Modular Pendant Uplighter Lampshade

thingiverse

Looking through the lampshades on display, there were no uplighters; I created one with a smile. This modular design consists of 17 structural pieces and 17 panels, all printable on a 200x200x200 bed. For printing: rotate large frame sections by 45 degrees if needed to fit more centrally on the build plate, or print them standing upright for better results, but be aware that this may push your Z limit. Check before you print and consider adding a brim to prevent the pieces from falling over. Let the thin panels cool completely before removing them from the build plate; otherwise, they will bend. I used PLA filament in clear for the frame pieces, the middle octagon, and the anchor piece. Then I used candy red, green, blue, and orange filaments for the panels. Some patterned panels are included as a demo; I plan to add more at some point to experiment with bas-relief designs. Using glow-in-the-dark filament would also be quite cool. If you make this design, please leave a comment or mark it as "made"; I'd love to see what people do with it. The openSCAD file is included for you to tinker with; the size is adjustable, but the assembly view doesn't position properly, so the pieces should all fit together correctly. Post-printing: remove any support material if needed and file holes or prongs to ensure a good fit. When happy with the fit, glue the frame sections together using epoxy resin. If the upper surface of the panels is rough, this can actually help with a friction fit in the frame sections. No glue should be necessary on the panels unless you want it; this allows for easy swapping out of new panels when desired. Use thin string to attach four bits of the frame to the anchor, and drill out holes if needed. I used fishing line as it's strong and unobtrusive.