Christmas Vacation Advent House V3

Summary

This is a model of the Advent House from Chevy Chase’s movie Christmas Vacation. It was only used in a couple of scenes, where opening the windows was used to mark the passage of time in the movie.

V1 3MF file - No longer supported.

The V1 file required making the house body out of hardboard and pine.

V2 3MF file

Version 2 (V2) requires using short pieces of wire for window and door hinges, and cutting roundheaded pins for the knobs.  V2 consists of contents of the original V1 file, plus the parts necessary for 3D printing the body of the house.

V3 3MF file

Version 3 (V3) significantly simplifies the assembly process by using printed hinges and knobs. It also adds a keystone to the Copula so it can be used with a day ‘1’ marker. If you print the Oval Deep parts, so you can put candy or other gifts behind each window, the Copula can be used to cover a day ‘1’ gift as well. The Coupla Floor part can be glued to the roof to let light into the Copula while preventing a 'gift' from falling into the house. However it requires multi-color printing to print ‘gold’ knobs.

Note, if you use the Version 3 file to make the house you do not need to order the Music Wire or Round Head Sewing Pins.
 

The ‘Mini’ 3MF files
The ‘Mini’ files uses the V3 design changes, but splits the design into parts small enough to be printed on 180x180mm bed, e.g., an A1 Mini, and those that need to be printed on a 256x256mm or larger bed, e.g., a Pxx, X1C, A1. This allows someone who owns a Mini to print most of the parts, and find a friend with a P1S to print the rest using the P1S file.
Note that the P1S file contains all the parts necessary to 3D print the body and roof of the house. These are all parts that could also be made of hardboard and pine if using the V2 file.

- Mini Christmas Vacation Advent House A1 Mini Plates V3.3MF - If you build the house using pine and hardboard, or the parts in the Mini Christmas Vacation Advent House P1S Plates V3.3MF file, then you can use this file to print all the remaining parts on an A1 Mini.

- Mini Christmas Vacation Advent House P1S Plates V3.3MF - This file contains only the parts for printing the body of the house. These parts are all too large to be printed on a Mini. If you use this file then the Mini Christmas Vacation Advent House A1 Mini Plates V3 file can be used to print all the remaining parts.

Note: This is a large complicated design, requiring many hours of printing and almost as many hours to assemble. Lots of people have successfully built it and customized it. I don't want to discourage you, but I did want you to know before you start that it is a BIG project. Please read the Christmas Vacation Build Notes.PDF file carefully for detailed assembly instructions before you start, to get an idea of what you are in for.

The whole design can be 3D printed, or the walls and base can be made out of hardboard wood. DXF files are included so the hardboard parts can be laser cut. And PDFs of the hardboard parts, which can be printed to size and used as templates to cut out the parts. Gluing the parts will be required.

Many found it painful to get the numbering right, so I added a file called Numbers.STL. It creates keystone shaped parts with raised numbers on them, which can be glued to the tops of the windows. Just switch from the background to the text color at 1mm print height. And I added a photo of a test print that I did so you can see what they look like.

The Window frames are designed so the hinges can be put on either side. It was pointed out to me that the windows on the left side of the house opened to the left, and those on the right, opened to the right. Now you can set the hinge to open them whatever way you choose.

The images from old Christmas cards that I used in the windows are in the Images 1.PDF file.

My original build was several years ago, and made the mistake of storing it in the attic over the summer. The main body was fine because it was made out of hardboard, but the PLA windows warped so badly, they wouldn't open. So DON'T do that. I had to reprint all the plastic parts. Since it is 3D printed, I put a lot more detail in the design of the window frames, etc., than the one in the movie.

The skylight, windows, front door, and roof trim are all 3D printed.

Hardboard Main Body

My original main case was made out of fiberboard, with a piece of 3/4 inch pine for the base. This approach will require some woodworking tools to make it. Detailed instructions for making the hardboard version are in the Christmas Vacation Advent House Build Notes.PDF file. The Build Notes also describes how to assemble the windows and doors.

3D Printed Main Body

Due to popular demand, I've added STL files to make a 3D printed main body (rather than hardboard).
The Christmas Vacation Advent House Build Notes.PDF file describes how to assemble the windows and doors, but the assembly instructions for the 3D Printed Main Body are below.

I used Paramount British Racing Green filament in my original design. But Bambu Mistletoe Green should work fine. You will also need some White filament if you print the day markers.

