Introduction: How to Make a 3D Printed Ornament

By Make It YouTube Channel
About: I love coming up with new projects to challenge myself and to express my creativity. Make It is about me sharing that passion with you!

Create your own 3D printed LED ornament!

Print the parts and add a simple circuit to spice up your tree!

Step 1: Video

Watch this video instead of the written tutorial, or use it to see the steps performed while following along!

Step 2: Supplies

Parts:
Wire
Electrical Tape

Coin Cell Battery

White LEDs
Switch

Thingiverse

The print is made from 3 Parts. The star top, the container and the hook

Tools:
Soldering Tools
Hot Glue Gun

Attachments

Step 3: Wires

Cut and strip 3, 2" long wires. On 2 of the wires, strip one side longer than the rest. The longer bit will connect to the battery.

Step 4: Soldering

First solder one of the wires to a pin on the switch. Then solder another wire to a pin adjacent to the last pin you soldered to.

Depending on your LED, you may have to trim the pins a bit.

Solder a wire from the switch to a pin on the LED and then solder the 3rd wire to the other pin.

Refer to the diagram if you have trouble, but the circuit is very simple.

Step 5: Assembly

First we're going to attach the switch. I placed a small dab of hot glue at the base of the switch hole and pushed the switch into place. Then I secured the rest with more hot glue. Make sure you don't force glue into the cavity in which the switch moves. Check if it can still work.

Next I pushed the small 3D printed hook through the slot in the side of the container and then glued it in place.

Step 6: Attaching the Battery

I didn't want to solder wires to the battery, so instead I decided to use electrical tape. Spread the copper wire across each side and wrap tape around the coin cell. I chose to do this with the switch in the ON position in order to get the right polarity of the battery. You can add a dab of hot glue at the base of the battery to hold the wires in place.

Step 7: Assembly Pt. 2

With the electronics finished, I placed the battery in the bottom of the container. Then I pushed the LED into the whole in the back of the star. The final step was to snap the top onto the container!

Step 8: Hang the Ornament!

Hang the ornament on your tree and put it on display!