How To Make A 3D Printed Lithophane Lantern

How To: 3D Printed Lithophane Lantern

This holiday season I wanted to design a 3D printed gift that would be loved by all. This Lithophane Lantern is sure to be a crowd favorite at your next holiday gift exchange!

Figure 1 Assembled Lithophane Lantern

Step 1 – Download Lantern STLs and Print

The STLs for this project are available on Thingiverse.com and Thangs.com, free of charge. Start by downloading all the parts you will need to complete this project:

Base.stl
Lamp2.stl (should be printed with supports)
Light.stl
Top.stl
CapTop.stl
CapThreads.stl (should be printed upside down)

Note the helpful printing tips above. For more helpful printing tips, follow along with the complete build video above.

Step 2 – Creating Lithophane STLs and Printing

I recommend using THIS website to create your STLs so that you can be sure the finished prints will fit in the Lithophane Lantern.

Figure 2 This is LithophaneMaker.com

To make sure your lithophane fits into the Lithophane Lantern, use these settings:

Frame Only
Lithophane Resolution: 0.2
Width: 100
Height: 150
Depth: 7.5
Base Height: 7.5
Overhang Angle: 45
Maximum Thickness: 6
Minimum Thickness: 0.6

Step 3 – Slicing the STLs

For success when slicing/printing lithophanes, follow these simple steps:

Use the smallest nozzle you have available
Print with the smallest layer height for the highest resolution
Print the Lithophane upright and perpendicular to the movement of the build plate
Print with a brim to prevent the lithophane from falling over
Print using MatterHackers Build Series White PLA filament and 100% infill

Figure 3 Correct orientation of Lithophane to be 3D printed

Step 4 – Quick Shopping Trip

The lithophane lantern is designed to be almost fully 3D printed. However, there are a few additional parts you will need. Links to the items I used are available on Thingiverse and in the video description.