Devlog #2: Adding Weight and Printing the Final Set

I was trying to avoid the cheap-plastic-toy feeling that a 3D-printed piece can have.

So, how can one make a piece feel more premium? Touch and weight are the two main factors that I can think of and have control over.

From my experience, the solid touch can be achieved with glossy finish. Also it fills the gaps between the printed layers. But the weight … the weight probably can be achieved by adding metal into the piece.

At first I thought about adding a metal bolt into the piece, but after a quick visit to a local DIY store, I realized that a nut would be a much better idea. As it would be easier to prepare for 3D printing - fewer supports needed in the fight against gravity.

Painting the 32 pieces

When printing the pieces, I had a “genius” idea to print the black pieces with black PLA and the white ones with white PLA. But after the first layer of paint was applied, I realized that one cannot see the amount of paint applied, as the color matches the PLA color. That was a blunder, but somehow I managed to get it right in the end. As one can see the glossiness of the fresh paint, and that was good enough.

Afterwords

If you will paint a 3D-printed piece, make sure you print in neutral color, as it will be much easier to see the amount of paint during priming.