Monoculight: Maker Faire Edition

thingiverse

This is a simplified but still fully functional Monoculight, perfect for educational workshops or makerspaces. I showcased this "Maker Faire Edition" at the Troy Mini Maker Faire on August 27, 2016, where attendees were encouraged to build and take these models with them. This project has huge potential for STEM education. The parts are extremely affordable: * 3D printed components: + Lens/screen holders (Holder.stl) + Tubular forming tool (Tube-Roller_OD*.stl) + Fresnel lens template card (Fresnel-lens-card.stl) * Paper Card stock + Fresnel lens magnifier cards (Credit Card 3x Magnifier or equivalent) + Diffuser sheet (tracing paper, wax paper, or other materials) * Additional materials needed for assembly: + Ultra fine tip sharpie marker + Heavy-duty hole punch (1" diameter, capable of punching through plastic Fresnel lens cards) + Paper trimmer and scissors To assemble the Monoculight, follow these steps: 1. Print out tube-cut-patterns-1.pdf or tube-cut-patterns-3.pdf onto paper cardstock. 2. Choose the best tubular forming tool STL based on the thickness of your cardstock. 3. 3D print a small section of each tool and wrap a sample card around it to determine which one fits snugly into the holder. 4. 3D print Fresnel-lens-card.stl, then place the lens card in the template with the ridged prisms side toward the 1" hole. Trace the circular hole using the marker through the template onto the lens and cut it along the line adjacent to the circle using scissors. 5. Punch out the lens disk and diffuser screen disk (retina screen) using the hole punch. 6. 3D print two parts per model of Holder.stl. With these materials, you can follow the instructions provided in Monoculight-Makerfaire-Instructions.pdf to create a functioning model. Point the lens at objects of varying distance away and focus the tubes to create a sharp inverted image on the retina screen.