L3D Cube 6x6x6

Posted September 11, 2024


Table of Contents

Details

6x6x6 Addressable RGB LED Cube

Based on the cube by Looking Glass (formerly L3D): https://github.com/Looking-Glass/L3D-CUBE-CubeViz-6x6x6

It consists of 216 5mm WS2812 addressable RGB LEDs, divided into 36 vertical sticks, each with 6 LEDs. Each stick has a 2x2 right-angle pin header (5V, GND, Data In, and Data Out). The data is routed from the Data In pin to the first (bottom) LED, which has its Data Out pin connected to the Data In pin of the next LED, etc. The last (top) LED on the stick then has its Data Out pin routed back down the stick to the Data Out pin on the header.

Instructions

Base

You will need quantity 36 of 2.54mm 2 x 2-pin Female Double Row Straight Header Socket: https://amzn.to/47t30MD

Note: You can download and 3D print the base connector soldering jig which makes the process much easier.

With the base soldering jig

  1. Insert all of the 2x2 header sockets into the jig, with the pins pointing up.

  2. Carefully and gently place the base PCB onto the jig (with all of the sockets loaded), making sure all of the pins come through the holes in the base without getting bent. Make sure the tabs on the jig are inserted into the slots on the base PCB.

Without the base soldering jig

  1. Insert just one socket pin-first into the PCB at a time (the side with the square white outlines).

  2. Hold the socket while turning the base over and soldering one pin.

  3. Turn it back over and make sure the socket is straight, lined up with the white square outline.

  4. If it’s not straight, hold the socket with one hand while reheating the solder on the other. Hold it aligned in place while removing the soldering iron until the joint cools.

LED Sticks

  1. Your LED strips may come all connected in one PCB piece. If so, you’ll need to carefully and gently separate them along the scored lines.

  2. I use a pair of needle-nose pliers with sections of heat-shrink tubing over the ends to protect the PCBs. Grip on one side of the score line with your fingers and the other with the padded pliers.

  3. Very gently and carefully, repeatedly flex the PCB downwards (away from the LED side). Repeat this on the opposite end of the same strip.

  4. Repeat this until the strip starts to separate. Repeat on each strip until all 36 are separated.

You will need quantity 36 of 2.54mm 2 x 20-pin Male Double Row Right Angle Header Strip : https://amzn.to/4e0p4Rp

These can be difficult to cut into sections of two (2 x 2) pins. I use thin, sharp side flush cutters, and “sacrifice” one row in between each, but your results may vary.

Alternatively, you can find them already cut into 2x2 sections for a little more: https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/adam-tech/PH2RA-04-UA/9830448

  1. Insert one 2x2 section of the right angle header pins into each of the strip PCBs, on the side with the square white outlines.

  2. Insert one 2x2 section of the right angle header pins into each of the strip PCBs, on the side with the square white outlines.

  3. Make sure the pins are fully inserted all the way through the strip PCBs.

  4. Flip the strip over and solder only one pin. Flip it back over and make sure the pins are straight (aligned with the strip) and fully-inserted. If not, heat one pin with the soldering iron while carefully (the pins will get HOT!) align and insert, holding while removing the soldering iron and allowing the joint to cool. Solder the other pins on this strip.

  5. Before repeating the above steps for the rest of the strips, it’s a good idea to test them as you go.

  6. Connect your LED controller. I use and highly recommend the brilliant PixelBlaze by ElectroMage. Connect 5V, Data In, and GND. Run a test pattern. Insert one stick into the socket nearest the Data In (DIN) pin and make sure it fully lights up.

  7. Repeat the above steps to solder the pins and test the strip.

PixelBlaze Settings

You can download and restore this backup file in the PixelBlaze web UI: L3D Cube 6x6x6.pbb

Alternatively, here are the important PixelBlaze settings:

  • LED Type: WS2812 / SK6812 / NeoPixel
  • Pixels: 216
  • Data Speed: 2 MHz
  • Color Order: GRB

PixelBlaze Map

[
  [0, 0, 0], [0, 0, 1], [0, 0, 2], [0, 0, 3], [0, 0, 4], [0, 0, 5],
  [1, 0, 0], [1, 0, 1], [1, 0, 2], [1, 0, 3], [1, 0, 4], [1, 0, 5], 
  [2, 0, 0], [2, 0, 1], [2, 0, 2], [2, 0, 3], [2, 0, 4], [2, 0, 5], 
  [3, 0, 0], [3, 0, 1], [3, 0, 2], [3, 0, 3], [3, 0, 4], [3, 0, 5],
  [4, 0, 0], [4, 0, 1], [4, 0, 2], [4, 0, 3], [4, 0, 4], [4, 0, 5],
  [5, 0, 0], [5, 0, 1], [5, 0, 2], [5, 0, 3], [5, 0, 4], [5, 0, 5],

