Interchangeable Holiday Ornament - MakingMerry

youmagine

Here is my submission to the MakingMerry holiday ornament contest. I wanted to create a simple yet effective holiday ornament that incorporates a light source in some way. To start, I broke out my trusty breadboard and designed a basic circuit, but it required 2 AAA or 2 AA batteries, which made me realize how heavy the model would get with two batteries inside the print. This led me to think again about how I could achieve a nice light source without soldering or external batteries. Lights on the tree became my next idea, and it seemed like a simple yet effective way to add some sparkle. I started brainstorming ways to include multiple features in one ornament and came up with the brilliant idea of an interchangeable top, allowing me to change colors or designs depending on the day. My Printrbot Simple is my go-to printer, but I wanted a two-color ornament, so the interchangeable top idea really gained momentum. I designed the two tops in Solidworks, featuring my version of the Makey, which includes a Santa hat and two presents - because giving is what this season is all about! The next top is a holiday tree, and I'm excited to see how it turns out. I hope you enjoy viewing this submission as much as I enjoyed designing and printing it myself! Please use your host software to print these models upright: the Tree and Makey should stand up, while the base circle should be flat. Here are my printer settings: Printrbot Simple 1405 Speed: 35mm/s Temperature: 200 C Infill: 15% No support or raft is recommended for the Makey top, but not necessary for the tree. To assemble: Screw on the top to the base Stick the light all the way up into the top Add a bead of hot glue onto the bottom to hold the light in place