Candle Holder Carousel

cults3d

I recently purchased a German Christmas Carousel, but this year I decided to take on the challenge of designing my own version that could be used throughout the entire year. To create my carousel, I utilized 14mm candles available on Amazon. However, when I initially tried using tea lights, they failed to produce enough heat to rotate the blades effectively. As a result, I had to opt for alternative candle liners since they were not readily available. To overcome this obstacle, I crafted my own from aluminum foil and a punch tool. It is essential to note that this design requires live flames, so it's crucial to exercise caution when using it and never leave it unattended. After testing several candles, I have been pleased with their performance without any issues, but it is still vital to keep a close eye on the carousel at all times. In my initial attempt, I printed the fan blades from PLA+, but unfortunately, they began to warp due to the heat. To rectify this problem, I reprinted them using 3DXTech ASA material, which has performed exceptionally well without any issues. ABS may also be a suitable option for these blades, although I have yet to try it. A notable challenge I faced was when the candles burned down completely, causing the foil to heat up significantly and in some cases, melt the PLA due to direct contact. To mitigate this issue, I incorporated a copper coupling into my design, which successfully elevated the candle and helped dissipate the heat. This modification has allowed me to burn the candles all the way down without any problems. For those interested in creating their own carousel, I have attached some assembly instructions. It's essential to ensure that everything spins smoothly and freely, as friction can be a significant obstacle. I chose a Pac-Man theme for my carousel, but intentionally designed it to be adaptable so that users can attach their preferred theme. The ghosts from Andrewisme were scaled down to 65% for the top section and 90% for the lower section. You can find these files on Thingiverse under the URL https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2840173/files. The Pac-Man model I used was sourced from Zarbuta and scaled up to 90%. The STL file for the pellets is also available, allowing users to easily attach them to their carousel. I hope this information is helpful in creating your own custom Christmas Carousel.