Tornado Stir Plate Lamp

This is a USB powered lamp that uses magnets attached to a 5V motor to stir water. It has an illuminated, 3D printed base and a tiny cow suspended from the cork.

Cost to make: $35

Materials

glass jar

PWM controller board

screws

5VDC motor

10x3mm magnets

stir bar

USB LED kit

wire

3D printed parts

monofilament fishing line

fishing swivel

UV resin and white dye

mirror spray paint

acrylic paint

heat shrink tubing

Tools

3D printer (I used both a CR10 and Photon Mono 4K)

drill

rotary tool

soldering iron

paint supplies

resin supplies

wiring supplies

hot glue gun

Print the models found here.

Save the lid for last, as you'll be pouring UV resin in it while it's still adhered to the print surface.

My math was off, apologies. A considerable amount of material has to be removed from the motor mount in the center to make it fit. A Dremel with a carving bit makes quick work of this. The two magnet slots on the motor attachment need to be filed down slightly.

With the lid still stuck to the print bed, mix some UV resin and drop or two of white dye. Cure it and pop it off. Using a paper towel and rubbing alcohol, remove any uncured resin from the underside. Set in the sun for a few minutes to finish.

Mask off your acrylic window, screw holes, and mounting locations. Paint the inside of all three components with mirror spray paint.

Before mounting, take note of the bottom of the board to see which wires go where. Drop the board in place and attach with 4 small screws. Heating up the screws a bit beforehand will help with threading into the standoff.

Press fit magnets into motor top (making sure the magnets are facing opposite directions) and press fit that onto the motor. Hot glue completed motor assembly into place.

Strip off existing heat shrink tubing on the LED board and solder one wire to the positive and one wire to the negative. These will plug directly into the PWM control board. Finish with a piece of heat shrink tubing.

Connect the four wires to the PWM board. Stick the LED strip to the upper lip on the base and cut to fit. Consider leaving a few extra segments to increase brightness. Test functionality and hot glue wires in place to prevent ripping out.

If you haven't already, print the cow from the Thingiverse link. I printed mine 15mm long. Painstakingly paint the cow, and finish with a thin UV resin layer. Drill a hole in the cow and attach to fishing swivel with monofilament line. Drill a hole in the cork lid for the swivel to sit in. I held mine in place with a staple.

Let's take this bad boy for a spin! Drop in your stir bar, fill with water, and cap. Don't forget to name your cow.