Lighting Up 3D Printed Cosplay

Our April Hacker of the Month is an incredible cosplayer from Cambridge, Massachusetts who goes by the identify of Spoon Makes; Alina Granville.

As a younger woman rising up, Alina was given the Spoon moniker in grade faculty when mysteriously, a spoon flew out of her lunch field a lot to the amazement of her friends. As she grew older and commenced to create issues, particularly cosplay and props, she added the Makes because the second portion herself.

Alina’s first introduction to 3D printing was for an structure class challenge again in 2009. She was in a position to print one part of her design on a powder-based, Z-Corp printer. After this, she continued to dabble in 3D printing for architectural design, broadening her efforts on Stratasys printers as effectively, however she actually didn’t begin getting severe about 3D printing cosplay till 2016.

“On the time, the prop I used to be making had a really difficult formed tail that wanted to be glued to a vacuum, so I printed my solely PLA prop ever on an Ultimaker2. The opposite half of the prop was carved from XPS foam sitting on my kitchen ground. My condo isn’t sufficiently big for tons of hand constructing and the mess it generates, so 3D printing appeared like the way in which to go sooner or later.”

Presently, she prints with a customized Core-XY printer with a construct dimension of about 310x410x350mm – roughly primarily based on the D-Bot construct, it makes use of linear rails as a substitute of wheels and a direct drive BondTech v6.

“It is design was pushed primarily based off my printing preferences and my want for producing props and cosplays. On the time I used to be searching for a method to 3D print some outsized clear versatile boots for my Torbjorn construct, so my fiance and I constructed it final spring/summer season to make the boots… it is our first private printer! We might have purchased one thing off the shelf, however nothing actually suited my wants in an affordable worth vary and it turned out to be an incredible expertise and never too difficult. The method taught me how printers labored and since I understand how the whole lot goes collectively it’s manner simpler to troubleshoot or make modifications. I additionally usually borrow a Flashforge Creator Professional; it is nothing fancy nevertheless it reliably will get the job performed. Now and again, components can be printed on a Markforged with nylon if a component must be a mechanically practical.”

Alina likes to make use of ABS primarily due to its energy and talent to be welded. Final yr her focus turned to clear colour ABS, which was good for her Torbjorn cosplay as a result of there are few different supplies which are structural, translucent, inexpensive and light-weight. She began to print with nylon for her cosplay, however she stories that the ending choices are extra restricted than ABS, and rather more technically difficult for printing massive cosplay objects. Due to her affinity for translucent ABS, her preliminary prop was a glowing sword for a Saber Alter cosplay. She additionally used translucent ABS and TPU primarily for her Torbjorn cosplay with varied ending methods for the completely different elements:

“Since I exploit ABS my ending methods differ from most cosplayers that use PLA, in comparison with them I exploit quite a bit fewer putties, fillers, and primers. My most important post-processing technique includes a mix of sanding and bushing on acetone to easy and refine the prints. I’ve tried passive vapor sharpening, nevertheless it did not work that effectively for cosplay; there are points becoming bigger components within the contained vapor, the vapor would not evenly distribute on all faces, it takes a very long time to dry, and it simply blurs all of the element. Whereas labor intensive, brushing on acetone and permitting it to evaporate works effectively for me with out eroding the small print and the sanding mud appears to assist easy the print (additionally as a plus the acetone appears to bond the layers collectively higher). I am going to normally end with 1-2 layers of sandable/filler/auto primer earlier than paint, nonetheless, I had nice outcomes skipping primer on my Torbjorn construct. I avoid utilizing an excessive amount of primer, it erases particulars and too thick layers are simple to chip. For becoming a member of items collectively I additionally use an acetone ABS juice, it is my go to. I do know lots of people like to make use of a thicker slurry, however I work with a skinny consistency – it dries quick and would not get gummy; the bottom line is to use sufficient layers of the skinny juice to soak/soften the components earlier than urgent them collectively. To repair gaps, cracks, and seams I’ve began utilizing a 3D printing pen, adopted by the brushed on acetone to weld it to the half, then sand it stage with the print. I am going to nonetheless use the filling putties if crucial or to be faster, however there is no must waste as a lot materials slathering it everywhere in the print to sand it off. For components with glowing bits I discovered it’s best to avoid putties and sanding layers of primer. Even opaque filaments can have gentle bleed so something with uneven layers might be seen beneath the paint. Ending TPU, however, is a completely completely different beast, which I have not found out any superb constant resolution but, proper now I have been utilizing a soldering iron and completely different versatile coatings and paint. One other enjoyable method I exploit on some items is dye! It is a great way to paint translucent items if you do not have an airbrush.”

