UFO Floating Sculpture

At first glace, you may wonder what keeps the aluminum disc suspended in mid air, but after reading further you will be in the know.

The sculpture is made using mainly recycled materials to be environmentally friendly.

Aluminum sheet is made by cutting the top and bottom off an aluminum can using a knife and scissors, then cutting down the middle of the can.

The aluminum sheet is flattened by rolling it against an edge. I used the edge of my fridge.

The flattened sheet of aluminum is then wrapped around a piece of dowel to make a long narrow tube. It is secured using packing tape. Make three tubes.

A tripod frame is made. Cut diagonally at the end of each of the 3 tubes. Then join the tubes together using a hot glue gun. Tape will hold the tubes in place while the glue sets. Cover the joints with more hot glue for extra strength.

An aluminum disc is made by using a bastard file to file the bottom end off an aluminum can. File off two bottom ends so when they are joined together they will make a disc.

In order to get the aluminum disc suspended in mid air we employ a bit of trickery.

Carefully, make some cuts around the outside of a lid from a small tin can. I found one which was just the right size. You could cut one from a larger lid, but be carefully and consider wearing leather gloves and safety glasses as cutting tin cans can be hazardous.

Insert the tin disc into one of the aluminum discs and shape to it's contour.

Join the two aluminum discs together with glue.

Add a couple of powerful neodymium magnets into the apex of the aluminum tripod. Secure with glue.

Attach the aluminum disc to the bottom of the tripod legs using cotton thread, securing with dabs of glue. Make sure the side of the disc with the tin insert is pointing upwards.

Position the disc so it floats in mid air, being pulled upwards by the power of the strong magnet and held downwards by the cotton threads.