Mar 12, 2018 | By Benedict
Florida-based maker Baard Fleistad [IamStarGoat] has come up with one of the coolest 3D printing projects we’ve seen in awhile: a 3D printed gramophone-style radio horn for the Amazon Echo Dot. Fittingly, the 3D printed audio device has been named “Gramazon.”
Some people are understandably pretty creeped out by the Amazon Echo and Echo Dot. Although the smart home devices are programmed not to listen unless directly spoken to, there’s no shrugging off the feeling that Alexa might someday blackmail you after secretly recording your worst secrets.
All in all, however, the Echo is a very cool device, and a good way to shake off that nagging fear of sentient robots is to dress Alexa up as something much older and more familiar. A gramophone, perhaps.
That’s exactly what maker Baard Fleistad has done with the amazing 3D printed “Gramazon,” a gramophone-style amplification horn that not only dresses the Echo Dot up as a much more stylish home ornament, but also makes it louder.
“I have always loved the look of the old radio horns of the 20s and 30s but, sadly, acquiring them is becoming harder and harder these days,” Fleistad says. “And when you do come across one, the price is usually very high.”
Eventually, the idea came to the Norwegian maker to simply make his own horn—with a twist.
“I had almost given up on the idea of getting one of these until I had the aha-moment so many of us makers have at some point,” he explains. “I realized ‘Hey, I have a 3D printer, so why not just make one?’ and so off I went to Fusion 360 to see what I could slap together.”
(Images: Baard Fleistad / Thingiverse)
Turns out what he could slap together is one of the most awesome DIY 3D prints you’ll see this week.
“Initially I was just going to make the horn part, and make a wooden base for it to house some electronics for a Bluetooth receiver and speaker,” Fleistad says. “However, looking at my Echo Dot sitting at the corner of my desk, a light-bulb went off and the idea for the Gamazon was born!”
The speaker horn consists of nine individual STL files, which can be assembled to make the complete 3D printed Gramazon horn. Supports are needed for some parts, while glue is needed for assembly.
The brilliant 3D printed accessory for the Amazon Echo Dot serves to lift the Echo Dot slightly off the surface, allowing sound to carry through the horn.
“I hope you find this project as fun to make as I had designing, printing, and painting it,” Fleistad says. “It’s been in the works for some time now as a ‘nights and weekends’ kind of project, and if you do make one, be sure to post your makes [on Thingiverse]! I would love to see them!”
Check out the project and get the 3D printing files here.
Posted in Fun with 3D Printing
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