derives from Idea63’s instructable INNERTUBE LOOP CREATIONS.

 

What I did is just put one inside another with adding some my own tips and tweaks. The resulting thing looks really cool, feels nice in the hand, has a bit of heft in it so it’s satisfying to throw and catch.

For making the ball you’ll need to cut a bunch of rings out of bicycle inner tube. You can do it with scissors, or with a knife, or you can build my TUBE CHOPPER!

Most of the rings will go for making the ball. Their width doesn’t matter.

Something like 2-3 dozens of rings will be used for making dodecahedron casing. They should be ~1/4 of the width of the inner tube. 10-12mm should be fine (for regular mountain bike wheel inner tube)

One 28 inch wheel inner tube should provide all the material you’ll need.

Wash the rings in soapy water and dry with a towel.

1. Cut and wash loops

2. Cut cork for the core

And we’ll start with making a rubber band ball. You can make it all-rubber, but I’m cheating a bit and using a piece of cork as a core.

3. Make the rubber band ball

On the first stage of making the ball you;ll have to twist rubber band in two to "wrap" the cork core snuggly.
When the ball gets big enough start adding rings without twisting.
Grow the ball up to 5,5 - 6cm in diameter, and lay it aside for a while.

4. Weave 3-way

The basic module consists of three loops.
This can be done only by hands but needlenose pliers help a lot.

5. Add another 2 loops

Now with by adding two more rings we can expand our module.

6. Make the first pentagon

To close the pentagon only one loop is added.

7. Build 5 pentagons around

Expand now your pentagon to a "snowflake" first
Then close the gaps to create 5 pentagons neighbouring the first one.
At this point you'll get 3-dimensional structure.

8. Try the ball for size

Now try to fit the rubber ball withing the casing.
It should sit pretty snug but yet not stretch the casing too much.
My ball was a bit too small so I'm adding the rest of rubber bands to it.

9. Cover with balloons (optional)

You can leave your rubber ball as it is but I thing adding some color makes final product even cooler.
To do this take a couple of small air balloons and cut the neck portion off.
Pull them onto the ball. One goes first...
and the second goes from the opposite side to overlap it.

10. Close the last loop

Now place the ball inside the casing.
Form more pentagons until in the end you'll left with three free tabs. Interlock them.
You'll still have one tab free. To secure it, make a hole in both the tab and a section of the loop underneath it.
Install a rivet.
A coin goes underneath the rivet and acts as an anvil to hammer the rivet against.

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This post was published on: 31st March 2020 |
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