If you thought 3d printing alone was cool, this just might blow your socks off!! 🧦 I have been working on a new 3d printing focused app and one of the features is directed at the Cosplay community, which is HUGE!! You can actually print directly onto some fabrics, specifically Tulle, to create really amazing "fabric" type surfaces which can be used in all kinds of applications lie clothing, costumes, purses and more! This isn't new and by no means is something I thought of, the credit actually goes to Kaizen3dPrints (https://www.instagram.com/kaizen3dprints/?hl=en) where I first learned about this technique. The process is fairly simple and it really comes down the to file you use. In the example below, I am using my new app FlexiGen (coming soon!!) to create small prototype prints to showcase new Dragon Scales that will be available inside the app. But you can easily find files on MakerWorld and other platforms as well. To get started, you need to get a roll or sheet of Tulle that has a coarse pattern (lots of open grid to print with, vs. textile fabric that are tighter pattens) as this is where the magic happens. I use these rolls from Amazon and cut them into strips as needed. Inside your file, you need to set a "Pause" layer around 5-7 layers into the print; this is where you add the tulle to the build plate. I use small 4x2 magnets to hold it down but you can also use tape; the small magnets are low enough that the printers tool head can pass over them. Once your print reaches the selected pause layer, you place the tulle over top of the print, covers all edges and ensuring it's flat with no creases that can be caught by the nozzle tip. Resume your print and watch the magic happen! Final result is incredible and opens so many options for what you can do with this technique. I recommend keeping an eye on the first layer as it prints over top to ensure nothing catches. This isn't an exact science so mistakes can happen even if you do it all correctly.

Supports that fuse to your model is not only incredibly frustrating, but it’s also a waste of material if they genuinely don’t come off and you just wasted material and time. This is a Z distance problem, and it's one setting you should know. In Bambu Studio, under Support, look for Top Z distance in Process > Support. This setting controls the vertical air gap between the top of the support and where it makes contact with your model. - Set to 0 — the support is welded to the part. It will not come off cleanly. Ever. This is ONLY used when you are using the more advanced method of multi-material supports (not covered here). - Set to one layer height (0.2mm if you're printing at 0.2mm) — supports hold the overhang up, then snap off with your fingers. This is what you want. Increase this by 0.25mm yourself to add distance or decrease it by the same increments to tighten the gap. One trade off here is appearance, if the setting is too high, the first layer of the model printed onto the support may have visible drooping. Lower settings can risk more fusion but will result in a cleaner 1st layer where the model meets the supports top. There are really excellent ways to almost completely remove issues with support scaring (the result of the support coming off the material) or low quality in the areas supports were; but I will cover that in another course. You can also use calibration files like https://makerworld.com/en/models/873128-test-supports?from=search#profileId-825432 which let’s you print test models with varying Top Z Distance to see which is right for your filament; as it can depend by filament as well. This MakerWorld model also has lots of user posting their results so you can more easily see the direct result of these changes

If you are like me, when someone asks what you'd charge for a print, it’s like a complete mental block. So you guess and you almost certainly guess low and undersell yourself. I built a calculator for this and it's free, public, and needs no account. It works for 3D Printing or Laser work and comes with settings to customize to your specific setup. 🧮 ProjectCalc — https://3dprintingcalculator.bytcoops.ca Put in filament cost, print time, and your power rate, and it gives you the real number for a 3D print or a laser cut. No signup wall, no email capture, no trial. The thing that surprises most people isn't the filament — it's how little the filament actually matters compared to the hours. A 14-hour print might use $3 of plastic. That's not what it cost you because your time has value as well. There is also general markup applied to almost all retail spaces you purchase goods from today, why would your work be any different? Run one print you've already made through it. What did it come out at, and was it higher or lower than you'd have guessed? I want to see how far off people are — I've been off by a lot.

Have you ever found yourself in a situation where the infill % or # of walls being applied to the entire file (Global tab) or per mode (Object tab) just isn’t cutting it? Most beginners have exactly two mental settings — "fast and weak" or "slow and strong" — applied to the whole object. Modifiers are how you stop choosing. In cases where you have small parts that are part of a bigger model, chances are those smaller features are weaker than the rest. In the example below, it’s the highlighted “clip” part that will close this lead screw cleaner. With standard settings, we are only getting 3 walls and 15% infill globally. Sure that helps but what if we want it to be even stronger? This is where modifiers come in 🤯 If you Right Click on any part, you can sue the “Add modifier” feature to create a shape to cover a region of a single model and give just that region different settings. In the example in this posts images,, we want to add a modifier to just the area with the clip, setting it to 100% infill and Rectilinear pattern. This gives us strength exactly where it needs to be, fast and light everywhere else. Was this helpful? Can you see yourself using this or would have used it recently? 🤔