Lantern Vase

Howdy, wonderful people!

I really do love vase mode, but this one didn't start out that way!  I was designing an overly-complicated (who, me?) hinge-topped lantern of the conventionally-printed sort, and was puzzling over how I might incorporate some printed window panes into it.  After toying with some vase-mode insert designs I asked myself why I wasn't just printing the entire thing in vase mode, and so here we are!

It was important to make the lantern structure stand out, though, and that's done through texture.  The window parts are flat, and everything else carries some kind of corrugation, including the roof, the corner struts, and the various horizontal bands that make up the basic shape.  These textures also serve to provide much-needed rigidity and strength.

A standard tealight can be dropped into the top, but obviously you'll be better off with an LED version that won't set your print on fire.

There's also a pair of "holes" (or approximations thereof, since this is vase mode) on either side of the top that allow for hanging the lantern.  Either run some string through and knot it appropriately, or stick a length of 1.75mm filament in and bend the ends!

Printing Tips

This is a vase mode print, so set your slicer accordingly!  (That's "spiralize outer contour" mode if you're using Cura)

As you'd expect, the vase prints right-way-up, like pictured below.  However, because of the constraints already considered in the model it's entirely possible that this design will print upside-down, too, leaving the base open and the top closed.  I haven't actually tried it, though!  

Print Dimensions

The Lantern Vase occupies 80mm x 80mm on the print bed, and is 165mm tall.

File Locations

You'll find this one on dropbox under 727 Lantern Vase

Link to dropbox post: https://www.patreon.com/posts/31697592

Further Thoughts

You know, what would be really cool would be applying lithophane-style imagery to the sides of the lantern, especially with Halloween coming up... stay tuned! :)

Happy printing!

xoxo

Sven.