The weather outside is frightful, but this house is so delightful

And since we’ve no place to go, let it glow, let it glow, let it glow. / Video by Ron Nelson

Get it? De-light-ful. HAHAHA! I sleigh me!

Nerds own December now, and there’s no going back.

Last week, I highlighted Devon’s entry into holiday home electronics. His work is impressive, but it’s dwarfed by our friend Ron Nelson’s years-long labor of love. Ron was generous enough to give Devon guidance in what will no doubt become an insane seasonal obsession.

Ron paired his rockstar light show with a radio-accessible soundtrack in a project he’s been developing for the last six years. He was inspired by the annual outdoor light display hosted by the Denver Botanic Gardens. We attend the show at the Gardens every year, and I can say with certainty that his work is on par. I’m not the only one who thinks so. Ron’s house recently won the city of Englewood, Colorado’s holiday decorating award for best house.

For more on his project, visit his public Facebook page, Lights on Lipan.

See last week’s post for a list of the supplies Devon used to launch his descent into madness.

Drains add functionality to curved walls

The drains in these concave (above) and convex (right) Dungeon Stone walls will add dimension to your 3D-printed gaming terrain.

Real estate agents have a mantra: Ventilation, ventilation, ventilation. Or maybe that’s just the ones who specialize in lairs.

Floor drains in the round are the latest trend in modern dungeon sanitation. Don't die from grave rot because you couldn't hose down your murder room.

Grab the files
Patreon
Thingiverse
MyMiniFactory

Files are available now via Dropbox to our Patreon supporters. Files are posted to Thingiverse and MyMiniFactory later, as time permits. Check back if you don’t see them right away.

Rain death on your enemies with arrowslits

Fortress upgrade

Concave (left) and convex (below) curved Dungeon Stone walls with arrowslits add more design options to your fortress.

Tired of your arrows bouncing off the stone and killing your minions? Upgrade your fortress with the latest in evil-lair home security.

This is one of the more useful curved-wall elements. Who doesn't like a turret with some arrow slits, amirite?

This release is the first on our new schedule. From now on, expect one release per week over the course of the month.

Grab the files

Patreon
Thingiverse
MyMiniFactory

Files are available now via Dropbox to our Patreon supporters. Files are posted to Thingiverse and MyMiniFactory later, as time permits. Check back if you don’t see them right away.

Fight the Netherbrain with your own astral prism

This screw-top astral-prism ornament will keep the Netherbrain at bay all season long. Photo by Monica Jones

Last week, I posted pics of the astral prism replica Devon made with iron-filled PLA and remote-controlled fairy lights.

We considered giving them to friends as holiday gifts, but the cost was prohibitive. So he redesigned the artifact, giving it a screw-top lid and exchanging the fairy lights for an LED tea light. He diffused the tea light with fiber fill for a softer glow and added a tiny hole in one of the spokes for a string or hook.

These smaller, lighter artifacts make awesomely nerdy holiday ornaments, and we’re excited to be selling them in our store. Every ornament includes an LED tea light and a string for hanging. We’re also including a small tube of glue in case your cat knocks it off the tree and smacks it around like a stone-cold predator.

If that example seems oddly specific, it’s because our cat is an asshole.

A tea-light insert gives the orange underlay a soft, ominous red glow. Shadowheart approves. Photo by Monica Jones