Material
The filament you choose affects strength, flexibility, finish options, and price. Here's a breakdown of the three materials offered.
Not sure which to pick? PLA is the right choice for most decorative or non-functional prints. Choose PETG if the part needs to handle stress or moisture. Choose TPU if it needs to flex or grip.
Material comparison
| Material | Strength | Flexibility | Heat resistance | Best for | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PLA |
|
|
|
Models, figurines, prototypes, gifts | $ |
| PETG |
|
|
|
Functional parts, brackets, enclosures, outdoor use | $$ |
| TPU |
|
|
|
Grips, gaskets, phone cases, wearables, flexible joints | $$$ |
Material details
PLA: Polylactic Acid
A plant-based plastic that's easy to print with and produces crisp detail. Rigid and slightly brittle. Not ideal for high-heat environments (softens above ~60°C).
Pros
- Sharpest detail
- Widest color range
- All finishes available
- Most affordable
Cons
- Brittle under impact
- Low heat resistance
- Not food-safe
PETG: Polyethylene Terephthalate Glycol
The all-rounder. Tougher and more heat-resistant than PLA, with a slight flex that helps absorb impacts. Its natural surface is glossy and slightly translucent.
Pros
- Strong & durable
- Handles moisture well
- Good heat resistance (~80°C)
- Glossy finish included
Cons
- Glossy finish only
- Slightly stringy
- Costs more than PLA
TPU: Thermoplastic Polyurethane
Rubber-like and highly flexible. Great for anything that needs to bend, stretch, grip, or absorb shock. Slower to print than rigid materials.
Pros
- Very flexible
- Impact resistant
- Great grip surface
Cons
- Matte finish only
- Higher cost
- Longer print times
Ready to order?
Pick your material on the order form. The price estimator updates automatically.
Finish
Finish refers to the surface texture and filament type of the final print. Each material has its own set of available finishes. The order form automatically grays out options that don't apply.
Matte
The natural look of FDM printing: flat, non-reflective, and uniform. Layer lines may be subtly visible. Great for functional parts and a clean look.
Standard, no extra cost
- Available on PLA
- Not available on PETG
- Available on TPU
Glossy / Translucent
Semi-clear and shiny, the natural surface of PETG filament. Light passes through slightly, giving it a polished, glass-like quality.
Standard, no extra cost
- Not available on PLA
- PETG only
- Not available on TPU
Silk
A pearlescent, satin-like sheen that catches the light beautifully. Uses specialty silk PLA filament. Stunning on figurines, statues, gifts, and anything decorative.
+$1.00 per print
- Available on PLA
- Not available on PETG
- Not available on TPU
Wood
Uses wood-fill PLA, a PLA filament blended with real wood particles. Produces a natural grain texture and earthy tones. Only available in light and dark wood colors.
+$1.00 per print
- Available on PLA
- Not available on PETG
- Not available on TPU
Silk looks especially striking with metallic or multicolor filaments. If you're ordering a figurine or decorative piece, it's a great upgrade for just $1.
PETG's glossy / translucent finish is its natural surface. No post-processing needed. It's included at no extra cost and is the only finish option for PETG.
Wood finish automatically limits your color choices to light and dark wood tones. The order form handles this when you select it.
Finish availability may vary by color. Some combinations aren't stocked. Dan will confirm before printing and suggest the closest alternative if needed.
Finish is selected on the order form.
Unavailable options are automatically grayed out based on your chosen material.
Color
A wide range of colors is available across all three materials. Special options like rainbow, wood tones, and custom colors are also supported, with some caveats.
Standard colors
White
Black
Gray
Red
Blue
Green
Yellow
Orange
Purple
Pink
Teal
Natural
Wood finish colors
Light Wood
Dark Wood
Wood finish is only available in these two tones. The standard color palette is hidden automatically when you select Wood on the order form.
Special options
Rainbow / Multi-color
Printed using color-change or multi-color filament. Produces a gradient effect that transitions between hues along the print height or across layers. Each print is unique.
Works best on taller prints where the color transitions are visible. Only available in PLA.
Custom Color
Have a specific color in mind? Use the custom color picker on the order form to select a hex value, or describe it in words (e.g. "dusty rose", "forest green", "steel blue"). Dan will source the closest available match.
