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Form a
circle with the cups you want to use. Measure the diameter
across the circle in several directions to make sure you've
got a perfect circle. Try removing or adding a cup to see
if the circle improves. Don't be afraid to stretch it tight.
Note how many cups are in this first layer.
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Add
a ring of cups on top of the first layer to
make the second layer. There will be 3-4
cups fewer than first layer. (Gaps between cups are fine.)
Clip on the third, fourth, or even fifth layer to finish
the half. Note how many cups are in each layer. Make models
of both halves and clip together to make sure the sparkleball
will be round when you finally make it.
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The
5 1/2 oz cup (right) has straighter sides than the standard
sparkleball 9 oz cup (left). So even though it's smaller,
it takes twice as many to make a sparkleball. Straighter
sides mean that it will take more cups to make your sparkleball.
(This is all math which I don't understand.)
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It
takes 23 16 oz cups for the first layer of a giant sparkleball
(27" diameter). For great instructions check out Terry
Kull's Instructable.
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These
are small 3 oz bathroom cups. It takes 21 cups
for the first layer! (oooops. Not quite a circle. You can
see that this one needs work.)
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These
are 5 oz mini-tumblers from Party City. It takes only 10
of these for the first layer.
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This
shows how Rob
Cox builds his sparkleballs with 7 oz cups,
the only kind available in Australia. See his finished pink
sparkleball below.
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All
of these sparkleballs were made by modifying the 12 - 9 -
4 basic formula and can be built with stapler,
hole-puncher,
or soldering
iron. |
