Mix the Mystery Fluid
The Magic 9 Ball derives much of its power from the mysterious roiling fluid contained within the orb. Here, for the very first time, we shall reveal the secrets of the unfathomable fluid!
Get ready for the secrets to be revealed! -- We'll mix water with super pearl dust (also called shimmer dust), food coloring, and optional glycerin. The dye gives the mix its color, while the pearl dust provides the moving, glittering view into the complex fluid dynamics going on in there while it is thinking.
Add a very small amount of the pearl dust to the empty globe.
Fill halfway with water, then add dye and swirl it around. I used five drops of yellow to two drops of red here.
Fill the rest of the way with water, up to the level of the stopper cap.
Press the stopper cap into place. You can glue this in with silicone sealant or E6000 glue if you like, for extra safety.
This is a fun time to test it out -- screw on the original cap and swirl the orb to see the intricate fluid motion!
The HalloWing will be the brains and display of our Magic 9 Ball.
Ready the Battery
Plug your Lipoly battery's JST plug into the battery port on the HalloWing.
Use double-stick foam tape to affix the battery to the board as shown.
The cap, spacer and mount are all 3D printed. I modified these parts that were created by the Ruiz Bros. More info on the HalloWing M0 Express Wearable Case here, and the threaded ring came from their excellent Automatic Dice Roller project.
Below are the model files you'll need. These were printed in PLA plastic with 0.2mm layer height.
You'll also need two 10mm long M2.5 nylon screws and nuts to affix the HalloWing case bottom to the spacer.
Assemble
Snap the HalloWing into place in the bottom mount, then place the spacer into the cap as shown.
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Screw the mount into place, thread on the nuts and tighten them. Then trim the screws flush with diagonal cutters. This prevents the screws from interfering with the fluid cap.
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Screw Cap onto Globe
Now, we can screw the cap onto the globe -- just make sure the stopper is securely in place!
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Finally, snap the HalloWing case cover into place.
Plug in a USB cable and next we'll program it!
Page last edited March 08, 2024
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