Custom colors are subject to stock availability. Dan will confirm the closest match before printing.
Not every color is available in every material. Specialty colors like silk, neon, and glow-in-the-dark only exist in PLA. Dan will flag any unavailable combination before printing.
Pick your color on the order form.
Use the + button for custom colors, or describe the shade you're after in the notes field.
Scale
Scale determines how large or small the model is printed relative to its original designed dimensions. 100% means the model prints at the size it was designed. You can scale up or down to fit your needs.
Size comparison at different scales
25%
miniature
50%
half size
100%
as designed
150%
enlarged
200%
double size
Scaling affects price. A print at 200% uses roughly 8× the filament of a 100% print (volume scales cubically). The price estimator accounts for this if you enter weight and time from a slicer.
Things to know about scaling
Details at small scales
Fine details like thin walls, text, or small features can disappear below ~50% scale. If detail matters, let Dan know in the notes and a minimum recommended scale can be confirmed.
Structural limits at large scales
Very large prints may need to be split into multiple pieces and assembled. I have multiple printers with different build volumes. The largest is the VzBot 330 with a 330 × 330mm build plate, so most models fit in one piece. Dan will confirm the right printer for your model and flag any size exceptions before starting.
Non-uniform scaling
It's possible to scale X, Y, and Z axes independently, useful for fitting a model to specific dimensions. Just describe what you need in the order notes (e.g. "make it exactly 10cm tall").
Not sure what scale to use? Describe what you want in the notes field, for example "I want this to fit in the palm of my hand" or "it needs to be about 30cm tall", and Dan will figure out the right scale.
Specify your scale in the notes field.
You can describe a dimension, a percentage, or just describe the intended size in plain English.
Infill
Infill is the internal structure of a print, specifically the material that fills the space between the outer walls. It's expressed as a percentage: 0% is hollow, 100% is completely solid.
Infill density guide
0%: Hollow
No infill
Vases, decorative shells, lightweight display pieces
10–20%: Light
Default range
Models, figurines, decorations. Anything that doesn't need to bear load.
30–50%: Medium
General purpose
Brackets, enclosures, parts that see occasional stress or impact
60–80%: Dense
High strength
Load-bearing parts, tools, hinges, anything needing rigidity
100%: Solid
Maximum strength
Maximum strength parts, press-fit connectors, parts under constant stress
For most decorative prints, 15–20% infill is plenty. You'll rarely need above 50% unless the part has a structural job to do. Higher infill means more filament, more time, and higher cost.
Not sure what infill to use? Leave it at the default (20%) and mention the intended use in the notes. Dan can recommend the right density for your specific application.
Infill is set with a slider on the order form.
The price estimator updates in real time as you adjust it.
Quality
Quality controls the layer height, specifically how thick each slice is. Thinner layers mean finer detail and smoother surfaces, but longer print times. Thicker layers print faster and use slightly more filament per layer, but the overall difference in material cost is small. The main tradeoff is time and surface appearance.
Draft: 0.3mm
Fastest option. Layer lines are clearly visible up close. Great for prototypes, test fits, and anything where appearance doesn't matter. Price is reduced by ~15%.
0.85× price
Standard: 0.2mm
The default and most common choice. Good balance of detail and speed. Layer lines are visible under close inspection but look clean at normal viewing distance. Suitable for the vast majority of prints.
default · 1.0× price
Fine: 0.1mm
Highest detail. Surface texture is very smooth, curves look clean, and fine features are well-defined. Takes significantly longer to print. Best for display models, figurines, and anything you want to look its best. Price is increased by ~30%.
1.3× price
Comparison
| Setting | Layer Height | Surface Finish | Print Time | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Draft | 0.3mm | Visible layers | Fastest | Prototypes, test prints, internal parts |
| Standard | 0.2mm | Good, slight texture | Moderate | Most prints, everyday default |
| Fine | 0.1mm | Smooth, minimal lines | Slowest | Display models, figurines, gifts |
Quality affects price. Draft is ~15% cheaper than Standard, and Fine is ~30% more expensive. The price estimator on the order form updates automatically when you change the quality setting.
Not sure which to pick? Standard is the right default for almost everything. Only choose Fine if surface appearance is important, and Draft if you just need a quick functional part.
Quality is set in each model's settings panel.
You can set different quality levels for different models in the same order.