Origami Sculpture Puzzle: 4 Intersecting Cubes

Howzit guys and girls :)
It's been a while since my last instructable, so I thought I'd jump back in with something tricky. I saw a pic of this on the internet somewhere, i think it was originally done by Dirk Eisner. The folding on this model is really simple, but the weaving is extremely hard! Just the kind of stuff I love. More time making the puzzle, less time making the pieces.

You will need:
Patience. Lots of it.

48 2x1 rectangles.

OK lets go!

Step 1: Baby Steps

Start white side up.

Valley fold in half, then in quarters. You should know the drill by now :)

Step 2: The 45 Degree Angle

Follow the pictures. These folds give us a 45 degree angle. Repeat at the top.

Step 3: The Pockets

Fold the left side of the paper to the middle, and form a pocket by reversing where the (new) left edge meets the 45 degree fold. Repeat on the right hand side.

Step 4: The Flaps

Fold as shown.

Step 5: Construction

There are your pieces! Easy peasy :)
I will leave the weaving as a puzzle for the dedicated folder to figure out.

Here's a pic of the cubes in different colours: http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8476/8147849697_ddbb...

And another one, from a different angle: http://farm9.static.flickr.com/8328/8147842179_1fb...

And a last one. http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8326/8147844683_eb34...

Thats all I had, if I can do it so can you!
Good luck, and enjoy the challenge!

Comments

[Sprutzich]

I am having troubles to connect 3 pieces together, to form the corner of the cube. Is there a way that it fits smoothly or it is more like try and get?

[joettle]

Hi! Glad you're trying it! My apologies for the confusion - Step 4 is slightly unclear, essentially you fold and unfold the flap to make the creases. These creases fit the flap perfectly into the folds inside the pocket, which hold the model sturdy. Step 5 folds the whole piece in half as then unfolds slightly to make the crease inside the pocket for the flap to for into. A commenter leea9 below also had your same problem. Hope this helps!

[Sinevia1]

R.I.P.

[origamimavin]

another incomplete indestructible? please, finish these..

also, this is not your work. a COMPLETE version of how to make these cubes can be found in 'Unit Origami: Multidimensional Transformations' by Tomoko Fuse. not this specific intersecting pattern, but she does show how to make them into a chain.

[joettle]

Goodness, a chain sounds much more challenging... In all honesty, if you can't figure out how to make each cube you will definitely not be able to weave them together. Although someone like you with origami in your username should have no problems with this ;)

And the folding is my own work, I couldn't find a resource on how to make a 90 degree angle at the time so I worked out the folds myself. I wouldn't be surprised if Tomoko Fuse did it as well; I know one or 2 other folders (Byriah Loper, Dirk Eisner) also came to this fold, it's probably the simplest method of getting an 90* angle (but not the only one).

The weave isn't my own idea, (as I stated in the opening sentence) I saw a photo on the internet somewhere and decided to give it a bash, if you can find instructions it would make life a lot easier. Otherwise, take it as a challenge, and don't be so neurotic :)

[teshcreations]

It is a puzzle after all :) Though maybe at least include a link to some hints for those who might have trouble constructing it.

[joettle]

I would if I could, unfortunately I don't have any more resources other than the pics (the links in the last steps). I found those very useful, as you can see the different colours and how they fit together better than one can with what I used (a single colour).
I've been looking for detailed weaving instructions, but I couldn't find any...

[teshcreations]

Oh well. I haven't actually tried it out yet, but it looks very cool, so I think I will try.

[joettle]

Good luck! Post a photo if you manage!
You should look very carefully at the photos and try to understand the way each cube intersects each other one, the rules for each intersecting pair will be the same for each additional cube.

[teshcreations]

Finally got around to start trying this! :) It took me awhile to figure out how to fold it, your comment below to leea9 helped though. Now I'm just stuck trying to fit three together, I can see how it works, but it's difficult to slot in the third.

[leea9]

I got the first three steps no problem. The fourth seems to be just crease and open. But I can't tell how you got from the fourth to the fifth. The dark color of the paper make it hard to see the shadows and so I can't replicate the image in step five. I can make the shape but it doesn't have the fold lines I see.

[joettle]

Ah yes step 4 is just creasing and unfolding. Step 4 is not entirely necessary, all it does is it makes the flaps sit neater in the pockets. Step 5, once you have creased your flaps, is fold the entire piece in half again lengthwise (then unfold, not shown), like you did in the first step. This creases the pockets and helps the model to sit neatly together.

[Penolopy Bulnick]

That's cool :) How do you interlock the pieces to get a single cube?

[joettle]

3 pieces at each point, the cube will automatically form :)
stick the flap of one piece into the pocket of the next, the angles that are made will be exactly 90 degrees.