Comment on Hot take: 3D printing toys kinda sucks
dual_sport_dork@lemmy.world 1 week ago
I much prefer printing mechanical things, and stuff that does stuff (or fixes stuff) is where it’s at for me. For me to print a static model it has to either be sufficiently hilarious or fit with some inside joke in my household (penguins and ducks feature prominently) or I ain’t doing it.
A word to the wise for anyone printing static models or figurines for your kids, or whatever. Print these in TPU instead of PLA. TPU is functionally indestructible except via heat, can’t shatter, won’t hurt as much if you step on it in the dark, and its moderate amount of squishiness means that it’s significantly less likely to deal damage when younger brothers throw it at older sisters.
MysteriousSophon21@lemmy.world 5 days ago
TPU is a total game changer for kid’s toys - I switched to it last summer and my daughter’s outdoor prints haven’t melted in the car like the PLA ones did (TPU’s heat resistance is around 100°C vs PLA’s sad 60°C).