How to Make a Dancing Sparkleball

Materials:

- 50   9-oz "tumbler-style" cups, hard or soft plastic

- 140 or 150 "chasing" mini-lights with function controller

- soldering iron (or use no-melt method)

- good ventilation

also helpful: clothespins

1

To Begin: Melt a hole (approx 1/2 in) in the bottom of all 50 cups. (Test the hole to make sure two lights will fit later.)

Divide cups into two groups of 25. Each group makes half a ball.

2

Arrange 12 cups in a circle. If 12 cups does not make a circle, your cups aren't the right size. (Here's the right 9 oz. cup.)

Clothespins hold the cups in place while you work.

3

Press hot iron through one cup to the next, at cup bottoms. Hold melted part to cool and form a strong bond.

This is Layer One.

4

Place 9 cups around and on top of Layer One. There will be some gaps. (Blue cups show placement.) Solder each cup to at least two other cups, at their bases. Let joints cool before moving to next cup.

This is Layer Two.

5

Fit the last 4 cups into the space left at the top of the dome. Join them. Work close to cup bottoms and attach each cup to at least three other cups. (Blue cups show placement.)

This is Layer Three.

6

Remove clothespins. Now reinforce the ball-half all over, by melting joints between cup rims wherever they touch. (I notch them.) Where cup rims don't meet, do not force them to-- hard cups may crack or pull apart. Soft cups are more flexible.

7

NOTE: Some cups may have 2 lights while others have 3 depending on the lights you use.

IMPORTANT! TEST LIGHTS BEFORE YOU INSERT THEM.
To insert lights: Start at prong end of the cord. Insert the three lights closest to prong into a cup in Layer One. (The prong will then hang out when you put the two halves together.)

Put two or three lights in each cup. (1/2 total number of lights will go in each half. Do the math!) Work your way around the ball-half, zigzaging from outer cups to inner cups and back. You want to end up on Layer One, at the cup next to one you started with.

Work slowly, careful not to skip a cup or miss a light. If you crack a cup, that's ok.

8

9

On the second half, insert lights starting from the opposite end of the cord (the plug end.) Start with any cup but make sure you finish on Layer One. (If you plan to hang several balls together, make sure the plug end hangs out between the cups, as well.)

Have clothespins ready to clips halves together once lights are in place.

10

Press the two halves together, making them fit nicely. When you join them-- be careful not to burn the lights or wire.

Go over the sparkleball, making sure each cup is joined to at least two other cups. This is one of the most important steps. Take your time.

11

Hangers for sparkleballs can be made in a variety of ways. To use chain and two "s" hooks (as shown). choose the top of your sparkleball. Melt a hole between two well-connected cups. Insert one "s" hook into the hole and close. Add chain and second "s" hook. Zipties, clear fishing line, ribbon are other ideas for hanging.

12

Plug in and enjoy!

This sparkleball is almost 20 years old and still dancing. For its story, read here.

To Use a Plier Stapler:

1. use soft cups

2. make holes in cup bottoms for lights with soldering iron or power drill

3. Use heavy staples and staple at top and bottom of cup

See No-Melt instructions as well.