Ash Cat Lithophane

Ash Cat lithophane is a lithophane steam train from the scenic rail line that runs from Cumberland to Frostburg Maryland.  It fits into a box, case or frame that is portable.  The litho-box or case uses LED lights and is motion sensor activated in low light conditions.  It is powered by a lithium polymer battery which is charged from an onboard charger and USB power cord.  Depending on the size of the battery you use; It only has to be charged every few months to once a year. 

If using a Bambu Labs X1CC you only need to down load two files from above 6 files.  One for the litho-box a step file or 3FM file and for the Lithophane of the Ash Cat 734 locomotive and train the 9 Mb 3FM file.  Be sure to down load and read the last PFD file as it is the whole procedure for building the electronics in the box and setting up your AMS.

              Ash Cat Lithophane
 

   Ash Cat, what railroaders used to call a steam locomotive.  This was designed to see how well an X1 could do an entire lithograph project.  I must say it came out very well especially with the color added.  

   To keep cost down soldering and desoldering are required skills as well as 3D printing for this project.  The 3MF file will work best for this project with out any changes; other than to load a black roll of PLA in to the AMS #1 slot, and white PLA in # 3 Slot.  I used Creality brand.  I also used the cool plate sprayed with Aquanet hairspray. 

  A few items will have to be purchase from Amazon or one of the slow boat from China sights AliExpress, Banggood, or wish which ever have the best deals is what I use.  These items include motion sensing LED light puck with 6 LEDs it has the correct board to fit the pegs in the box. 

https://a.co/d/cBcVpeI

A lithium polymer battery at 2.8-4.2 volts from 2000 Ma Hr. all the way up to 10,000 Ma Hr.  If you desire what ever you can afford.  You may like myself already have some on hand.  I used a 45,000 Ma. Hr. battery that will power this project for several months.

And a battery charger management board.  It will shine a red light up in the corner of the lithophanes when it is charging and a blue light when it is charged.  Any USB charger and correct USB cable will work for charging.  These boards will snap into the litho-box you may need to use a small jewelers file on the opening to get it to snap into place properly.

https://a.co/d/crZWtEr

   Step # 2.  After setting up the printer to print both files it will take about 20 hours print time for both the litho-box and the lithophane.  Once the litho-box is completed printing you can now install the electronics.  You'll need some tools for this.  You'll need: a solder sucker, a soldering pencil, solder, a small flat tip as well as a small Phillips screwdriver, a small vise, or helping hands, and hot melt glue gun, with glue stick.

Step # 3. Disassemble the LED puck by twisting off the back where the batteries go.  Bend the back in half to insert a flat tip screwdriver and remove the magnet save for another project. The back can then go into a plastic recycleing bin. ♻ Then remove the three screws from the pucks with a small Phillips screwdriver.  Then unsolder the leads to the battery clips. Then with a small flat tip screwdriver remove the circuit board from the puck.  Again save the battery clips to repair broken battery holders or another project.  Throw the shell of the puck into a plastic recycling bin. ♻  Save the lens with the hole in the middle that will be reused in this project.  Also pull off the lens of the motion sensor and set it aside as it will be reused.

Step # 4. Put the circuit board with the sensor facing down into the vise or helping hands whichever you use for soldering.  Use an alligator clip as a heat sink clip to the sensor itself.  Heat the soldering iron to 650° c then touch a little solder to the tip of the iron.  Hold the iron in one hand and the sucker in the other.  Touch the iron to one of the leads of the sensor when the solder melts suck it off with the solder sucker.  Clean the tip of the iron on a wet sponge.  Then do likewise to the other two leads of the sensor as well as to the negative and positive lead wires for power.  Once those are removed. Flip the circuit board around in the vise or helping hand. Use an exacto knife to pry the sensor up slightly.  Then use the flat tip screwdriver to evenly remove the sensor from the circuit board.

Step # 5.  You well at this point need some wire.  And everyone has old style USB cables laying around that aren't being used for anything.  ♻ Recycle these for this project simply cut the ends off strip the jacket back with an exacto knife remove the wire from the cable jacket.  I used red and black for positive and negative leads and three other colors for the sensor.  Cut 6 inches of the three different color wire for the sensor.  Another 5 inches of red and black for the LED board to the output of the charging board and 8 inches to go the battery  and battery charger board.

Step # 6. Solder the three sensor leads to the sensor pins I used brown, yellow, and gray wire I used the yellow on the middle pin the brown wire to the right of the tab and the gray wire to the left of the tab. Make sure when you solder the the wires don't touch the metal jacket of the case. You may also use heat shrink on these connections. Make sure you go by the tab on the sensor and that all the pins line up with the silk screen print the way they were originally, and were the tab is.  Then solder the wires to the board.  Now solder the 5 inch red lead to positive on the bottom of the board and the black 5 inch lead to the negative on the LED board. (I used a blue wire for neg and an orange wire for pos. in the picture) Now you can push the sensor thought the 45° hole at the top of the box.  Let it hang out the top and push the little plastic lens back over top of the sensor.  Now you can push the sensor with the lens it will be a tight fit back into the hole it should push all the way down flat.  Then take the board and push it onto the little pins in the center of the box as shown.  Turn your soldering iron down to 200° c and melt the ends of the pins over to hold it to the box.

Step # 7 Solder the 8 inch wires with heat shrink or electrical tape to the battery leads red on red black on black. Then solder them to the battery connections on the charger board they will be the inside connections on the bottom on the board.  Red to positive black to negative.  Don't let the leads protrude through the bottom of the board or it won't snap into place.  Find the round double-sided tape that was inside the box with the puck.  Place it on the bottom side of the battery so that the leads face inside the box. Stick it down in the middle of the bottom of the box as in the picture.  Then snap the circuit board into place at the top so that the cable can pass through the hole and into plug on the board.  Now carefully without touching the plastic with your soldering pencil.  Take your soldering pencil and solder red lead to red lead which is positive to positive on the outside holes of the charge board.  Do likewise with the black negative wire.  You're now done soldering.

Step # 8. Use the glue gun and glue stick to strengthen and hold everything into place as in the picture.  Add glue last to were the silk screen print of the sensor was in the circuit board as in the picture. 

Step # 9. Take the lens that was saved with the center hole, and apply it to where the sensor used to be on top of the glue then add more glue to stick down the lens as in the picture.  This completes the litho-box and the LED lights should be working when the sensor is activated in a low light condition.   Also the charge lights should be working when you plug in the USB charge cable.

Step # 10. Insert the panel into the frame of the litho-box.

Step # 11. If you want a color lithophane simply print out the color JPEG image provided onto a transparent inkjet film.

Step # 12. Cut out the JPEG image with scissors then align the printed JPEG image with the lithophane using a light box or window.  Using clear tape on the borders.

 Step # 13. Then cut the excess tape over hanging the boarder with an exacto knife, and simply insert the image into the litho-box.  The box is designed to either stand upright or lay flat on its back with the motion sensor facing out.  It will work equally as well and in both directions.  To remove the lithophane from the box use a small screwdriver in the grove of the large end of the box opposite the sensor end.

Now you have a colored motion activated lithophane that is Ghost like in its operation.
 

Have fun with this project and don't be afraid to innovate and incorporate.  Its also nice to tip the designer if you like and use their art and innovation.
 

Sincerely;

Rocky Prattastic

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/rockyprattastic

 https://www.paypal.me/RockyPratt