I have been trying to print the miniature shown below for over a week. I am using Bambu PLA Basic (for the model and supports) and I have let Bambu Studio select the support via auto and manual. I have tried all the standard support options BS offered, but the end result was hopelessly stuck supports and broken off model parts. I cannot share the actual STL or BS file because it is a copyrighted and paid model, but I can share the various setting is requested.
I also tried altering the standard support settings using various BS settings for support settings I found online, all to no avail. Does anyone have any insight they could offer so I can print tis for my niece and have it come out in one piece? Thank you.
Here is the model, and the two different support types that both failed miserably.
Yeah… I tried that too when I got my first printer. Let me save you a lot of time and aggravation. You can’t do this with an filament printer. These models were specifically designed for Resin Printers. Ask me how I know?
Here’s a model that I tried to print and learned that valuable lesson.
Note: I did eventually get it to print but as you will quickly find out, you do more carving and sanding of the supports than it’s worth.
But if you are hell-bent on making the effort. I can tell you standard grid supports you show above just won’t work on a model like that. You need to use manual tree supports and paint in the areas you want to support by hand, a very tedious task indeed that requires hours of trial and error. Even so, you’ll still be going through a lot of cutting and sanding. Keep a set of sharp X-acto blades handy because only a sharp knife cuts well. Oh… and did I mention a box of Band-Aids nearby too?
As Olias mentioned, this is pretty much a worst case scenario for FDM. That sickle in particular (but not only) is a hughe challenge.
It may be possible though. But key to that question is at what size you do want to print it. For something like this, larger is better due to strength of the model parts required during printing and support removal. It would also help tremendously if you would be able to segement the model into different parts for gluing using CAD like Onshape.
If you do attempt to print this, you will want to use a dissimilar or even a water soluble filament for the support interface.
I have tried PVA in the past but, well, let’s just forget about that. It was in pre-Bambu days.
However, with BVOH (Fiberlogy) I have had great success for PLA. But you must stick to the recommended settings and make absolutely sure that it is bone dry!!! Also, make sure that the Min/Max temp settings for all filaments are in the printable range for all filaments. PVA/BVOH decompose and clog a nozzle pretty quickly.
You could also be adventurous and go for PETG as a support interface layer for this print in PLA. However, it is a bit of a risk… Keep that box of Band-Aid close and get some CA adhesive and disposable gloves.
I’m not even sure I could pull that off with PVA. Even with that there are way too many places for something to go south.
You can print minis I with a .2 nozzle but even then, supports are going to kill you with the details.
Send that off to someone who does print as a service. I know you said it’s copyrighted but you may just check with the creator and see if they have any objections. Will save you money and aggravation in the long run.
The real challenge was it not being PLA. It was a PETG Basic print … when all the default settings were just unusable … Took 4,5 days. After 3 weeks of failures
These on the other hand were almost print and forget. PLA with BVOH interface. I was initially worried the belly “island” would not print but it turned out to not be a problem. Nowadays, I’d do them with a PETG interface.
For this I used Orca. They have an experimental tree support that’s light, smaller interface. It’ll warn you it’s weaker but on something like this it wouldn’t matter. You may have to slow it down more. Since I’m not printing it there was no need to go into any settings other than support.
This is a 50mm with some decent overhangs. I set this up using PETG as the support interface with a .2 nozzle. PVA would take a little longer but have the benefit of just dropping in a glass of water for a bit.
Details will be there, but they won’t be sharp as in resin. Some will get lost. This is at .10 but you could go lower. I don’t think you’re going to gain much by doing that. I think with PVA or PETG you have a fighting chance.
I’d also print at 100% infill. The model was created for resin so infill will make it a little weaker, not that there’s much infill to begin with.
If I weren’t lazy and didn’t want to put in my .2 and dry the pva I’d print it.
Probably not. Never tried it. Would have to be very dry. Doesn’t need hardned nozzle so I would assume it would.
You know what they say about assuming though.
I missed the sword. Was doing 3 things at a time, uploading new model to MO and fixing a pic and trying to slice that. My bad.
So, I upsized the model 400%. I used slim automatic tree supports and tweaked a few setting to minimize them. The final model was about 4.5 inches tall, however it was still a bad result. Now I am convinced I could make this work at this scale if not for the supports being welded to the model. You can see the numerous hair support in the back of the head. There is absolutely no delineation between the hair and the support. They are completely fused. I have tried both Bambu and Sunlu filaments and even different colors-but no luck.
Is there a setting that I can change that will create a gap between the model and the supports, or is this a temperature issue, perhaps extruding too hot? I did print this with fans at full and the door open on one try, still with no joy.
You can increase the top support distance. But quality and in-print stability are likely to suffer.
However, if you have an AMS, I would advise using a different interface material. At least PETG for PLA and reduce the Top interface distance to 0.0mm.
I too love frustrating things! Thanks to Google’s reverse image search I just bought the model and when I get home tonight I’ll try my hand at it. I’ll report back my results.
Check it out, I did it at 400% too. The last pic is my support settings… I THINK all the other tabs are the “0.2mm Standard X1C” profile settings.
I know that the BVOH expands quite a bit during heating so it would probably be “fun” to calibrate it for a smaller nozzle.
