ErnieHorning
Supporting Member
This isn't exactly Christmas related but I suppose it could be. I was ask by a friend, who's the drummer of his own band, if I could print a large stage prop for his band. The prop would sit out front, along side the bass drum. His record company is Alligator Records so he gives out hundreds of miniature squeaky alligators, mostly to kids but some of the adults like them too. So I took a picture of the little squeaker and tried to find a similar model or STL file that I could modify and make it bigger. No luck. His Alligator is more of a friendly looking alligator and everything I found was mean looking. He doesn't want anything that could or would scare little kids.
So I ask ChatGPT. Of course it claims to be able to do anything, whether it can or not. Well, after a long discussion, I determined that it couldn't. It did create a nice graphical drawing of what it would do if it could.
With a bit of luck, I found a website that could do what I want from just a picture. This site can do a lot more too but I was interested in this particular sub menu. You can upload a 2D picture and it somehow creates a complete 3D model, including the unseen back, which it can export as an STL file.
So Far, I've printed out a small PLA foot long prototype as a sample that he can analyze and determine if this is what he wants. I'm amazed that even though it feels strong, it hardly weighs much.
Once this is approved, I'll add the colors and make it two feet long, or whatever he feels is the appropriate size. Obviously it'll need to be split in two or three pieces. I don't know yet if the connections will be a twist lock or pin/hole locators that will just be glued together. The final print will be PETG. though.
So I ask ChatGPT. Of course it claims to be able to do anything, whether it can or not. Well, after a long discussion, I determined that it couldn't. It did create a nice graphical drawing of what it would do if it could.
With a bit of luck, I found a website that could do what I want from just a picture. This site can do a lot more too but I was interested in this particular sub menu. You can upload a 2D picture and it somehow creates a complete 3D model, including the unseen back, which it can export as an STL file.
So Far, I've printed out a small PLA foot long prototype as a sample that he can analyze and determine if this is what he wants. I'm amazed that even though it feels strong, it hardly weighs much.
Once this is approved, I'll add the colors and make it two feet long, or whatever he feels is the appropriate size. Obviously it'll need to be split in two or three pieces. I don't know yet if the connections will be a twist lock or pin/hole locators that will just be glued together. The final print will be PETG. though.
