Slow Dance Frame

| May 2025 |

This "Slow Dance" frame is an art piece that creates the illusion of an object "dancing" by utilizing a magnet to oscillate the object and LED lights that flash at the same frequency as the oscillation. I followed this guide on Instructables by SparkItUp to build my slow dance frame. My aim was to replicate this slow dance frame sold by Wonder Machines. The project involved a wide range of fabrication skills, including woodworking, 3D modeling, 3D printing, and electronics.

Woodworking

I crafted three "Slow Dance" frames, each using a different type of wood: White Oak, Red Oak, and Pine, which I painted black. To conceal the electronics at the bottom of the frame, I cut a dado approximately 1-1/4" deep, leaving only about 1/16" on either side. I inserted rectangular blocks at the ends to reinforce the thin walls and provide a mounting spot for the bottom plate. For the LEDs, I cut a shallower dado on the other three frame pieces and added a rabbet for a 1/8" piece of acrylic to serve as a diffuser. Additionally, I used 1/4" Maple splines to strengthen the frame and add visual interest.

3D Modeling & Printing

I designed a custom holder in Solidworks to secure the magnet, which was crafted by winding copper wire around a bolt, along with the thin metal pieces that the "dancing" object would attach to via o-rings. These components are printed in black PLA using an Ender 3 KE.

Electronics

I obtained all the components from Amazon and initially prototyped the circuit on a breadboard before soldering it onto a PCB. I followed the electronics schematic from the Instructables guide and used the provided XLSX sheet to calculate the amount of copper coil needed to achieve the required resistance. I did have to reconstruct a circuit because a short circuit I caused damaged all the components for one of the frames.

Overall, I'm a bit surprised how well they turned out and at how much the objects "dance" when turned on.