Use Your 3Doodler Pen to Make Vivid, Multi-Colored Lampshades

The 3Doodler has become quite the common ‘pen’ these days. Considering that not too long ago little of the public was aware of 3D printing, if you try to order a 3Doodler around Christmas you will probably see what I did last year–sold out.

An attractive choice for 3D printing items, the 3Doodler generally costs a fraction of the price and is easily used to construct smaller projects, although we’ve seen it responsible for a wide array of projects from larger works of 3D printed surreal art to a number of different fashion statements including 3Doodled high heels, masks, and apparel.

Now we’re talking fashion for the home–taking this uncommonly useful pen and making a common household item into something dramatic and full of vivid color. Grace Du Prez is the talented artist responsible for coming up with the idea for these 3D printed lampshades that you can make at home with stuff you might just have lying around begging to be used in a creative project. Here’s your list:

• Your 3Doodler – either model
• 3Doodler plastic strands in multiple colors (or just one)
• Hairdryer
• Wooden spoon (or thin cylinder that is the same size as a wooden spoon handle)
• Plain lampshade with a detachable frame

Refer to the 3Doodler instructions page for everything in great detail, but for a general outline of the instructions, here’s what you will need to do.

Start with the fun of making stencils. Use rectangles that are 3″ long and 1/3″ wide. You will need 20-40 of these depending on what size your lampshade’s rim is. The fun begins as you trace the shapes with your 3D printing pen, and then fill them in.

Next, you’ll be using the blowdryer for heating the pieces. Once they are softened, you’ll be wrapping them around the wooden spoon to create the teardrop shapes that will adorn your lampshades.

“Continue this process for every rectangle you’ve created. Heat, Curve, Remove. If you find yourself short of teardrops later on you can always add more quickly and easily,” advises the 3Doodler team. “As a side note, you’ll find hairdryers can be handy for all kinds of smoothening, flattening, and curving effects with the 3Doodle.”

Use the frame of your lampshade to begin building the lamp, joining each teardrop shape that you made previously to the next. Afterward, your color design comes into play as you begin to layer the pieces, alternating rows of color should you so desire.

“PLA plastic sticks well to the fabric, so go ahead and extrude plastic between the lampshade fabric and the first plastic ring to hold everything in place (making sure to touch both with the newly extruded plastic),” advises the 3Doodler team. “Make it nice and secure, as the first ring will carry the weight of the other rings.”

Keep sliding the rings on. They should stay in place snugly, and you should also be able to turn them for the best placement and alignment. Once you get to the top, you are all finished–and onto the matching piece!

Is this a 3D printing project for the home that interests you? Have you made anything similar with your 3Doodler? Discuss in the 3Doodler Lampshades forum thread over at 3DPB.com.