  [0, 1, 0], [0, 1, 1], [0, 1, 2], [0, 1, 3], [0, 1, 4], [0, 1, 5],
  [1, 1, 0], [1, 1, 1], [1, 1, 2], [1, 1, 3], [1, 1, 4], [1, 1, 5],
  [2, 1, 0], [2, 1, 1], [2, 1, 2], [2, 1, 3], [2, 1, 4], [2, 1, 5],
  [3, 1, 0], [3, 1, 1], [3, 1, 2], [3, 1, 3], [3, 1, 4], [3, 1, 5],
  [4, 1, 0], [4, 1, 1], [4, 1, 2], [4, 1, 3], [4, 1, 4], [4, 1, 5],
  [5, 1, 0], [5, 1, 1], [5, 1, 2], [5, 1, 3], [5, 1, 4], [5, 1, 5],

  [0, 2, 0], [0, 2, 1], [0, 2, 2], [0, 2, 3], [0, 2, 4], [0, 2, 5],
  [1, 2, 0], [1, 2, 1], [1, 2, 2], [1, 2, 3], [1, 2, 4], [1, 2, 5],
  [2, 2, 0], [2, 2, 1], [2, 2, 2], [2, 2, 3], [2, 2, 4], [2, 2, 5],
  [3, 2, 0], [3, 2, 1], [3, 2, 2], [3, 2, 3], [3, 2, 4], [3, 2, 5],
  [4, 2, 0], [4, 2, 1], [4, 2, 2], [4, 2, 3], [4, 2, 4], [4, 2, 5],
  [5, 2, 0], [5, 2, 1], [5, 2, 2], [5, 2, 3], [5, 2, 4], [5, 2, 5],

  [0, 3, 0], [0, 3, 1], [0, 3, 2], [0, 3, 3], [0, 3, 4], [0, 3, 5],
  [1, 3, 0], [1, 3, 1], [1, 3, 2], [1, 3, 3], [1, 3, 4], [1, 3, 5],
  [2, 3, 0], [2, 3, 1], [2, 3, 2], [2, 3, 3], [2, 3, 4], [2, 3, 5],
  [3, 3, 0], [3, 3, 1], [3, 3, 2], [3, 3, 3], [3, 3, 4], [3, 3, 5],
  [4, 3, 0], [4, 3, 1], [4, 3, 2], [4, 3, 3], [4, 3, 4], [4, 3, 5],
  [5, 3, 0], [5, 3, 1], [5, 3, 2], [5, 3, 3], [5, 3, 4], [5, 3, 5],

  [0, 4, 0], [0, 4, 1], [0, 4, 2], [0, 4, 3], [0, 4, 4], [0, 4, 5], 
  [1, 4, 0], [1, 4, 1], [1, 4, 2], [1, 4, 3], [1, 4, 4], [1, 4, 5], 
  [2, 4, 0], [2, 4, 1], [2, 4, 2], [2, 4, 3], [2, 4, 4], [2, 4, 5], 
  [3, 4, 0], [3, 4, 1], [3, 4, 2], [3, 4, 3], [3, 4, 4], [3, 4, 5], 
  [4, 4, 0], [4, 4, 1], [4, 4, 2], [4, 4, 3], [4, 4, 4], [4, 4, 5], 
  [5, 4, 0], [5, 4, 1], [5, 4, 2], [5, 4, 3], [5, 4, 4], [5, 4, 5], 

  [0, 5, 0], [0, 5, 1], [0, 5, 2], [0, 5, 3], [0, 5, 4], [0, 5, 5], 
  [1, 5, 0], [1, 5, 1], [1, 5, 2], [1, 5, 3], [1, 5, 4], [1, 5, 5], 
  [2, 5, 0], [2, 5, 1], [2, 5, 2], [2, 5, 3], [2, 5, 4], [2, 5, 5], 
  [3, 5, 0], [3, 5, 1], [3, 5, 2], [3, 5, 3], [3, 5, 4], [3, 5, 5], 
  [4, 5, 0], [4, 5, 1], [4, 5, 2], [4, 5, 3], [4, 5, 4], [4, 5, 5], 
  [5, 5, 0], [5, 5, 1], [5, 5, 2], [5, 5, 3], [5, 5, 4], [5, 5, 5]
]