You can print the window frames and roof components and glue vellum to them to act as the ‘window panes' (Plates 15 & 16).
Or you can print the windows as 2-color prints (Plates 33 & 34), where you can use white or translucent PLA, or Polymaker Polysmooth Clear PVB filament to print the window panes.
Polysmooth PVB (PolyVinyl Butyral) filament prints very similarly to regular PLA, but spraying 99% Isopropyl Alcohol (IPA) on the Polysmooth filament after printing smooths its surface (similar to how Acetone can be used to smooth ABS).  Note: IPA has no effect on standard PLA. Polysmooth is expensive, but the ability to smooth it can be worth it. There are several videos on YouTube that talk about how to best use it. And make sure that it dry when you use it.

Note: The body and back parts are glued together. In the Christmas Vacation Advent House Build Notes.PDF file I talk in detail about the ‘Acrylic Cement’ solvent that I use for gluing PLA, but SuperGlue should also work.

It may be necessary to scrape down some of the parts to get them to fit together, but most should work with a simple press fit. Use glue to assemble all parts.

The following figure shows the respective House Base, Wall, Roof, and Fence STL files that make up a 3D printed version of the Main Body. 

And here are the parts that make up a 3D printed back for the house. You may need to drill a hole in the back to allow for LED power connections.

Note: All the Back parts are glued together. I positioned them on the top of my table saw to glue them up. Any flat surface will work, but be careful that the glue does not stick to it or ruin its surface.

Note:  The house has three flat roof levels: Roof (uppermost), Lower Roof (middle), and Lower Base roof (lowest).

Here is a clip of the Advent House in the movie:

Remixes:

You may want to look at these sites, especially if you are 3D printing the walls. I haven't printed these, but they all look very cool.
https://www.printables.com/model/1096689-christmas-vacation-advent-calendar-brick-exterior

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:6875647

Revisions:

V1 - Initial release.
 

V2 - Added 2 color Plates (33 & 34) for using white or clear filament to print the window panes.

- Added assembly instructions for 3D Printed main body.

V2a - Added ZIP of DXF files so the hardboard version can be laser cut.

V3 - Simplifies the assembly process by using printed hinges and knobs. Adds 2 color printed walls. Requires multi-color printing.

V3 Plates:

Windows:

1) WinLow Back - Lower Window Backs.

2) WinLow Outer - Lower Window Outer Frames.

3) WinLow Oval Holder - Lower Window picture holder.

4) WinLow Oval - Lower Window Shallow Oval if just holding pictures. Do not print if printing Plate 5.

5) WinLow Oval Deep - Lower Window Deep Oval that can be used to hold gifts, e.g., candy and background picture. Do not print if printing Plate 4.

6) WinHigh Back & Outer - High Window Backs and Outer Frames.

7) WinMid Back - Middle Window Backs.

8) WinMid Outer - Middle Window Outer Frames.

9) WinMid Oval Holder - Middle Window picture holder.

10) WinMid Oval - Middle Window Shallow Oval if just holding pictures. Do not print if printing Plate 11.

11) WinMid Oval Deep - Middle Window Deep Oval that can be used to hold gifts, e.g., candy and background picture. Do not print if printing Plate 10.

12) WinLow Ovals and Oval Holders for WinHigh - Window picture holders for Middle and High Windows.

Misc parts:

13) Roof Eaves and Fence - The Roof Eaves are glued to the walls under the roof, and the Fence is glued to the Lower Roof.

14) Skylight Holder, Roof and Cupola - Miscellaneous parts for holding the Skylight in place, the Roof and the Cupola.

15) Skylight Sides - These require gluing on vellum for the window panes. Do not print if printing Plate 34.

16) Window Panels - All panels for Lower, Middle, and High windows. Do not print if printing Plate 33.

17) Front Door and Stairs - Components used to assemble the Front Door and Stairs.

18) Number Plates - Optional 2 color plates that can be used to number the Windows and Front Door with dates.

3D Printed Body, Roof, and Back:

Only print Plates 19-32 if 3D printing the main body. Do not print if making the main body out of hardboard and pine.

19) Roof Right & Left Front Sides.

20) Roof Left, Right, Center & Offset Sides.

21) Roof Lower & Lower Base Left.

22) Roof Lower & Lower Base Right.

23) Wall Side Left & Right.

24) Wall Front Side Lf.

25) Wall Front Side Rt.

26) Wall Center Front & Wall Center Sides - Center Wall and small side walls on either side of it.

27) House Base Left.

28) House Base Right.

29) Roof Back Lf - Left Side Roof Back.

30) Roof Back Rt - Right Side Roof Back.

31) House Back Lf - Left Side House Back.

32) House Back Rt - Right Side House Back.

Old style Window Panels and Skylights. Require velum ‘windows’:

33) Window Panels - Optional 2 color plate where clear or white filament can be used to print the Lower, Middle, and High window panes. All panels for Lower, Middle, and High windows. Do not print if printing Plate 16.

34) Skylight Sides - Optional 2 color plate where clear or white filament can be used to print the Skylight window panes. Do not print if printing Plate 15.

Enjoy