Candle Carousel

Designed as an "April 1" illusion, "Candle Carousel" utilizes a flickering tea lamp LED to apparently power a carousel fan. I've hidden a dc electric motor and fan blade inside of the candle that actually propels the carousel.

As usual I probably forgot a file or two or who knows what else, so if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask as I do make plenty of mistakes.

Designed using Autodesk Fusion 360, sliced using Ultimaker Cura 4.12.1, and 3D printed in PLA on Ultimaker S5s.

1. Soldering iron and solder
2. Light machine oil.
3. Thick cyanoacrylate glue.
4. Thin double sided tape.
5. 35mm length of 2mm diameter brass rod.
6. 28awg stranded wire.

I acquired the following parts:

1. One dc electric motor (https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B078MR3H45?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title), (M1 in the schematic).
2. Two 1n2007 diodes (D1 and D2 in the schematic).
3. One .1uf ceramic disk capacitor (C1 in the schematic).
4. One tea lamp (https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B08LMGMHBN?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title), (LED1 in the schematic).
5. One 3vdc power adapter.

I 3D printed the following parts:

1. One "Ballerina.stl": PLA, .15mm layer height, 100% infill, supports.
2. One "Base.stl": PLA, .15mm layer height, 20% infill.
3. One "Bearing Tower.stl": PLA, .15mm layer height, 20% infill.
4. One "Candle.stl": PLA, .15mm layer height, 20% infill.
5. One "Fan Shaft.stl": PLA, .15mm layer height, 20% infill.
6. One "Fan Tower.stl": PLA, .15mm layer height, 20% infill.
7. One "Fan.stl": PLA, .15mm layer height, 20% infill.
8. One "Flame Holder.stl": PLA, .15mm layer height, 20% infill.
9. Four "Foot.stl": PLA, .15mm layer height, 20% infill.
10. One "Motor Fan.stl": PLA, .15mm layer height, 20% infill.
11. One "Motor Mount.stl": TPU, .15mm layer height, 20% infill.

This mechanism is a moderate precision print and assembly using at times very small precision parts in confined spaces with highly precise alignment. Prior to assembly, I test fitted and trimmed, filed, drilled, sanded, etc. all parts as necessary for smooth movement of moving surfaces, and tight fit for non moving surfaces. Depending on your slicer, printer, printer settings and the colors you chose, more or less trimming, filing, drilling and/or sanding may be required to successfully recreate this model. I carefully filed all edges that contacted the build plate to make absolutely certain that all build plate "ooze" is removed and that all edges are smooth using small jewelers files and plenty of patience.

This mechanism also uses threaded assembly, so I used a tap and die set (M6 by 1) as required for thread cleaning.

To assemble the candle, I performed the following steps:

1. Disassembled the tea lamp and removed the LED and plastic flame.
2. Glued the plastic flame into "Flame Holder.stl".
3. Glued the LED into the plastic flame.
4. Soldered one 80mm length of 28awg stranded wire to each of the led leads, red to the anode and black to the cathode.
5. Pressed the dc motor into "Motor Mount.stl".
6. Pressed the motor mount and motor assembly into the bottom of "Candle.stl" all the way up to the motor mount stop.
7. Pressed "Motor Fan.stl" onto the motor shaft.
8. Slid the LED wires down through the wiring channel in the candle assembly and out below the motor mount.
9. Pressed the flame holder assembly into the top of the candle assembly.
10. Performed the wiring shown in "Schematic.png" but did not attach the power supply to the circuit until final assembly.

To assemble the fan, I performed the following steps:

1. Threaded "Fan Shaft.stl" into "Fan.stl".
2. Glued "Ballerina.stl" to the top center of the fan assembly.

For final assembly, I performed the following steps:

1. Pressed the brass rod into the top of "Fan Tower.stl".
2. Pressed the fan tower assembly into the small hole in "Base.stl".
3. Fed the candle assembly wires through the large hole in the base assembly.
4. Pressed the candle assembly into the large hole in the base assembly, then secured in place with small dots of glue.
5. Threaded the four "Foot.stl" into the base assembly.
6. Soldered the power supply wires to the candle circuitry as shown in the schematic.
7. Filled the hole in the fan shaft with light machine oil.
8. Slid the fan assembly onto the fan tower brass rod.

With assembly complete, I applied power to the model and off it went!

And that is how I 3D printed and assembled "Candle Carousel".

I hope you enjoyed it!