It’s time for another E3D community shoutout! There are so many amazing creatives in our community, and we want to give them their moment to shine by sharing their work with others.
Perhaps you've recently finished a 3D printing project that you're super proud of. Perhaps you want to nominate someone else for their work. We want to hear!
This time we’ve featured Jason Walker, who shared his Witcher project with us:
Hello Jason! Tell us a bit about yourself
I am currently working as a systems engineer in the aerospace industry and would like to do something 3D-printing-related as my job in the very near future.
I enjoy gaming, particularly retro Sega games which is pretty clear from the 3D prints I have done to date!
How did you get into 3D printing?
I’ve had an interest in 3D printing for many years and finally took the plunge in December 2020! I bought myself an Original Prusa Mini+ and absolutely love it!
I usually print something at least once a week and have been sharing my work on my social media accounts since around February this year. I like making and tinkering with things and having a 3D printer has created so many more opportunities for projects!
Tell us about your project
For my Witcher project I wanted to include the Wolf School Medallion design by Daniel Walsh but make a mount for it and include lights. I wanted the wolf eyes to illuminate and for each of the Witcher Signs (i.e. Aard, Quen, Axii, Igni & Yrden) to light up in turn along with the runic version of each Sign name.
The final product on a Prusa Mini
I hollowed out the Wolf School Medallion model so I could fit a short LED strip in the wolf’s head and printed some lenses for the eyes with clear filament. The plaque itself was done from scratch, mostly in TinkerCAD. This needed access to the inside of the wolf head and a cavity around the perimeter for LED wiring. I also incorporated a micro-USB adapter to power to the microcontroller and an illuminated rocker switch so it could be switched off when not in use.
The design is made up of multiple colours and contains LED strips for lighting
I used coloured filaments as light filters for the Witcher Signs/Runes on the perimeter which meant that the LED strips only needed to shine white and change brightness - this made coding a lot easier! I made 2 different patterns for each LED strip (one in the wolf head and one around the edge of the plaque) which alternate after 60 seconds.
Jason's project has embedded LEDs that light up in the dark!
I was really pleased with the end result and the lights really make the Witcher Sign runes and symbols pop!
Did you develop any skills during this project?
I had limited experience with programming an Arduino which I used to control the LED strips. I managed to get two different patterns for both strips working and then alternating after 60 seconds which is the most complex one, I’ve done so far! (Shoutout to Scott Marley for his awesome FastLED tutorials on YouTube!!)
What’s your next big project?
I am currently trying to develop my 3D sculpting skills and would like to recreate some of the statues from the now closed SegaWorld parks in London and Sydney. I was never able to go to the parks when they were open, but I would be able to replicate some of the displays myself thanks to 3D printing!
What would your dream printer set-up be?
An E3D ToolChanger would be number one on my wish list!
What advances would you like to see in 3D printing in the coming years?
Honestly, I’m still amazed how far it has come to date as I have only started using it myself fairly recently! I hope that the current momentum of developments and improvements continues with the support and engagement with the community.
You can find all Jason’s designs on PrusaPrinters.
Get featured!
Want to get featured on our community page? Get in touch with us on Discord, or contact support@e3d-online.com to let us know about your project! Don't forget to follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Discord, and LinkedIn to stay up to date.