The purpose of these models is to take a CMYK printed color lithophane created with https://lithophanemaker.com/Color%20Lithophane.html into a nightlight (particularly, these ones https://a.co/d/fTpgWBK). The process is as follows:
- Prep your color lithopone with the following dimensions (side note, my experience has been that prints come out far too yellow and putting a “Cool Vivid” filter on them helps quite a bit):
- Width: 135mm
- Height: 105mm (you can play with this one a little, but there will be heights that are too short and expose the bulb and too tall that don't get enough light to work well)
- Max Thickness: 2.7mm
- Min Thickness: .8mm
- Other settings as appropriate for your printer, but I recommend a .2mm nozzle and using something close to this:
- Lithophane Resolution: 0.20mm
- Colored Resolution: .6mm
- Layer Height: 0.1mm
- First Layer Height: .15mm
- Import the lithophane STLs to your slicer and assign your colors, if you have an AMS/MMS, or insert your pause for filament change scripts as necessary (you're on your own for that, but there's plenty of guides available)
- Import the STL Night Light Mount Interface and line it up with the bottom of the print. I recommend centering the lithophane and then you can use a little math to align the interface bar so that it's exactly centered and touching the litho.
- NOTE: your slicer will complain about the models touching, but that is what you want. After slicing you will want to check the first layer to be sure it's all printing as a single, solid piece.
- Print the lithophane, and separately, print the Night Light Mount, as well as both jig parts.
- Night Light Mount Settings: .2mm later height, .4mm nozzle with 2 walls, 3 top/bottom, and 15% infill. I recommend using Archimedean Chords for the top layer as it creates a slight bump on the corners that helps it lock on to the night light nicely, but it'll work fine with anything.
- Jig: doesn't matter.
- When the prints are done, fill a pot with water and put a rag/dish towel on the bottom, and apply high heat. When the water is nearly boiling, place the print in the water and wait for it to get soft - you'll know when it's time as the towel under the print, which is there to keep it from resting on the bottom where it's the hottest, will start to bend the litho a bit - then remove with tongs, and place directly on the jig base, using the jig top to firmly press the litho down in to shape. There is a 2.8mm gap between the jig base and the top when set down flat, so you shouldn't have to worry about smooshing the print, but I recommend being careful.
- Take the jig top off, let the print cool a little, and then when it's stiff enough, insert the print in to the mount, and then install the mount on the night light (after removing the included cover, of course). I don't need to apply glue to the print as the friction fit is perfect, but depending on your printers tolerances you may need to add adhesive.