3D Print Your Own Working Minecraft Torch!
If you have a 3D printer, you can make this working Minecraft Torch in no time.
Minecraft’s unparalleled success has been the result of several factors. One of those is the blocky design aesthetic. While that may originally have been a performance decision, it proved to be very appealing on a visual level. Now there is all kinds of Minecraft merch you can buy to bring that aesthetic into your own home. Or, if you have a 3D printer, you can make this working Minecraft Torch yourself.
Toby Chui designed this torch and it looks just like what you see in the game. Most of that is a long black block for the handle, the but real magic is at the lit end. That is actually functional and glows like it should. And more importantly, Chui made it match the Minecraft pixelated aesthetic.
Rather than turning to multicolor printing, Chui achieved that pixelated look by varying the thickness of the white 3D-printed diffuser. Because it is thicker in some areas, those areas appear as slightly darker “pixels” when light shines through.
The parts needed to make the light work are very simple. There is an 18650 lithium battery for power and a TP4056 controller to charge that via USB-C. Other than that, the only other parts are an LED strip (amber works best), a physical switch, and some M3 screws.
With the holidays fast approaching, this would make a great gift for the Minecraft fan in your life. Or just build it for your own mining endeavors.