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Hardcore Harp with Playable & Decorative Versions

MaKim

March 2, 2025

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Description

This is my attempt to make a hardcore version of an otherwise calm, beautiful instrument: the harp. The project is inspired by a real artifact from the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The final print is about half a meter tall!

Two versions of the files are available in separate print profiles. Please read the following notes closely to determine if either of these projects is a good fit for you:

Display Version

This version omits the harp strings and crossbars and is purely for decorative display.
Only the Bambu Lamp Kit component is needed for this version - the other components in the Bill of Materials can be ignored.
Because of the less dense infill, this version is faster to print and uses less filament but does require glue.

Harp Version

This version is playable as a harp and is scaled and designed to fit these specific strings and hardware only.
Because of the elasticity of plastic, the harp is hard to tune. When one string is tightened, it can 'loosen' the other strings. Given this, the item should be considered more of an objet d'art than an instrument that would receive heavy use.
Because of the dense infill, this version requires more filament and significantly longer print time.

Printed Parts

Left horn base
Left horn top
Right horn top
Right horn base
Skull Back
Skull Front
Crossbar
Stand top
Stand base
Horn attachment pegs (4)
Small horn assembly pegs (2)

	If assembling the Harp version, glue six 5x2 magnets as shown. Be sure to check the polarity before gluing.
	Assemble and attach the horns by: Insert the horn attachment pegs into the skull for each side. Note that each of these pegs is unique - please reference the labeling in the 3MF to see which peg is used in which slot. Attach the crossbar - note that this piece is not symmetrical - the wider holes should face the front and the base of the crossbar should sit snugly (with little gap) against the base of the horns. Attach the horn tops using the small horn assembly pegs. Note that for the Harp version of the project, the tension of the strings will help hold the horns in place without glue. However, for the Display version, the pegs help with alignment but glue will be needed.
	Prepare the stand by: Press the LED lamp puck into place with the power cord oriented up. Feed the power cord through the top channel. Slide the stand top onto the base.
	String the harp using the provided components by pressing the rivets into place and feeding the harp strings in through the interior of the skull. (if you are just printing the display model, this step can be ignored)
	Screw the tuning pins into place. Feed the strings through them and tighten. (if you are just printing the display model, this step can be ignored)
	Attach the battery pack to the PH2.0 to SH1.0 power adapter, then to the SH1.0 cord and finally to the COB LED. Feed the LED through the eyelets and place the batter pack as shown. (if you are just printing the display model, this step can be ignored)
	Slide the completed skull onto the base. If printing the Harp version, the model is heavy so ensure that it feels stable and level it if needed. When off the stand, you can attach the back magnetically.
	Finished product shown assembled for the Harp version.

Printing tips and notes

For the Harp Version, the infill in the profile is important. Tightening the strings puts these parts under significant pressure & using too weak of an infill could cause the parts to fail.
I have tested this print using PLA but suspect that more rigid filaments could work even better.
This Youtube tutorial from PIXXO 3D was my starting point for modeling the horns in Blender.
The base model from the skull was scanned by Open Virtual Worlds from the collection of the National Museum of Iceland and is available here.
As photographed in this listing, the horns were lightly dry-brushed with gray acrylic paint to highlight the texture.

Updates

3/16/25: Added a small amount of additional ventilation behind the LED.
3/22/25: slightly thickened the top surface of the skull in the display version to reduce the chance of light leaks or small holes.