Alina’s cosplay characters up to now have been picked from some wonderful sources, lots of which come from Blizzard Leisure; Nova from StarCraft/Heroes of the Storm, in addition to Mei and Torbjorn from Overwatch. She has additionally accomplished a cosplay for Saber Alter, an anime tackle the legend of King Arthur.

“In cosplay, there are such a lot of completely different methods and supplies persons are utilizing. The primary purpose I give attention to printing is that it’s comparatively compact. House dwelling is reasonably tight, there is no storage or yard, there is no devoted messy area, there aren’t any further tables for large molds to treatment. Printing, however, takes up quite a bit much less area, simpler to retailer filament spools than different supplies, is, for probably the most half, an additive course of (versus carving foam with a knife or Dremel which make an enormous mess), and as a plus produces light-weight, extremely clear and detailed outcomes.”

As to why 3D printing is such a big a part of her course of for producing cosplay props?

“When it comes to cosplay, it permits me to supply a clear product with excessive accuracy and element. The ultimate product is sturdy and may face up to the excessive stress touring, sitting in scorching vehicles (do not strive that with PLA!), and the pains of conference accidents (had a prop take a 5’+ fall onto tough concrete and all of the epoxy joints broke however the print was solely flippantly scuffed up), all whereas being comparatively light-weight. There are many different supplies utilized in cosplay like EVA and XPS foam, worbla, and thibra, and casting resins…however I see 3D printing as a center floor between all of them by way of worth, weight, energy, and ease of use.”

“I additionally say the printer is like an additional set of arms. It is virtually like I can double my work time since I can spend the time modeling, then whereas it is printing I can work on different issues! Nevertheless, I personally do not feel 3D printing quickens the cosplaying course of considerably if something focusing solely on printing is slower than working by hand (as a result of lengthy print occasions and coping with print striations). Most individuals are utilizing private printers for printing very small and detailed issues, however cosplay is massive and detailed. I am prone to spend further time perfecting my fashions from references once I’m working in CAD, then if I used to be strictly working by hand the place I may be extra forgiving if it is not as correct. However ultimately that pays off and may have some very skilled outcomes! In the event you’re sensible about it and work with a number of supplies, 3D printing can actually pace issues up in the event you use it to print detailed tedious components and use easy flat inventory to make the remainder. Working via CAD and 3D printing might be actually useful at occasions for mockups, it is simple and fast to print off smaller variations of fashions to only wrap your head round complicated designs or print small sections to examine match or joints. That is one thing cosplayers must do extra usually as 3D printing might be unforgiving with errors. Relying on the ‘anatomy’ of the print, you’ll be able to’t simply lower a mannequin shorter or warmth it into form to make it work like different supplies.”

3D printing has allowed Alina to supply superb cosplay on a good funds – one thing cosplayers are infamous for. She stories that with out the entry and low-cost availability of translucent ABS filament, her Torbjorn costume wouldn’t have been attainable.

Among the best issues about utilizing 3D printing in making her superb cosplays is the success of the costumes and props and the overwhelmingly optimistic suggestions she has acquired – it retains her coming again to do it time and again!

What cosplay is up subsequent for Alina? If her FaceBook web page is any indication, it appears to be like like she can be going for the most recent character to affix the Overwatch line-up, a feminine engineer named Brigitte, who occurs to be the daughter of Torbjorn!

For the longer term, Alina is engaged on doing a little fee items, in addition to beginning a line of how-to movies on her manufacturing and ending methods for her wildly profitable cosplay designs. We will’t wait to see what she desires up and creates subsequent, and we sit up for following up together with her sooner or later – good luck Alina!

Need to be our subsequent Hacker of the Month? E-mail chris.morgan@matterhackers.com, and inform us about your 3D printed creations – you may be featured in our subsequent e-newsletter. Hacker of the Month wins 3 free spools of PRO Sequence PLA or ABS filament to additional their pursuit of 3D printing greatness!

Hero picture courtesy of John Jiao