Open Forge Light Clip

thingiverse

This is a clip I designed to work seamlessly with the OpenForge 2.0 series. I print my Open Forge 2.0 pieces without a base, then use sticky magnets to attach them to a metal baseplate. This innovative solution uses less material and is much easier to manage than any other method I've found. Having to rely on bow ties or clips would be utterly frustrating and while the bucky ball bases are elegant, they require more material, longer print times, more finishing steps, and the bucky balls themselves are currently prohibited in the US. The sticky magnets are inexpensive and nearly as tall as the bases. When mounted near the center of each piece, they also enable the bottom of the clip to hook around and "catch". I drew inspiration from the existing Open Forge Torch (http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:699107) but assembling one seemed like a chore. The resulting torch flame is quite impressive but enormous - larger than the head of a standard human mini. By creating an alcove with implied candlelight, I believe I resolved the scale issue and the construction is surprisingly simple. These clips can also be mounted on any wall, making them extremely versatile. I am planning clips with other features such as weapons and tapestry mounts. Let me know if you're interested in those. Thanks to devonjones for his work on and dedication to the Open Forge project. Post-Printing Because I set this up as a single piece print, it curled so much that it caused problems during printing, so I added extra room at the bottom. You will need to trim about a quarter inch away from the bottom. I use a dremel with a cutting wheel and then sand the result flat with a sanding block. If there is enough demand for it, I can create a variation without this extra height. The flickering light is provided by a gutted LED tealight. They are inexpensive and widely available everywhere. All you need is the bulb and the battery. Simply discard the rest. The bulb can be slid onto the battery. To prepare for use, tape one of the two wires to the battery and slide the battery/LED combo into the recess in the clip. The pressure between the clip and the wall should depress the wires and cause it to light up. If it doesn't work, you may need to bend the wire slightly. It's easy - you'll see when you try. To "turn it off", simply slide the clip off the wall, remove the battery/light assembly, and slide a torn piece of paper or cardstock between the wire you haven't glued and the battery. Alternatively, just pull the LED out from under the tape.