B-Lamp

I try to please as many Makers as possible with this description. If it seems too detailed to you, I'm sorry. If details are missing, please let me know.

The lamp consists of 4 printed parts (lamp shade, lamp body, connector for these two, and a cap in the bottom) and and a few very basic accessories for electrical installation.

To install lamp socket and cable, access to the interior of the lamp body is required from both above and below. Access from above is through the opening for the bulb, access from below is through a hole in the lamp body, closed by a screw-threaded cap.

The lamp is equipped with an on/off switch. If you want colored or dimmable light, you should buy a dimmable RGB LED bulb. It should come with a wireless remote control. Otherwise, a non-dimmable, white/single color LED bulb without remote control works just fine with the built-in switch.

You will find several safety instructions in this description. That doesn't mean the lamp is dangerous - it just means that I want to protect myself from those who touch a live wire with their bare hands and then claim it's my fault :)

Why on earth “B-Lamp”?

After finishing the design of the lamp and before printing the first full version, I played with different colors. When I got to the color red, the result immediately reminded me of my childhood Babybel cheese (you can still buy it today). It is packaged in a red skin that can be opened in the middle.

 

BOM

I no longer order stuff from AliExpress (too many problems with tracking, goods not received, poor quality). I am providing links from German websites for reference, but you should be able to find the parts pretty much anywhere. 

If you live outside of Germany or the EU and would like to share a link to one or more of the parts to help others with their purchase, I'm happy to include additional links in this description.

If you are absolutely unable to purchase some parts with the dimensions listed here, I may be willing to create variants of the lamp with items that are available in your area - subject to demand.

Due to the choice of materials used, the wiring of the lamp is designed for a maximum current of 2 amps / 230 Volts. However, when using an LED bulb with 10 watts, there are significantly fewer amps (less than 0.1 A).

Electrical installations should be carried out by a specialist. He can provide information on questions, different voltages (e.g. Canada, USA, Mexico: 120V / 60 Hertz) etc. All parts have been selected assuming a 230 volt / 50 hertz power supply. If there is a power supply with different values at your location, please consult your electrician.
 

• Lamp socket E27 (threaded shell made of thermoplastic) with strain relief
  
  Do not buy a socket without strain relief for the cable!
  
  You will need 2 locking rings to install the socket. Mind you, in some shops you have to purchase them separately.
  The standardized outer diameter of the shell is 40 mm. Accordingly, the locking rings have a slightly larger diameter. If you use a socket that is more than a few millimeters larger than the linked model, there is no guarantee that it can be installed properly in the lamp body. If you're not sure, just ask me and I can check.
  
  The height in the next picture should be regarded as a close-to-maximum measurement. Shorter sockets will work as well.
  
  https://lightstock.de/fassungen/gewindemantel-lampenfassung-e27-aus-thermoplast-creme-weiss-mit-zugentlastung/
  
  
  
   
• Cable
  
  I used a two-wire cable (2x0,75 mm²) with a fine-wire copper conductor and PVC insulation and PVC sheath. It is suitable for connecting light electrical devices with low mechanical loads in households, kitchens and offices. Make sure that the cable you use is approved and certified for this purpose.
  
  https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B07BB6P454
  
  
  
   
• E27 LED bulb
  
  I used a dimmable E27 LED RGBW bulb with remote control. As mentioned above, a remote control is only required if you use dimmable or multi-color bulbs - the lamp is equipped with an on/off switch.
  
  10 Watts dimmable bulbs are perfect for a multipurpose lamp - but if you plan to use the lamp as a dim bedside lamp and don't want to use dimmable bulbs, you should buy weaker bulbs. 
  
  https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B08SQ3VZPM
  
  
  
   
• “Euro” plug (aka Type C plug)
  
  This type of plug only exists/works in large parts of Europe. If you live elsewhere, check with your electrican which plug to use.
  
  https://lightstock.de/stecker/eurostecker-aus-kunststoff-250v-10a/?attribute_pa_stecker-farbe=weiss
  
  
  
   
• Cord switch 
  
  If you are sure that you will always use a dimmable/switchable LED bulb with remote control, you could theoretically omit this switch. But I do not recommend it - the battery of the remote control might die in the middle of the night ;)
  
  https://lightstock.de/schalter/schnurschalter-1-pol-250v-2a-fur-2-und-3-adrige-kabel-weiss/
  
  
   
•  Cable-kink protection
  
  The outer diameter of the cable-kink protection must be 7.5 mm to fit perfectly into the hole in the lamp body. The inner diameter must match the outer diameter of the cable you are using.
  The outer diameter of the cable mentioned above is approx. 5.2 mm, so this was a perfect fit for me:
  
  https://www.amazon.de/dp/B07JCQCMB1
  
  
  
  If you need the kink protection for a different cable diameter, you could print it yourself in TPU. 
  
   
• Cable end sleeves
  
  may be required by regulations, or may make your life easier. Or may not fit at all - YMMV ;)
  
  
   

Printing

Threads

There are two internal threads in the lamp body and two parts with the matching external threads. Since it is impossible to design a perfect thread for every printer, I have attached 4 print files (folder THREAD TEST) that only contain the threads. I used a special thread library for 3D printing, using usual tolerances and tested them on two different well adjusted printers (Bambu Lab X1C and Anycubic Kobra Plus), but you never know… So you can print these test models first (as light and quick as possible) to check if the threads fit well before printing the complete lamp body and connector. It makes sense to print them with the filament you will be using for the final print. If only the bottom thread does not fit well, you could scale only the bottom cap itself to make it fit. If both threads dont fit, you could (super carefully) scale the lamp body, and as a consequence, the lampshade and connector too. Don't overdo it though - the cable-kink protection and lamp socket still need to fit.

THREAD TEST parts:

Alternatively, I could create variants with narrower and wider threads. I refrained from doing so in advance because I don't expect many interested - most people want super quick prints with almost no filament and zero supports ;) None of that applies to this lamp.

 

The parts for the final lamp are in the folder B-LAMP PARTS.
 

Seams

Check the seams on the lamp body and the lamp shade, so that they make a single continuous line. Bambu Studio created a strange seam on the lampshade even with the "back" setting, so I painted them manually on the back of the lampshade.

I used the following print settings on the Bambu Lab X1C:
 

• 0.4 mm nozzle
• 0.2 mm layer height
• Arachne wall generator
• 2 wall loops
• 4 top shell layers
• 3 bottom shell layers
• 15% infill
• speed & acceleration: You decide how fast or how pretty you want the result to be :)

Make sure your rods are clean/your belts are well tuned/your axis steps are well calibrated. Round/oval shapes can be unforgiving.
 

Supports

3 of the 4 parts need supports. But even a lazy maker can do it ;) They are in non-visible areas, and removing them and cleaning the lampshade and lamp body was done in 5 minutes. 


 

If you use auto supports, try to make sure that they don't touch the threads. I painted them on the undersides of the free-floating horizontal planes. 

Assembly

Make sure all the parts are in the right place before assembling the plug/switch/socket so you don't have to disassemble everything again ;)







 




 

Disclaimer
 

Electrical installations should always be carried out by trained specialists. 

I have compiled all information to the best of my knowledge and belief. I assume no liability for damage or harm of any kind caused by the manufacture, installation and operation of this device.
It is your responsibility to ensure that all applicable regulations are observed and that only materials that are certified for the respective purpose are used.