Oct 12, 2016 | By Benedict
Kitronik, a provider of 3D printing and electronics project kits, has released a range of 3D printing and laser cutting Halloween projects, including a 3D printable pumpkin with flickering LED candle. Two of the spooky projects make use of the pocket-sized, Arduino-like BBC micro:bit computer.
To get students and DIY hobbyists in the mood for Halloween, British build-it-yourself kit specialist Kitronik has conjured up a set of Halloween-themed projects which cover electronics, 3D printing, and laser cutting. The project files for the spooky creations, along with detailed guides and handy tips, can be downloaded from the Kitronik website.
Perhaps the most essential of Kitronik’s new Halloween creations is its devilishly brilliant 3D printed pumpkin design, which replaces the messy and difficult task of carving a real pumpkin with the challenging and rewarding challenge of building a non-perishable plastic alternative! Best of all, these 3D printed pumpkins, available in three different designs, can be stored away after Halloween and brought back out for next year’s celebrations.
The 3D printable pumpkin has a flickering LED “candle” inside, so youngsters can place the digital fruit in their window just like the traditional organic version. The LED lights that power the candle are more effective when hidden, so Kitronik has included a tiny tombstone inside the pumpkin to create a more realistic lighting effect. The three different faces are the result of the pumpkins being overlaid with different DXF files.
In addition to the 3D printed pumpkin project, Kitronik has also published guides to create a handful of other Halloween goodies. Included in the scary set is a Halloween flicker box project, which can be made with shiny black card. Using a laser cutter, students and hobbyists can cut precisely designed silhouettes of a spider, haunted house, ghost, and witch, making a perfectly eerie window display for the big night. By placing LEDs inside the flicker boxes and lining the gaps in the card with thin white paper, Kitronik was able to create a successful lantern-style display piece.
Kitronik is a partner of the BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation) micro:bit project, which aims to help school children get to grips with computing, electronics, and programming. The micro:bit itself is a pocket-size, Arduino-like computer, and Kitronik has made use of the device for its flapping bat project. With wings cut from polypropylene, the Kitronik bat uses the micro:bit, a servo, crocodile leads, and a length of wire to pull the wings back and forth in a flapping motion. Spine-chilling!
The final piece in Kitronik’s Halloween collection is a fairly friendly-looking waving skeleton, which—like the bat before it—uses a micro:bit and servo to move its arm and greet passers-by. The skeleton itself is cut from a perspex sheet, though different materials could be used depending on availability. Kitronik has also suggested a few incomplete project ideas, including a motorized spider and sweet-collecting cauldron, to inspire young creators.
Keep an eye out for more ghoulish Halloween 3D printing projects on 3Ders.org as we approach the scariest day of the year.
Posted in 3D Printing Application
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