Final Project Proposal

  My final project for fab Academy 2015 is going to be a haning lamp. The lamp will suspended from the ceiling by chain of cast hydrostone links. A paper skin will cover a lazer cut press-fit wood skeleton. Color and intensity of the light will be controlled by capacitive sensor input and a micro controller. The light will be produced by High Power RGB and White LEDs.

Countless people have made lamps out of every imaginable material, Lamps are fundamental design objets going back thousands of years. It's not a new idea and thats part of what if find exciting about the project.

Cast Hydro-stone Chain

Mill a 4 part mold out of stacked MDF on the Shop-bot. Use PartWorks3d for file prep and 1/4inch straight zero spiral for milling. Smooth-On PMC 121/30 Liquid Rubber. Measure and bag amount needed per chain link. Mix with water in bag and squeeze out though hole in bag into mold. This will take a long time because of the wait time for each part to dry. Make multiple molds asap and keep them in rotation. Hook and chain thing from molding and casting week four prart mold parts progress shot

Press-Fit Sphere

Simple press-fit sphere made from quarter inch birch plywood. Light, durable easy to assemble structure, hopefully able to take a drop. Adhesive backed copper foil will turn the press fit pieces into capacitive sensors used to control the light.

Paper Skin

Two part mold will be used to emboss paper skin. Here is a mini example using thick cotton paper and 3D printed mold parts.



Here are a few examples of other FabAcademy lamp projects

De_palo Pierluigi Vallejo Juanes Charles FSracchia

Materials and Components

I will source majority of components for the fab inventory the Fab Inventory. Cotton rag paper, printing ink and high power LEDs are the only componets not in the invetory. I estimate the I will use ~$40 in materials per lamp. Here is inventory of parts and materials needed, it is a work in progress. Final Project Inventory

Software I am using

  • Arduino ide with CapSence library
  • Eagle
  • Fab Modules
  • Rhino
  • Inkscape
  • Gimp
  • 123DCatch

    • Some questions

  • 123DMake – How can I get more control over the outputs? What is going on under the hood?
  • Are the Vollong 3W RGB High Power LED and Vollong 2 x 3W Dual White High Power LED the right choice for this project? What are some cheaper options
  • How does pigment effect the Hydro-stone strength?
  • How should I attache the chain to the ceiling and lamp?
  • What is the best way to attach the paper skin to the press fit skeleton? How can I make it easy for someone els to construct and deconstruct it?

    • Inspiration

    Frank Stella dimensional printmaking

    Rebecca Manson