Nautilus Shell Castle (Fabonacci/Logarithmic Spiral)

thingiverse

For this design, I aimed to create something truly distinctive from the standard castle build, while still capturing the essence of mathematics in a unique way. I decided to craft a Nautilus shell sand mold that embodies the Fibonacci and logarithmic spiral patterns. Once printed, the mold can be filled with sand and turned over onto the ground, revealing an awesome spiral visual effect. Create multiple molds at the beach to produce an artistic expression like no other. I discovered a captivating Nautilus shell image online, which I used as reference to trace the intricate underside pattern. With surface modeling in SolidWorks, I skillfully sculpted the shell design into a solid model that perfectly captured its essence. To ensure successful printing from bottom up, consider using rafts or an adhesive on the build plate to prevent the part from curling out of shape. Several designers took inspiration from this challenge by incorporating math with functional sand molds. If I were lucky enough to win a 5th Gen MakerBot, I would donate my smaller 3D printer, which I backed through crowdfunding, to a local school as soon as possible. This generous act would bring the benefits of 3D printing technology to students and educators alike. Let's celebrate math in action by creating amazing spiral designs that inspire wonder and curiosity!