09/02/2026
I just finished 2 prints, one in color and one in just white. All these tree like structures on these prints are called supports. It's a necessary part of 3d printing, although a bit wasteful. Any piece of a model that doesn't print flat needs supports to keep the print from falling apart. Not only does it add time to a print but there's always a chance of breaking off pieces of a print depending on how delicate a model is. And machines that recycle the wasteful aspects of 3d printing cost over 10k, well above what a normal person could afford. Sometimes models come with built in supports and even then that causes problems, when I've worked with presupported models my printing program didn't recognize the supports leading to me having to add a second layer of supports and over a week of picking off the overdone stuck on supports. 3d printing is a tough job but it's very rewarding.
