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3D Print this Holiday Gift: Lithophane Light Box

A stocking stuffer for your digital inventory. 3D print this lithophane light box with your own choice of images — it makes a great gift with a personal touch!

Happy holidays! As 2022 nears its close, we have something to say: we’re grateful for another year of reinventing manufacturing together.


As a small token of our appreciation, here is a gift from us to you: a stocking stuffer for your digital inventory. Austin Vojta, Print Systems Engineer at Markforged, designed this decorative lithophane light box.


A lithophane is a type of 3D image that renders shapes and details through different levels of thickness, which allow varying amounts of light to shine through when placed in front of a source of light.


With access to a composite 3D printer, this lithophane light box can make a thoughtful holiday gift for family and friends.

Download the STL files here
A lithophane panel printed in Markforged Precise PLA. This panel features an image of MF employees at the Snowport holiday market, at Boston's Seaport neighborhood.

What you need

  • Markforged composite printer
  • Onyx filament
  • Nylon White filament, or Precise PLA (white)
  • ~5 feet LED strip tape
  • 4x magnets (6x3mm)
  • A USB cable you're willing to snip the end off of
  • Tools
  • Tiny bit of solder
  • Super glue
  • Wire stripper

Printing the light box components

  • Light box frame
    • 1x base, 1x lid printed in Onyx

  • Lithophanes (lithophane image panels can be made here from custom pictures)
    • 4x panels printed in Precise PLA or Nylon White
    • Panels should be printed with solid infill. Do not select tri-fill or gyroid.
    • See below configurations:

Assembly

  • Gather 3D printed base and lid
  • Gather four white lithophane panels
  • Cut the end off a USB cable
  • Solder the red+black (power) lines to the 5V LED strip.
  • Wrap the adhesive LED strip around the cylinder in the base
  • Glue magnets into the base and lid
  • Slide lithophane images into base and snap lid on top
  • Plug into any USB port to power

The completed lithophane light box makes a great home decoration.
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