The holiday season is a time for remembrance, reflection, and cherishing loved ones. This year, for our family, Christmas carried a special significance as we navigated the recent passing of my Uncle Dick, a truly remarkable man deeply missed by us all. Uncle Dick was always fascinated by gadgets and cutting-edge technology, a passion that sparked an idea for a meaningful Christmas tribute. Inspired by his love for innovation, I decided to design personalized Christmas ornaments using Tinkercad and bring them to life through the magic of 3D printing. These weren’t just decorations; they were heartfelt keepsakes designed to honor his memory and embody the spirit he instilled in our family.
Uncle Dick and his daughter Colleen had created a family logo during a challenging period – a tree intertwined with a heart, accompanied by the Irish phrase “Biodh Duil,” meaning “have hope.” This logo became a symbol of resilience and unity, often adorning Christmas gifts he thoughtfully gave. Recognizing its sentimental value, I reached out to my cousin to obtain a copy of the logo. My vision was to transform this emblem of family hope into a series of unique 3d Printed Christmas Ornaments, a tangible reminder of his enduring presence during the festive season.
Converting the logo into a scalable vector graphic (SVG) format was the first step, making it compatible with Tinkercad. Within Tinkercad, I imported the SVG file and began to conceptualize the ornaments. Considering the stainless steel printing material I planned to use, which requires a minimum wall thickness of 3mm and is best suited for subtle extrusions, I set the logo’s height to approximately 4-5mm. I then adjusted its dimensions to a height of about 2.5 inches, ensuring it would be a noticeable yet elegant ornament.
To enhance the design, I experimented with various background shapes in Tinkercad, stretching and positioning them to perfectly frame the central logo. These background shapes were designed to be just over 3mm thick. Using Tinkercad’s alignment tool was crucial, ensuring the logo remained perfectly centered on all axes within the chosen background shape. Among the shapes I tested, several stood out as particularly effective, providing a harmonious backdrop for the family emblem.
For the 3D printing process, I decided to explore two reputable services: Shapeways and Ponoko. Initially, some design nuances needed refinement, but both platforms provided exceptional customer support. Their responsive teams guided me through the necessary adjustments, ensuring the designs were print-ready. The most challenging part then became the anticipation – waiting for the completed ornaments to arrive! The holiday season rush caused delays, with the Shapeways prints taking approximately a month to be delivered. The moment they arrived, I was eager to capture their detail.
The bronze-plated stainless steel ornaments exuded a warm, classic charm.
The sterling silver ornament offered a sleek, sophisticated shine.
And the gold-plated stainless steel ornaments added a touch of opulent festive gleam.
To complete these personalized Christmas ornaments, I sourced beautiful ribbons from Found Gallery and Hollander’s in Kerrytown. Selecting different ribbon styles for each ornament added a final bespoke touch. The finished 3D printed metal Christmas ornaments exceeded my expectations, transforming a heartfelt idea into tangible keepsakes that beautifully honored Uncle Dick’s memory and added a personal touch to our family Christmas tree.
