How To 3D Print Your Very Own Star Wars Droid: Episode Two

If you haven’t seen Episode 1, CLICK HERE

Welcome back, makers and droid builders! In Episode I, we started printing our new droid pieces. In this episode, we will discuss removing or sanding the initial layer lines of these printed parts. 

There are several different methods for sanding our prints, and none of them are fun. I suggest you find your zen, turn on some music or video entertainment, and dive in. In the attached video, I review my favorite methods. As long as the end result is the same, there is no wrong way to smooth your prints.

For my process, I start with 40-80 grit sandpaper. I also incorporate shaving cards and various files as needed. Both the shaving cards and the files are available in various sizes to help smooth difficult-to-reach areas. If a palm or rotary sander is available to you, I suggest using it as much as possible.

The goal with our initial sanding pass is to “muddy” our prints in a way that the individual layer lines are not noticeable. This does not need to be perfect, as we will address any shortcomings from this stage in our next video. When we finish our current stage in the sanding process, you can expect to find some deeper layer lines, printing imperfections, and sanding errors. 

During every step of the build process, it is important to remember that the more work you do now, the more money and time you’ll save later. Glimpsing into the future, any bothersome areas we do not fix at this stage can be corrected later using filler putty or spray. However, this comes at the expense of additional materials and more time spent on that upcoming stage. As you sand and smooth a few parts, you will determine what works best for you.

By now, you should have a small tote of leg pieces to work on. Our goal this month is to rough sand our leg parts in preparation for Episode III. You will need to add Bondo filler putty, Acetone, and inexpensive paint brushes to your shopping list in preparation. Next month, we will assemble the leg and smooth it in preparation for a coat of primer.

If you have any techniques or wisdom to share, please leave a comment. There is always room to improve and learn something new!

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