I've been watching The Lord of the Rings and the Lego batman movie and I got intrested in building a mini Eye of Sauron that I can put in my room. This is my project to create that. Inspo::
The Eye of Sauron is a small hardware project designed to house an AliExpress video sphere inside a custom 3D‑printed shell. When the sphere is assembled, it plays a looping animation that creates the appearance of a glowing eye. The project focuses on cost‑efficient part selection and clean mechanical design rather than electronics or firmware.
The final model is intentionally simplified to stay within a strict budget while still capturing the visual character of the original inspiration
- Custom 3D‑printed shell designed to frame a spherical display
- Support for looping video animations
- Lightweight, compact form factor suitable for a desk or shelf
- Minimal hardware required for assembly
- Hardware-only/3d printing only so it is easy for anyone to replicate
| CAD Model |
|---|
 |
| Initial work focused on sourcing a suitable video sphere and creating the shape of the shell. My experience with structural CAD from earlier projects helped me with the part breakdown and assembly. |
Here is my final predicted model. To see the "final assembly", check the tab above. ( I also added the CAD for the ball in the assembly.It doesnt matter though because that part will come fully assembled.)
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| 3D Video Crystal Ball DIY Memory Ball (I have a new customer deal) | $24.22 |
| The CAD (I will pay for this) | $0 |
| Total | $24.22 (~$25) |
| Not including shipping. I'm going to need that as well |
All materials were selected based on availability, strength, adjustability, and cost efficiency. This took me too long to budget.
Link: https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256809774053373.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.main.9.41852354yrDnhy&algo_pvid=28c27039-fe2b-4d6a-be47-12742c5407c6&algo_exp_id=28c27039-fe2b-4d6a-be47-12742c5407c6-9&pdp_ext_f=%7B%22order%22%3A%225542%22%2C%22eval%22%3A%221%22%2C%22orig_sl_item_id%22%3A%221005009960368125%22%2C%22orig_item_id%22%3A%221005009717967653%22%2C%22fromPage%22%3A%22search%22%7D&pdp_npi=6%40dis%21USD%2166.21%2120.96%21%21%21455.02%21144.02%21%4021033d1217728532268992374ecb9f%2112000050697595383%21sea%21US%210%21ABX%211%210%21n_tag%3A-29910%3Bd%3A68e3a7c3%3Bm03_new_user%3A-29895%3BpisId%3A5000000197847458&curPageLogUid=5D2ikHE5uu6p&utparam-url=scene%3Asearch%7Cquery_fromne%3Asearch%7Cquery_from
- Print all shell components according to the CAD files.
- Load a looping animation onto the sphere
- Place the video sphere into the central housing.
- Power the device and verify alignment and fit.
- When your done, just pack it up in any backpack you have!
- Designing load-bearing 3D-printed parts
- Balancing costs with strength and adjustablity
- Documenting my full project clearly and percisely (Even though it was just 3-5 entries)
- Increased wall thickness for improved durability
- A more detailed outer shell to better match the original picture
- An completely different base for the tower
- Custom animation sets tailored to the geometry of the shell
The grant will be used to purchase the memory ball, assemble my final version, and check the design through real-world testing (AKA just putting it in my room).