Introduction: Blender - Cube Star 4 Cov. Library

About: I like simple. If simple is boring, I'm boring. On the other hand, if simple designs, processes, and ideas interest you, that's what I'm offering. I specialize in if I can do it, you can too. And simply at …

This is something I put together for my local library to help demonstrate the abilities of the software program, Blender.

There's going to be a QUITE extensive followup tutorial, for now, there's this.

A rather simple model that can be 3D printed, converted to a paper model, cut out and assembled, or more.

Included here are:

- an animated GIF that covers the steps of creation
- a listing of the printability possibilities of the model created on Shapeways
- (Zipped) the models, (SVG (Inkscape - Free), STL (Blender, 3D model format), PDO (Pepakura format - there's also a free viewer), PDF print, cut, and assemble, PNG print cut and assemble, the Blender file (with the instructions from below).

Step 1: All the Files on This: SVG, STL, Blender, Etc

Step 2: Quick and Dirty...

Cube Star Instructions - for Paper Folding (using Pepakura)
(Use the Scroll bar (middle mouse wheel) on the right to see them all)

1) Add Cube (if it's not already there) - Shift-A Mesh - Cube
2) Tab - Edit
3) Alt - P (Poke)
4) A - Unselect all
5) Right Click on Center Vertex
6) Shift - G / Amount of Adjacent Faces
7) S - Scale
8) Drag mouse to right (Adjust to taste)
9) Left click to complete
10) A - Select all
11) Double tap the 'i' key for Inset
12) Drag mouse to left (Adjust to taste)
13) Left click to complete
14) X - Delete Faces
15) Tab - Exit Edit (Object Mode)
16) File / Export / STL (stl)

Import into Pepakura and adjust from there

(Finished model is on Layer 2. If you have a 3 wheel mouse, hold down the middle wheel and drag the mouse to view the model from all sides)

NOTE: The difference between this and the 3D print model is that I adjusted the thickness using the Object Modifier (Add Modifier) (Wrench Icon - Properties Menu - Right Hand side of screen) - Solidify (under "Generate)

Additional Settings:
- Check "Even Thickness"
- Set "Offset" to 0 (zero)
- Adjust thickness (Positive = Outward, Negative = Inward)
- Left mouse Click on "Apply" (or "x" to Cancel)

Adjusted size for printing is 50mm (about 2 in)

Step 3: Of Course, If You'd Rather Print It...

Here's what I got from Shapeways.

And the printability details (see second image).

Step 4: Last Minute - Bonus 3D Print File

From Top Mod (another, less used, crashes a lot, design program, can be worth the trouble some VERY
neat stuff has been done with it. I just did a quick stellation of the cube. I like it because it's a different process
than Blender and one I've had REAL good luck with in 3D printing)

Same thing, different method. slightly different outcome.

(zip file)

It's a Wavefront OBJ file. It will have to be imported into Blender. It will work at Shapeways or MOST other 3D Printing sites.

It'll probably have to be resized up.

And as you might tell from looking at it, it's not a good candidate for paper cutout modeling.