BuckyBalls - Turn Balls Into a Cube

The first time BuckyBalls are unpackaged they come in a cube. This cube is perfect regardless if the 125 or 216 package os obtained. If even ONE ball is lost this cube will not be able to be successfully completed. However, with a litle bit of practice the BuckyBalls cube can be remade back to its original form.

Start by taking the mess of balls and create a single straight  line of the BuckyBalls. Be careful not to work around metals that will attract the balls because it is easy to misplace them which would make it impossible to complete the cube. Also, don't let the magnets get to close to each other or they can attrach each other which makes it hard to peel them apart. Should this arise, get a thin card (not one with a magnetic strip) and place in between the connection to slowly and evenly pull the BuckyBalls apart.

After taking the chain (while keeping the balls far enough apart to prevent an unwanted attachement) count 36 balls in length and fold the balls to create a 6 by 36 chain (as seen in the photograph). The easiest way to make the 6 by 36 block is to zig-zag and let the balls attach themselves. By doing so, this creates a simple network of magnets that can easily be turned into the cube. If one tries to create this chain by separating the balls and reconnecting six separate chains of 36 it will not work when attempting to build the cube due to polarity.

Now that the chain is complete there is only one step left. Keeping the chain on a flat surface to make sure that the magnets all connect at the same time, count 6 (this would make a 6 x 6 square) and fold it over so now it will look like two 6x6 squares stacked on each other. After doing so, carefully flip the entire system over with the two 6x6 squares on the bottom. Then fold the next 6x6 square on top so it looks like the photograph. To complete the cube, continue folding the chain over the started cube intil you now have a 6x6x6 cube!

Note: If not done on a flat surface or done too quickly the cube will become warped due to polarity and it will be nearly impossible to undo the mistake which means it will be necessary to restart the entire process.