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We love 3D printed puzzle boxes at All3DP. As such, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that we’re featuring 3D Printy (Joe) in this week’s Designer Spotlight. After all, he’s got some wildly popular and challenging designs, from a gift box to Dracula’s tower, as well as a brick block and even a Christmas tree. But these brain teasers are far from the only models he’s created – his more than 240 shared designs on Printables are a testament to that.

And the best part? Not only are 3D Printy’s models impeccably designed, he’s also got a YouTube channel with guides on assembly, 3D printing tips, and Q&As with makers and members of the 3D printing community. How cool is that? Let’s learn more about him!

Q&A

All3DP: Tell us a little about yourself – what’s your background?

3D Printy: I’m a hobbyist designer with a focus on mechanisms, puzzle boxes, containers, and toys. I studied Industrial Design when prototypes were mostly handmade from modeling foam and layers of Bondo. The boom in 3D printing changed that, but the lessons on iterative design remain.

How do you get the ideas for your designs?

Many projects are inspired by tactile nostalgia. One of my fidget designs is a simple two-button toggle switch. The way the buttons snap back and forth is reminiscent of a toddler toy from the 80s. Other designs, like the puzzle boxes, come from experimenting with unusual mechanisms.

How much does the technical side of 3D printing (e.g. supports, a design that requires assembly or one that’s printable in one piece) come into play when you’re designing? Or is your designing entirely independent from 3D printing and you later figure out how they work together best?

Printability is something I keep in mind during the entire design process and I avoid supports whenever I can. Some of my models are simple enough to print as a single piece, including a few print-in-place puzzle boxes. But more complicated models require assembly to avoid supports or improve mechanical properties.

Of all the things you’ve created, which are you most fond of and why?

At the moment, I’d pick the Treasure Chest Puzzle Box. Without spoiling the puzzle, the hidden mechanism is tricky, yet simple. I reworked the puzzle a few years later and that updated version is a nice demonstration of how experience and iteration leads to better design.

If you could step back in time and give yourself some advice from the beginning, what would it be?

This isn’t really helpful to anyone else, but… I’d tell myself to spend a little more time picking out a unique username. That said, my second pick was going to be “Idle Trifles”, and I’m not sure that would’ve been any better.

Image of: — It's easy to see why it's the designer's favorite print (Source: 3DPrinty via Printables)

Rapid Fire

Favorite CAD software? Fusion
Favorite slicer? PrusaSlicer
Favorite 3D printer? Prusa XL
Favorite filament material to print with? PLA (cheap for prototypes, not-so-cheap for final prints)
Favorite filament brand? Duramic 3D, Printed Solid Jessie, Protopasta

Find H On

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License: The text of "Designer Spotlight: 3D Printy" by All3DP is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.