Introduction: Sweethearts Candy Lightbox W/ Color Lithophane

By I like to Make It Make It!
About: Maker + Engineer = Makerneer!

Been awhile Instructables! How've you been? When was the last time we talked?! Looks like almost a year ago with Retirment Clock? Wow, 2023 was BUSY!

Anyhoo, with Valentines Day approaching, this seemed like a good excuse to screw around with "explore the capabilities" of the newish 3D printer!

So here’s my take on the classic Valentines favorite, Sweethearts candy! Now with 100% less chalk taste! 🤣

This lightbox is modeled after the Sweethearts candy box design from the 90’s. I like the look of it for a light box, and the clear “heart window” in the middle of the box gave me an idea - What if we put a color lithophane of your “Sweetheart” here?! 

So I took that “what if” and added some googling, some Fusion 360-ing, some trial and error with 3D printer shnozzle sizes and light diffusers, and voila. I present to you the Sweethearts Candy Full Color Lithophane Lightbox! That’s kind of a long title isn’t it… 

Regardless of the long title, I’m really happy with how it turned out and wanted to share it!

OK, enough chit-chat, here’s how to make the thing -


Supplies

Filament, PLA recommended:

Pink, Red and White for Lightbox

Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, White for Lithophane 


Parts, AKA stuff you might not already have:

.2 mm Nozzle (I’m assuming you have a 3D printer or access to one already)

  • No link, buy the one that fits your printer.

LED Backlight Board (If you didn’t buy it with the CMYK kit)

USB C Cable and Wall Plug

  • If you don't already have one for for some device or another, these cables work well for me https://amzn.to/3UlhlGj *affiliate link*


3D Print Model Files:

Models can be downloaded for free from Makerworld here https://makerworld.com/en/models/165202 - It's under "Raw Model Files" if you don't want to use Bambu Studio slicer.

  • Sweethearts Lightbox with Heart Diffuser
  • Example CMYK Color Lithophane with Bambu’s Logo
  • *This is loaded as a separate file because the print settings are different*
  • Negative Lithophane Heart
  • Load this as a negative part in Bambu Stuido or whatever slicer you’re using
Yes, I know, I'm linking to an outside platform instead of attaching the files here. It's a little annoying, I get it, but here's the deal - I'm bad at making sure stuff on every platform is synced to the latest revision if I need to change anything. With all the files in one place it makes it simpler for all of us to know we're getting the latest files.


*Model From Bambu Lab - CMYK Lithophane Frame 


Recommended items:

AMS to handle the color changes. While technically this can be done with manual filament color changes, it will get a bit tedious, there's around 35 color changes to print all the parts.

Step 1: Lightbox Instruct-do-mundos

The file for lightbox facia is setup to print the heart diffuser for the lithophane at the same time.

Print Sweethearts lightbox with the .2 mm nozzle using the pink, red and white filament. Orient it with the color side on the bed. I like using a textured bed, it helps hide any layer lines. No supports are needed.

  • Nozzle size - .2 mm
  • Nozzle temp - 220*C
  • Bed surface - Textured
  • Bed temp - 55*C
  • Layer height - .1 mm first layer, .12 mm after
  • Walls - 3
  • Infill - 100%, rectilinear
  • Speed - SLOW! 20mm/s first layer, and under 60mm/s for the rest. .2 mm nozzle does not like to print fast.
  • Support - No


I tried to keep it printable with a .4 mm nozzle, but I couldn’t get the text to print right and there were pinholes.


I designed the lightbox in Fusion 360. I think designing something like this has enough steps to be it's own instructable so I'm not going to go down that rabbit hole today in this instructable. However - If you are intereseted in checking out Fusion 360, or it's sibling Tinkercad here's a couple links to get you started!
Free personal use Fusion 360 download - https://www.autodesk.com/products/fusion-360/personal
Tinkercad, a free and easy way to get into 3D designing - https://www.tinkercad.com/

Step 2: CMYK Full Color Lithophane Printing

Create your color lithophane using this lithophane generator https://lithophanemaker.com/Color%20Lithophane.html

Make it 65mm x 65mm square. My exact settings are in the pictures attached to this step.

Use the Negative Lithophane Heart file to cut out your heart when you slice it. (I was not able to find a better way to make a heart shaped full color lithophane.)

Print with CMYK filament, the .2 mm nozzle will give you more detail, but if you haven’t installed it yet the .4mm will typically give acceptable results. I printed this lithophane with a .4 mm nozzle while I was waiting for the .2 mm to show up. Yes, it might generate a non-manifold edge waring, I found this was pretty common, repairing it didn't seem to affect anything in the finished product in this instance.

  • Nozzle size - .4 mm
  • Nozzle temp - 220*C
  • Bed surface - Textured
  • Bed temp - 55*C
  • Layer height - .2 mm first layer, .1 mm after
  • Walls - 2
  • Infill - 100%, rectilinear
  • Speed - 35mm/s first layer, other layers should be whatever speed still gives you good PLA prints.
  • Support - No


I'm totally fascinated with the fact this works so well! I had no idea this existed until I upgraded to a new 3D printer. Here is the link to the guide I used to get started with color lithophane printing if you’d like to read it  https://wiki.bambulab.com/en/knowledge-sharing/CMYK-color-lithophane-printing-instructions%20



Step 3: Frame Printing

Print the Bambu CMYK Lithophane frame. STL file is available here https://wiki.bambulab.com/knowledge-sharing/cmyk-color-lithophane/cmyk_frame_final_v2.stl

Light will bleed through the frame if you use white (ask me how I know...), so use a darker color if you can. The magenta from the CMYK pack works well. Remove the supports from the print when finished. 

Do not print the light guide plate.

  • Nozzle size - .4 mm
  • Nozzle temp - 220*C
  • Bed surface - Textured
  • Bed temp - 55*C
  • Layer height - .2 mm for all
  • Walls - 5 (to block light, not for strength)
  • Infill - 33% gyroid or your favorite flavor
  • Speed - 35mm/s first layer, other layers should be whatever speed still gives you good PLA prints.
  • Support - Yes, Tree - organic worked well for me. Also enable brim.



Step 4: Assembly

Slide the LED backlight board into the back slot of the CMYK lithophane frame.

Put your color lithophane heart into the back of the Sweethearts lightbox. Snap the heart diffuser onto the back to keep it in place and diffuse the LED lights. 

Gently snap your finished Sweethearts Lightbox Lithophane into the front of the CMYK lithophane frame. 

(Note: The middle slot in the frame where the light guide plate would go is not used in this design. The light guide/diffuser is integrated into the back of the lightbox print.)

Plug in your USB C cord and light it up!


Step 5: Thought Candy

OMG - LOOK AT IT!!! Can you believe this is 3D printed? I'm impressed.


As you can see I picked my doggo as my sweetheart this year! Bambu tied with @Wiferneer for the runner up spot this year (J/K 😉). Either way I'm pretty impressed with Bamboozler the Bambu and I'm pretty excited to see what 2024 brings to the 3D printing world. Trying to do this with the rest of the team (Ol'Flashy the Flashforge and Cooter the Ender 3) would have been MUCH more... um, curse word inducing...

Now… I just have to decide if I'm going to keep it or give it my “Sweetheart!”


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