Fancy Lamp DIY

Hello everyone!

I joined this Instructables community some time ago, since that time didn't manage to write any Instructable. Now I decided to create a very first Instructable and take part in this Indoor Lighting contest.

Here is the design of the fancy lamp, which could be easily made in about 30-35 minutes, if you decided to made a copy by using provided files. This lamp could be done from any sheet of thick paper or a piece of thin plastic, like PVC binding covers.

• E14 lamp socket
• wire 2x0.75mm or 2x18 AWG with switch and plug
• E14 4W LED Lamp (Important: Do not use lamps other than LED)
• 4 sheets of thick A4 paper or A4 PVC film or something similar
• screwdriver
• CAD software, I've used Fusion 360 (Optional)
• vector editor, e.g. Inkscape (Optional)
• 3D printer with any filament, e.g. PLA
• laser cutter or cutting plotter

Before you begin, make sure that you have all supplies required, if not - visit a local stationery and electric store. You have to purchase a sheet material, whatever you prefer, that could be paper or PVC binding covers. LED lamp with any light temperature and type, I've used E14 COB LED lamp with 4W power to get shadows more "blurry" and E14 socket for it. IMPORTANT: Do not use incandescent or halogen light bulbs, because of the high temperature, that could cause a fire. Also you'll need a piece of wire with plug and switch or other options that works better for you.

Sure thing that making this lantern could be done in 2 options:

Option #1: Download files, print, cut, assemble

Option #2: Create own pars, customize them, then print, cut, assemble and enjoy the process

If your choice fall to the option #1 - download the steps from the Step 2 and switch to the "Assembling the sphere" step (Step 5), otherwise, scroll to the Step 3.

In this step you can download attached files, cut, print and move to the "Assembling the sphere" step. Files for cutting the sectors for the lamp's shell are provided as separate files and zipped folder. In total are 10 sectors required for the full assembly. Templates for the sphere could be modified in any vector editor and some other features could be added and cut, e.g. some hearts or other shapes.

Lamp holder could be printed with any desirable settings and with no supports.

In this step I'll try to explain how to create a base for the lantern in Fusion 360. I have the same skills with this product, as with writing Instructables (no experience), so will be learning with you and happy to see your comments about best practices.

Let's begin.

• select the top plane
• start the sketch on it
• select Sketch > Circle > Center Diameter Circle (or hit C, on you keyboard)
• draw the 4 circles like on the image2 and set sizes, or scale for the sizes you want
• navigate to Create > Extrude (or hit E, on you keyboard)
• set the extrusion distance to 2mm and click OK
• click on the top surface and create a new sketch
• select Sketch > Circle > Center Diameter Circle (or hit C, on you keyboard)
• create a circle with 5 mm diameter on 19mm distance from center
• choose Circular Pattern feature from the Sketch > Circular Pattern
• select just created circle, set the Center Point, set type to Full (default), Quantity=10 and click OK
• repeat the extrude operation and extrude our "pins" for 5mm

Now we can add some small fillets, but it's not critical at all.

To add fillets you have to select Modify > Fillet (or hit F, on keyboard), select ribs or surfaces that you'd like to process and confirm the operation. Last attached image to the step is a result of adding fillets with radius 0.5mm. That makes model looks better.

Save and download the STL file.

In this step we'll be learning how to work with volumetric and flat objects. As result of this step, we'll have a template (attached PDF file) of the sphere's element that could be cut and assembled to the sphere with no gaps between parts. But before we begin, we have to decide, much much sectors our sphere will have, if 10 - follow the step by step with no changes.

Note: Number of sectors affect the sector size and building process.

First thing you need is to switch the workspace, that could be reached by navigating the menu Model > Sheet Metal, see attached image #1.

• select the right plane
• select Sketch > Arc > Center Point Arc
• create center pointed arc with radius 75mm, with 1mm gap to the vertical line, see attached image #2
• navigate to Create > Flange, then click on arc
• set the options for the flange, like displayed on the attached image #3

Now we have to cut a sphere's sector from just created detail.

• select the top plane
• Sketch > Line and create vertical Center Line through the center of the sketch
• switch to the drawing line and draw a "rectangle with cut piece", around our detail see attached image #4 (remember your number of sectors… here is where we use it, it required to calculate an angle between the lines 360˚/10(number of sectors) gives us 36˚)
• now we need to cut the finish part.select Create > Extrude, set the options like on the attached image #5
• Done

Here we need to flatten our detail. That could be easily done by using Modify > Create Flat Pattern, see image #6

Now it's time to get fully finished detail.

• click on the front surface and create a sketch, like on the image #7
• use that sketch to cut the path, result - we'll get the nicely shaped detail, see image #8
• on the from plane, create the circle with diameter 20mm, use image #9 for the reference
• use this sketch to extrude our "fastening feature" with options from the image #10
• navigate to Create > Pattern > Pattern on Path and multiply the circle around the path, as on the referenced image #11
• let's create fastening features on other side, for the reference see image #12
• we also have to multiply the features, but on this side, amount of them should be less, so we have to set Quantity to 6, see image #13
• select all objects and choose Modify > Combine
• switch to the front plane and select Model > Drawing > From Design, see image #15
• set the drawing options like on the image #16
• create the drawing with options from the image #17
• save the drawing as PDF, by navigating the Output > Output PDF and hit OK

Now we can import resulted PDF file into e.g. Inkscape, remove all not needed path, add/change something, exported to DXF and used by cutting software.

Once printing and cutting steps are done, we can assemble the shell. Assembling the sphere is easy enough, each part is fastening to each other like a zipper, see attached images. If you decided to create this lamp from paper - be patient and careful. :)

Take the shell, put the printed base inside of it and insert the all pieces of the shell on the pins, like on the images.

• insert the wire
• fix the wires with screws in the lamp socket
• put the LED lamp to its place

…and that's it.

Hope you enjoyed the process and result.

If you like it, please vote.

Thank you!