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Day 24

Today we will make a Rudolf the Red Nose Reindeer Cork Buddy to add to the fun holiday decorations. How many extra wine corks do you have lying around your house? Do you always plan to do something with them but never do? I was one of those people for sure. I have started designing 3-D printed Cork buddies. This is a printed animal that the cork will serve as the body. Now I love to print them out and slyly leave them around my friend’s house after having a bottle of wine. But shhh, don’t tell them that. Let’s get creating!!!

Gather your Materials

  • 3-D printer
  • Filament
  • Paint
  • Paintbrushes
  • Red LED
  • Button Battery Case
  • Battery
  • Cork
  • Soldering Iron and solder
  • Third arm.

Design the Rudolf the Red Nose Reindeer Cork Buddy

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

I have really loved using and figuring out TinkerCAD. Since being my 3-D printer, I have really started to see shapes differently. I have made many different cork buddies, so I grabbed the base pattern that fits most corks and began adding the shapes to create Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer.

After adding the feet, eyes, and mouth I created the hole for the LED leads to travel through.

Finally, I created the antlers.

If you are interested in 3-D printing, I would highly suggest working through the lessons on TinkerCAD. They help get you started in how to design a 3-D printed object you create!

Final Cork Buddy. I have attached the STL file below if you are wanted to make him for yourself!!!

Print and Paint the Cork Buddy

Since I only have a basic 3-D printer and not a wide variety of filament colors yet, I decided to print Rudolf the Red Nose Reindeer Cork Buddy in white and then paint him after.

After he is printed, chose the browns and tans that will be his coloring and paint him.

Almost finished painting.

Adding the LED

I decided to go very simple when adding the LED. I solder the Resistor to the Negative Lead and then fed the LED leads through the opening.

Double-check which lead is positive and which is negative. Then solder the leads to the correct sides of the button battery case.

Now that everything is soldered, put in a battery, add the corks, and check out your new cork buddy.

I think little cork buddies are adorable and bring a smile to many people. I hope you enjoy making your own and then hiding them around a friend’s house.

Final Pictures of Rudolf the Red Nose Reindeer Cork Buddy

Did you miss yesterday’s post? Check out the Light-up Leg Warmers. Come back tomorrow for the 25 Day Project!!!

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