LED Lamp with Twisted Square Column

Mon, 16 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Background

This LED lamp builds upon the twisted square column concept I explored in my previous twisted square column project. That design featured a simple geometric twist, but here I wanted to incorporate functional lighting to create a practical yet visually interesting household piece.

On the side, the lamp has gone through a few iterations as shown below.

The first on the leftmost is obviously a failed print. The main thing I noticed is that it’s not a great look for an LED lamp, as there are too many columns making the LED light on the bottom not penetrate high enough to make a pleasant look. So I reduced it to 9 columns in total as you can see in the middle.

The middle one looks better but when I put it under the LED lamp, it’s just too gray and the final result is on the rightmost, which is the best, as I personally think. Of course, it’s all about personal choice, and hence as mentioned at the beginning, I made the lamp three separate parts such that people can choose different colors/materials for each part, adding some flexibility/freedom of choice for this print.

Model Design/Modeling

I made the lamp consist of three parts: the base, where the LED is placed; the connector, which connects the PETG translucent top and the base; all three parts connected with a simple snap fit.

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Printing Notes

PLA Base

A brim for small surface area parts is important; otherwise, the part may move or warp near the bottom.

PETG Translucent

The wall thickness of the model is 0.8mm, which should only have 2 wall loops after slicing. However, different wall generators can remove the tiny gap filling, which has an impact on the translucent quality of the PETG.

As you can see, there is a tiny white gap infill between two walls when using the Classic wall generator.

But when I changed the wall generator to Arachne, the tiny gap infill is gone.

Because the wall thickness affects how translucent it is, you will see a subtle difference in the print, where there are two different “translucent” effects. I’m not sure if I can capture it in the photo below.

Once you remove the tiny gap infill by using the Arachne wall generator, you can’t really see different translucence effects, as the wall thickness is constantly the same, i.e., two wall loops.

More information can be found on the Introduction to wall generator in Bambu Lab Wiki.

The last setting I changed for a better look of the translucent part is to print outer wall first and then inner wall. You can check out the details in the Bambu Lab Wiki about the Order of walls. In essence, this setting can minimize imperfections on the surface, which is what I want to achieve.

The translucent part turned out great in the end.

Assembly

The assembly should be easy: just put the LED into the base.

And then put the connector on the base.

Finished LED Lamp

It could be used as a night light, or personally, it’s more like an art piece, featuring the rigid square column and yet the twist adds a dynamic element.

Resources

Ice Melt Shaker

Fri, 19 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Background/Motivation

I remixed the original model from @AdamL to make this ice-melt shaker even better for handling stuff like salt on those slippery winter days.

Model Design/Modeling

I remixed the original model to add holes on the bottom of the cup, allowing me to scoop the ice-melt, shake, and spread it evenly without much mess.

I also modified the scoop part because the original design had ice-melt spilling over the side edges. I made the scoop more enclosed to keep everything contained.

Modeling in Fusion 360

Things I learned while modeling:

First version of scoop: Real-world use differs from what you imagine in Fusion. The scoop in my first print looked okay but wasn’t useful because it was too small and not enclosed enough. When I scooped up the ice-melt, it spilled over the edge.
Second version of scoop: After seeing the problem, I made the scoop more enclosed—it means it’s a half circle as shown in the sketch:

The end result is nice:

No more spilling:
Learned to model threads: Mainly use the built-in thread feature and make sure there is clearance. I used 0.3mm, and the end result is just right—not too loose or too tight. Of course, there are tutorial YouTube videos mentioning 0.1mm/0.2mm clearance, but it really depends on the size of the thread and how accurately the 3D printer is tuned.
Parameters Design: For the bottom holes so I can easily change the hole sizes to fit different purposes.
Final Model

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Printing Notes

The only support needed is for the threaded scoop, as shown in the image above.

I didn’t turn on “avoid crossing walls” on the first print, resulting in minor stringing on the threaded scoop. For cleaner results, enable this setting

For me, using PLA is good enough. It holds up pretty well.

Model Usage/Resources

Attach the threaded scoop to the shaker. Scoop the ice-melt. Open the bottom cover and shake.

Note: I’ve attached the STEP raw 3D model. Hope you find it useful.

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Updated 2026-01-14: Uploaded a parametric model where you can change the diameter of the bottom holes—enjoy!

Want to print this model? Check out the MakerWorld Profile.

Household on Plicatim

LED Lamp with Twisted Square Column

Background

Model Design/Modeling

Printing Notes

PLA Base

PETG Translucent

Assembly

Resources

Ice Melt Shaker

Background/Motivation

Model Design/Modeling

Modeling in Fusion 360

Printing Notes

Model Usage/Resources