3D Printed Fedora Bird
I'm an 11th grader from Frankfort, KY. I made this bird wearing a fedora so it could be used as entertainment and a decoration. I designed it completely on Fusion 350 and was able to print it in just over two hours with no supports.
Supplies
- Access to Fusion 360 software
- Access to CURA software
- 3D printer (I used an Artillery printer)
- Filament (I would recommend PLA of a bright color like orange)
- Spatula to remove print from plate
- Pliers to remove build plate adhesion and any supports
Create Base Forms
To create the base of the bird, use the create form option to stack two spheres on top of one another. When sketching the forms, make sure one of the spheres is on top of the other on the vertical plane and that the top sphere is smaller.
(Don't worry about the dimensions since you'll be able to resize it later in Cura, where you can customise it to the preferred projected-printing time).
Add Beak
To create the bird's beak, create a triangle on the Y plane using the sketch tool. Once satisfied with your sketch, use the double-sided extrude feature to extrude (and cut) the beak until you are satisfied with the design.
Fillet the Beak
Next, select the bottom and side of the beak (where there were sharp corners), and use the fillet tool to smooth down the sides until the triangle resembles a beak.
Create and Carve the Feet
To create the feet, use the sketch tool to draw two triangles on the bottom of the larger sphere, and extrude the shapes until they are at the desired height.
To edit the feet to look more realistic (shown in the second image), draw triangles onto the side of one of the feet and use the extrude feature (on the cut setting) to hollow out the feet.
Note: Be careful when you hollow the feet, and make sure not to hollow out more than half of the original triangle.
Add the Wings
To add the wings, use the sketch tool to draw two wings on both sides of the bird's chest. Once you've created the desired wing size and shape, use the extrusion tool to extrude them to the desired width.
Note: You can also right-click on the figure after you've created it, select "move," and shift the feature to the desired place on the bird.
Add the Tail
To add the tail, open the drawing tool and use the first use the plane facing the bird. Next, use the spline tool to draw any shape of tail/feathers you desire, and feel free to change the sizing. You can also add more volume to the bottom of the tail to help the bird stand up better, since it will add reinforcement behind the feet.
After you've drawn the tale, use the two-sided extrusion tool to cut and extrude the tale until it's at its desired width. If you want to soften the edges of the tail and the corners, you can also use the fillet tool to file down the edges.
Create the Fedora
To create the hat, draw a square on the top of the bird's head and extrude it to the desired height (if you want to make the hat look like a fedora, make sure to keep the rim thin).
Next, select the base of the hat and use the spline tool to draw an oval on the shape. After you've drawn the desired shape, extrude to the desired height. Similarly to with the wings, you can use the "move" tool to edit the placement of the hat. I chose to move the hat lower on the bird's face to make it look sinister.
Note: If you choose to keep the hat higher on the bird's head, make sure add eyes!
Upload to Cura and Print
Once you're satisfied with your bird, save the file as an STL and upload it to Cura. On Cura, adjust the sizing and supports of your print, and select slice, then preview where you'll see the projected printing time and projected print (including supports).
And print your design! Note: the smaller you make your design, the less time it will take to print. By using the "ratio" option on Cura, you can make sure the size of your model increases evenly.