We're ready to stuff everything inside the cube! You may end up needing to sand the LED grids a bit more at this stage if they haven't quite been able to fit into the frame yet.
First, use a flush cutter to cut off the side tabs and the back knobs on the tiny switch. This will ensure that the switch will fit into the notch in the frame.
The "top" side of the cube should be the one with the switch notch.
The idea is that all the grid panels will have to go through this top side before going through to their final side.
Make a stack with the QT Py at the bottom, the battery in the middle and the accelerometer on top.
The LED grids for top and bottom have been labeled "T" for top and "B" for bottom in these next photos to help keep us oriented.
First, thread the bottom grid through the top side (notice where the notch is in the photo, indicated by the arrow).
Then, thread the bottom grid through to the bottom side of the cube (see the last photo).
Take the first side panel, the one closest to the QT Py. Thread it through the top side first, then through one of the sides (it doesn't matter which). Here's an animated gif to better illustrate this.
You should orient this panel so that the cut tabs are on the top and bottom sides of the panel.
Take the next panel and thread it through the top first, then pick another side right next to the first panel. Press-fit this second panel into the frame in the same orientation as the first panel. You should now have just two sides left open, and the top side open.
Do the same for the final two panels: first threading through the top as usual, then threading through the sides, in the same orientation as the first two panels. Press-fit these final side panels into the frame.
Now you should have just the top side left open. Don't worry, there should be enough space in there to stuff the rest of the electronics in. Use a wooden popsicle stick or something similarly non-conductive to gently push the wires towards the sides of the cube.
Carefully insert the stack of electronics inside the cube. You might find it easier to pop one or two panels out while you're doing this.
There should be enough room around the electronics to push the excess lengths of the switch wires in. Position the switch next to the notch in the frame.
Fit the switch into the notch, silver side facing towards the frame. There should be no need to force it in. If it doesn't fit, check that the side tabs have been cut off enough, and also make sure that the little back knobs have also been cut off.
The body of the switch should be pretty much level with the frame.
Finally, press fit the top grid onto the top side of the frame. You may have to smush in the excess wire connected to the top grid into the cube before you can successfully press-fit the grid on.
There is another little notch on the same side as the switch notch that can fit a small flathead screwdriver. This makes it easy to remove the top panel to access the USB-C port for charging and re-programming the cube!
That's it! Congratulations, you've made your very own glowy companion cube. You can easily switch out the sensor board in this project if you want to program this adorable cube to do other things. With WiFi and even Bluetooth available on the ESP32-S3 chip, you'll just have to think outside the box. :D I hope you enjoy your happy little companion cube.
