Twisting Flame

thingiverse

What happens when you twist and taper extruded ellipses into stalks that bulge out and then converge to a point? This is what I get. With an overall shape reminiscent of a stereotypical candle flame, I'm struggling to come up with a fitting name. This OpenSCAD object is currently my favorite creation. Like most of the others I've based on twisting and bending columns, it's composed of numerous thin slices stacked on top of each other, which makes rendering a time-consuming process (17 minutes on my 3.2GHz i7). You can adjust the number of columns that make up this flame between 3 and 15 or so; however, below 5, the bottom tends to separate, making it challenging to remove from the build plate without a brim or raft. A photo of a 9-column flame is included here. I've been experimenting with creating an 11-column version around a cylinder and incorporating an LED unit inside. My current challenge is finding the ideal type of filament that won't block most of the light. Print Settings: Printer Brand: LulzBot Printer: Mini Rafts: No Supports: No Resolution: .2mm Infill: 33% Notes: The object in the photo was printed using red translucent PETG; it should print well in almost any material. It looks particularly impressive (more flame-like) when printed in orange or yellow. As mentioned, you may want to consider using a raft or brim if you reduce the number of columns below 5.