XXL Christmas star - Up to one meter in diameter

Christmas is coming soon. But still enough time to 3D print a magnificent Christmas decoration. For yourself, your family, or as a gift for friends. 

You will make an impression because this Christmas star is something special:

• The design is inspired by the famous Herrnhuter Star, one of the most beautiful Christmas star shapes I know. 
   
• You can illuminate it. 
  A thread into which you can screw an E14 socket is already integrated into the print model.
   
• You can use it as a floor lamp or as a pendant lamp. 
  You can 3D print all the necessary parts for it.
   
• You can choose between different sizes: 
  30cm,
  40cm,
  50cm (= Maximum for Prusa Mini), 
  60cm (= Maximum for Prusa MK4) and 
  one Meter if you own a Prusa XL.
   
• The star rays are printed in vase mode. 
  So, considering the size of the star, you'll need relatively little filament.
   
• Easy to print and assemble. 
  You can find all the information below.
   

The materials you need:

• Super glue
• 4 cable ties or similar fasteners like a thin, sturdy (nylon) rope.

And if you want to use the star as a lamp: 

• one E14 socket
• one E14 bulb - I recommend the LEDGLE 8W E14 LED Light Bulb: https://amzn.to/3U7WLss
• Power cable for electrical connection
• one terminal block or two Wago connectors
   

Printing information

Settings that apply universally to all parts:

• 1st Layer height: 0.2
• Infill: 10%
• Brim: none
   
• I recommend using a 0.6mm nozzle because it allows you to print the many parts much faster, and a smaller nozzle doesn't bring significant visual improvement.
  I printed all parts with a 0.4mm layer height. Only the threaded parts should be printed with a 0.2mm layer height.

Settings that apply to the specified parts:

*) For parts to be printed in vase mode, set 18 solid layers for the bottom, making it 7.2 mm thick with a layer height of 0.4 mm.

**) Enable support material generation; style = organic.

***) The star looks especially beautiful when you arrange the rays in two different colors. If you'd like, print the corresponding quantity for each color. The Herrnhuter Star is traditionally a mix of white and red rays. You can find many more ideas on the web.
 

Assembly instructions

• Putting it all together is a breeze, really. Still, I've gone all out with detailed descriptions and pictures, just to make sure you're never left scratching your head wondering what's what.
  I recommend reading through all the steps before you start gluing.
   
• I've assembled three stars myself. Based on that experience, I recommend following the sequence I describe below. 
   
• All pictures show the star from the same slightly elevated angle.
  The parts to be glued are highlighted in red.
  The framework has one square frame that is slightly more open than all the others. It's important that this frame is the top one and later accommodates the holder with the light bulb.
   
• Take your time when gluing the star rays. Before each gluing, make sure you attach the part to the right place, especially if you're using different colors. It would be a shame if you glued a ray incorrectly and had to discard everything.
   
• Allow the glue some time to cure after each step.

Let's get started. Have fun!
 

Step 1

Glue eight Ray 4s to the sides of the framework.

Step 2

Glue four Ray 3s to the upper sides of the framework.

Step 3

Glue four Ray 3s to the lower sides of the framework.

Step 4

Glue four Ray 4s to the lower sides of the framework.

Step 5 - if you want to illuminate the star

Okay, that was easy so far, and the star already looks good. Now, take a short glue break. Let's focus on the holder and the lighting for now.
The following pictures speak for themselves. I think I don't need to explain anything further.

Don't be bothered by the fact that the photos show an older version of the Top. The principle is the same.

Step 6

Continue without glue: First, loosely(!!) attach four Ray 4s Top to the Top using cable ties. 
You can also use a thin, sturdy (nylon) rope instead of cable ties.
This step is crucial at this point. Because later, when Ray 4s Top is glued to the Framework, you won't be able to place the cable ties anymore.
So, at this point, don't tighten the cable ties yet. This will be done only after gluing in the following step.

Step 7

Now glue all four Ray 4s Top to the Framework simultaneously. A bit tricky, but you'll manage. In doubt, you should ask a second person to help you.
Pay special attention to sufficient bonding here. It needs to support the weight of the star later, especially if you're using it as a pendant lamp.

By the way, it's worth mentioning that the thread for the E14 socket is designed so that the light bulb, depending on the size of the star, is always positioned in its center. This allows for a uniform illumination of all rays.

Allow the glue sufficient time to cure. After that, you can carefully tighten the cable ties and trim the protruding ends.

Step 8

Glue the last remaining Ray 4s to the underside of the Framework.

Step 9 - if you want to illuminate the star

One final step for the lighting. This is where the star's power cable is connected to the power supply. Just follow the illustrated instructions.

Step 10

If you want to use the star as a floor lamp - or simply for its protection until the next Christmas season - I recommend using the four stands. Place them at the right distance and position the star with the four lower rays into the corresponding recesses. 

Step 11

If you want to hang the star, proceed as follows:

If you want to use the star as a pendant lamp, make sure its weight is supported by the ropes and not the power cable.

1. Connect the four cable ties on the Top with one ring each on the CableBox Top using a thin, sturdy (nylon) rope.
    
2. Connect the two rings on the CableBox Top with a thin, sturdy (nylon) rope to a hook in the ceiling.

Done!

Congratulations! I hope you've already had fun printing and assembling the star. 
Enjoy its splendor during the Christmas season. 
Merry Christmas!

I am looking forward to your Makes! :-)

If you like this design, feel free to check out my others here.

And maybe you would like to support me with a small donation. Feel free to use the support button on the top right of this page. I myself donate one or two Euros to each designer for an interesting model that is worth five stars to me.