Lamp
This set of files is used to build the lamp Tabernacle Item. This is a wired lamp that stands about 2 feet tall.
Download Complete Sets
- lamp-2in.zip 944,473 bytes
Builders Photos
The finished model.
Lamp holder detail. The arms and stems are held together with nylon filament.
Note the ends of that filament at the top of the holder.
Bottom of base. The base has a groove for the wire to go out the back.
Note the tensioning nylon and 4 screws. The base is a friction fit to the bottom of
the stem and can be removed for transport.
Parts List
Links here are to the Amazon pages for each purchased part. You can substitute as needed from those product descriptions. A well equipped shop should have some of these parts already.
We used PLA for ease of printing. Other filament chemistries are more durable but are often harder to print. The link here is to the filament we used during design. Select the 'gold' color option.
Overture brand PETG in gold is a possible alternative.
We have not used silk style gold PLA because of difficulty in printing.
The arms and stem are held under tension using stretched nylon 3d printing filament. The link here is to a small spool of the exact filament we use. We do not yet know if this is durable, or if it will relax with time. Other brands are available but not in such small quantities.
Assorted Other PLA Filament Colors
The model also needs a very small amount of other colors. The lettering and sleeves are in Purple, Red, Orange, Yellow, Green and Blue. If you do not already have these colors in full spools then purchase an assortment that includes these colors. The link here is to a multi color pack of PLA filaments that supplies all of these colors.
Creative Hobbies #10025 lamp sockets
This part provides the lamp socket for c7 style LED bulbs. 7 sockets are required.
This attaches the socket to the plastic parts. 7 pipes are required.
This is used to tighten the pipes to the plastic. 7 are required.
This cord includes an inline switch. Longer lengths are possible, but the 8 ft length here is standard.
The wire used for connecting the sockets to the cord. Match colors and solder leaving insulated connections inside each joint.
Remember the electrician's curse. That curse happens when pulled wires are not long enough to use. Leave a few more inches than you might think you need. There is room inside the joints to curl up and hide any extra.
The wiring inside the lamp needs to be soldered and then insulated with heat shrink tubing. Any brand of tubing will do. The link here is to a small pack with various diameters.
Remember the principle of double insulation. Should the lamp ever fall and break open, the interior wiring must remain insulated to maintain safety. This means it must remain electrically safe to little children even after severe damage to the outside of the model.
Carefully insulate all interior connections between wires.
The lamp must be fused to be safe. 3d printed plastic will melt and catch fire if high wattage bulbs are ever used in this model. The fuse should be wired electrically after the switch.
The fuse should be on the side of the cord from the short prong. To figure this out, feel the cord. Only 1 side will be ribbed. Find the side that matches the short prong and follow it to the other end. Locate the fuse inside the holder and tuck it into the lowest joint in the model. The fuse holder linked here is known to fit inside.
The fuse kit linked here supplies the needed parts. There are many other fuse package choices.
7 LED bulbs in c7 size are required. Any brand of LED bulbs will do. But, not all brands supply all colors. This project needs 2 purple bulbs and then 1 each of red, orange, yellow, green and blue. The colors matter. To look right they should be from the same brand.
The bulbs at this link are sold in quantity 1, so you can select an exact set. The bulbs linked here are faceted. There are also smooth sided c7 bulbs sold in singles from the same supplier as an alternative.
The bowls are attached to the arms using 3 millimeter set screws. The link here is to a pack of 10 and includes a needed small hex wrench.
Below each bowl, and in the base, nylon filament in the stems and arms is terminated using 4 screws. A total of 32 screws are required. The link here is to a pack of 100.
The exit port for the cord at the bottom of the stem has a clamp. That clamp needs an m3 x 6 bolt and matching hex nut. The link here is to a kit that includes the correct size.
Electrical Safety
This is a real electrical lamp. It must be wired correctly and safely.
Use only LED bulbs. This to protect the plastic from melting.
Fuse the hot lead. Use nothing larger than a 0.2 amp fuse. The fuse is to protect from fire should someone place a high wattage bulb in the fixture in the future.
Double insulate the wiring. The lamp frame provides layer 1 of insulation. All electrical connections inside the lamp must be insulated as well. This provides the 2nd layer of insulation. This double insulation is to protect people from electrocution should the outer frame fail in some way.
Builder's Notes
This model is a small piece of furniture. Plan accordingly. It needs to be sliced for far more strength than small models. It will use lots of plastic and take much time to print.
The arms and stem are held together with tensioned 2mm nylon filament. The shortest, upper, arms should have filament stretched by about 1 inch. The longest arms and stem should have filament stretched by about 2 inches. Set the screws on 1 end while filament is loose. Then stretch and hold the other end while inserting the screws. It may be easier for 2 people to do this step.
Once the frame is fully assembled, then add the sleeves and bowls to the ends of each arm.
The 3d models should be sliced to provide strength. This means at least 4 perimeters. 7 perimeters are better. The model will not be as likely to deform over time with more perimeters. But 7 perimeters are also more prone to lifting off the bed during print.
The model has a front and back. The back side of each arm, stem and bowl should be printed down against the 3d printer bed.
The joint parts need to be printed with what will become the down opening on the bed. Carefully use paint on supports at the interior bottom of the joint. This will make up for an otherwise small surface area of that model against the bed.
Do not let support materials leak into the 2mm nylon feed holes in the joints, arms or stems. Any material that gets printed inside these holes will ruin the print.
Arms are supplied in 1 file. Use slicer options to split them into individual parts for printing.
We generally use 25 percent infill. At this infill, the base of the lamp will use around 1/2 of a 1 kg spool of plastic. Start that print on a new spool to avoid filament changes mid print. At 25 percent infill, the base is already stable. Higher infill in the base will increase overall stability if desired. Use slicer statistics to estimate overall weight.
The design files include models for blank c7 bulbs. These can be used if you end up waiting, say, for Christmas to find the right c7 LED light bulbs.
Plastics Used
| Materials List | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plastic | Purpose | |||
| Purple | Purple | |||
| Red | Red | |||
| Orange | Orange | |||
| Yellow | Yellow | |||
| Green | Green | |||
| Blue | Blue | |||
| Gold | Gold | |||
