Any tips for someone brand new to 3d printing and creating a costume?

[Lizmantis]

Hey everyone!

I am a massive fan of Halo ever since CE came out all those years ago and always wanted to make my own outfit, particularly a ODST with an M7S SMG, however whenever I start looking I find I get confused with the amount of information available and don't make any progress.

I was just wondering if you guys had any tips about getting into 3d printing and cosplaying, such as good printers, tips and tricks and all of that fun stuff.


Thank you so much!

 

[PlanetAlexander]

Hiya Lizmantis, welcome to the 405th. With 3D printing there's honestly just so many variables to account for, that usually you're best off learning by making mistakes along the way and learning how to fix them. I can say that it's always best to start with some tests - like a Benchy and temperature tower, to make sure the printer is calibrated.

As for printers, take a look at what some of our members use - it may give you an idea of what would work for you:

What's Your Printer?

This question always seems to come up a decent bit so I figured "why not just make a thread?" Post your printer(s) you use for props and costumes and if you like them! This is to help newer people figure out what printer they may want for starting their costuming adventure Printer Name Bed...

www.405th.com

 

[CasuallyFlacid]

The only real tips I can give you is to make sure everything is properly calibrated before you hit start. Be prepared for failures, but don't let them stress you too much as it's totally normal! 3D printing takes alot of time and effort to dial in, but it's 100% worth the trouble. Do your research and find a nice, reputable printer. Don't be afraid to pay a little extra if it means you get a quality machine. I personally use a pair of Ender 5 Plus models because I like the big 35 cm build plate. This comes at a cost though, because they take up a ton of space and they are harder to dial in cuz of the very long belts and bowden tube (which is why i dumped a ton of $ into upgrades like direct drive and such). There are a ton of people here that 3d print, so learn the pros and cons before you make the investment.

 

[DeltaAlphaZulu]

Hey everyone!

I am a massive fan of Halo ever since CE came out all those years ago and always wanted to make my own outfit, particularly a ODST with an M7S SMG, however whenever I start looking I find I get confused with the amount of information available and don't make any progress.

I was just wondering if you guys had any tips about getting into 3d printing and cosplaying, such as good printers, tips and tricks and all of that fun stuff.


Thank you so much!

Welcome to the 405th!

As far as starting out with 3d printing i would recommend starting with a smaller printer to learn with. I'd recommend a Creality Ender 3 because it's big enough to do components but small enough that most prints won't be measured in days. Also most issues you will see will translate to larger printers you may get as you get more into 3d printing. It's also pretty cost conservative, I got mine for 180$ on Amazon!

Side note: before getting into 3D printing it's important to make sure that you have or have access to a computer that can run slicing software.

If you decide to make an armor set and want to do an ODST, I would choose the M7 SOCOM as a first project. You really don't need to worry about scaling it and it's not so big that you have to focus on slicing models. It lets you put you focus on learning the printer more than the prop building.

After you get something like that done then I'd do a helmet. The helmet is like a intro step into doing a suit because it's one of the more complex parts and by the time you get done with the rest of the armor with all your new experience and wisdom you'll probably want to remake the helmet anyway!

I have also started doing some tutorial videos on 3d printing and prop making so if you have any questions feel free to ask! Most questions I get I usually end up turning into videos that I haven't made yet.

Once again welcome to the 405th and I can't wait to see what you build!

 

[marinesniper]

yes be ready for some failed prints but dont let it set you back keep moving forward 3d printing is crazy at times but in the end it is well worth it. i use cr10 and anycubic chiron all the bigger platforms and i have a lot of problems but i can tell you is that if you are and like to solve problems then you will have a blast its fun when you figure it out but if not hit us up and we might be able to help you..

 

[Spartan513]

Hey everyone!

I am a massive fan of Halo ever since CE came out all those years ago and always wanted to make my own outfit, particularly a ODST with an M7S SMG, however whenever I start looking I find I get confused with the amount of information available and don't make any progress.

I was just wondering if you guys had any tips about getting into 3d printing and cosplaying, such as good printers, tips and tricks and all of that fun stuff.


Thank you so much!

Just be patient.. it’s going to all take time, effort and there will be times you question everything getting into it lol… but it is so worth it in the end! Best hobby around!