We're doing the Inside Out 2 family theme for Halloween and thought it would be fun to have the kids (and adults) carry around glowing memory orbs corresponding to each character. I tried printing with transparent filament and then colored LEDs but it was more cost effective to print in the color PETG using white LEDs. Plus it looks better in the daytime. The overall glow would look better with a central bright bulb, but then where would the candy go?! Total cost is around $25USD depending on your cost of filament and desired internals. I listed what I used below.
Specs:
- The orb/sphere is 23cm in diameter. Seemed most proportional for screen-accuracy while still allowing candy to go inside
- The circular handle openings are 21x21mm to use your own handle
- The flat base is nearly 11cm
- The top opening is just over 14cm
- Uses about 470g of filament
- Using my slow PETG profile, each memory orb takes about 14.5hrs on my P1S
For printing:
- No supports needed - overhang is about 73 degrees at the bottom
- I used PETG hoping it will hold up when the kids trip and drop these
- Print as pictured (bottom down, opening up). Printing with the opening against the build plate is also possible if your printer handles bridging ok (or you use central supports) but not necessary
- 3 walls/perimeters which nearly fills in the ~3mm wall width
- 15% infill (I'm using crosshatch) should be enough
- My first trial I used part modifiers to do 100% infill around the handle cutouts. This is not necessary and leaves a strange artifact
Supplies:
- Your choice of filament. I got this Sunlu PETG bundle for $110: https://a.co/d/5mZUoLA (so about $11/roll or $5.50 per memory orb)
- Sunlu for orange, pink, blue, yellow, red and green. Using some other purple PETG from Amazon
- Battery power for mobile illumination (about $2ea): https://www.aliexpress.com/item/3256806226252799.html
- White rope LEDs (looked better than just the spaced out lights). About $8.50ea. https://www.aliexpress.com/item/3256807082224473.html
- 5/8 inch rope to fit inside the 21mm opening for the handle ($20 for 50ft so about $5/bucket): https://a.co/d/0Ne90ZY
- sorry for the freedom units :)
- Update: reflective aluminum tape to line the inside made it look worse so I just went with packaging tape so candy doesn't get caught between the light strips
Also Included:
- Besides the OrbBasket.stl (this is what I am printing)….
- OrbNoHandleHoles.stl does not have the cutouts so that you can modify or add your own
- Orb230mmNoCuts.obj is just the sphere I made from Meshmixer to base everything off of. I couldn't find too many large hollow spheres to suit my needs so I'm sharing this one
Max
