How to make a tiny electric motor out of BuckyBalls

If you have 12 minutes to spare, you can make your own tiny electric motor out of BuckyBalls.

Graham Nash's BuckyBall motor tutorial. (Image via YouTube)

YouTube user Graham Nash creates tutorials on his YouTube channel “graybum.” Most of his videos involve devices made from BuckyBalls such as cannons, torches, and desktop fans, but recently, he started some tutorials involving electronic cigarettes.

For those of you who don’t know, BuckyBalls are made from a rare earth metal called Buckminsterfullerene. These shape-changing magnetic beads are pretty addicting to play with.

If you’re interested in “DIY,” why not make your own electric motor following Nash’s tutorial below.

All you need is a Duracell battery, some copper wire, a few strands of BuckyBalls, and a magnet from inside of a levitating pen.

In a nutshell, this is how he does it:

1. Make pillars out of the BuckyBalls.
2. Place a battery between the pillars.
3. Place the magnet (from inside of a levitating pen) in the middle of the battery.
4. Create a coil with the enameled copper wire.
5. Place the coil between the two BuckyBall pillars.
6. Start your motor

Of course, be sure to watch the tutorial below for specific instructions for a successful tiny electric motor.

For more tutorials, visit Graham Nash’s YouTube channel.