Chinese Paper Lantern

The simple print looks great on a dining table in a dim lit room. You can use either a LED tea light or a colour changing mini nightlight.

Whilst I started with a White PLA version I made another using Transparent PLA and enjoyed how the printed lines refract the light around the lantern. I hope you do too.

Watch LED tealight video: https://www.dropbox.com/s/4uluuxtz2a1fnkk/Tea%20Light%20Chinese%20Lantern.MP4?dl=0

The simple design came from my childhood. We used to get an A4 sheet of paper fold it in half, cut along the folded edge, cutting perpendicular into the paper 60 mm or so, every 25 mm. Open it up, placing the cut strips vertically, roll the top edge around itself hold it in place with a paperclip, likewise at the bottom. There you have a Chinese paper lantern, which we would colour.

I wanted to know if it was possible to print!

Therefore I printed a similar model albeit smaller I have used some mini nightlights inside, (I have used the same lights for a couple of other designs in this competition).
Printing the model in White PLA reflects the coloured light and makes a lovely glow, it also helps to show more light with the cut sections.
I have used a tea light and that looks lovely as well.

Print instructions

Due to the small base that is on the print bed I would suggest using a brim to hold the model in place firmly..

BEWARE. I have tried making the Chinese lantern a lot bigger but sadly due to the curvature of the sides, around the centre section of the model it does not print very well.
This is due to no support on the curved section, how thin the print is, and the movement of the printer whilst printing the model and the inherent springiness of the material..