Easy Hex Thermoform Bracelet

thingiverse

This easy-to-make wristband takes just over 10 minutes to print as a flat string of hexagons. Fill a pot with water while you wait, heat it up and mold the print into a custom-fitting wristband that bends easily around your wrist! Six sizes from tiny to extra large are available; each is slightly different depending on how many hexagon layers are in the model design. A 3D printer designer got the idea for heating and shaping the bracelet after reading the instructions for Gyrobot's impressive Flexy-Finger Prothesis prototype online. Twitter followers can visit twitter.com/mathgrrl to join the conversation, while those looking for fun maker tutorials can check out www.mathgrrl.com/hacktastic. Custom prints can be purchased through www.shapeways.com/shops/mathgrrl. The print files and related images are freely available under a non-commercial Creative Commons license; users can apply to use these designs at any other rate by emailing request@mathgrrl.com. Print Settings Rafts: None Supports: Resolution: .3mm works well for this model Post-Printing Shaping the wristband takes just one minute after printing is complete. To shape the bracelet, boil some water and soak it for a couple of seconds to soften the plastic strands, making them flexible and soft enough to bend easily with a fork. Then remove it from the boiling water with a fork and quickly shape it into an arc-shaped curve before cooling rapidly. Refine the final form by heating small areas at a time and then bending each section gently.