Model Overview & Print Notes

**🎶A-B-C-D-E-F-G . . .🎶** Send a message, print a sign, or make a statement with large initials. The possibilities are endless with this "**Curved Chunky Alphabet**"! They are fun to play with for the young and young-at-heart. Print the set and then *try* to resist the urge to spell various words! --- ***[Curved Chunky Digits & Symbols](https://cults3d.com/:2606601) also available! See separate post.*** --- After printing my [LOVE Letters](https://cults3d.com/en/3d-model/art/large-love-letters), I was challenged to create every letter of the alphabet. Will they all stand upright after printing? Can I print them all on one edge rather than lying flat? Can I avoid using supports? This was a fun challenge and a good exercise for thinking about supports and best printing angles. ***Anyone new to 3D printing will find these to be an interesting way to learn.*** All letters have a matching curve on the front. They are 100 mm tall at 100% scale, however all of the ones I printed and photographed are 50 mm tall (50% scale). Everything can be printed without supports if printed on the flat back side. I printed most of them standing up or on a side so that the layer lines would be on the face of the letters. However, a few letters (C, G, S) were rather messy with supports, so I opted to print those on the flat back. Some photos include models from the [Digits & Symbols](https://cults3d.com/:2606601) set. --- ## Notes about Letters Most letters printed in an obvious way without support or with a little bit of support and are able to stand upright on their own. Some letters have overhangs that bridge fine at 50% scale, but would likely need supports if larger. *Use these letters as a learning experience with your slicer!* Some letters have particular issues and I included a few notes below. The following letters printed well on their side: **B**, **D**, **E**, **F**, **P**. Although, the **D** with the modified base (for better standing upright) prints well standing up. See photos at end for examples of both. It is possible to print **C**, **G**, and **S** with supports (and they may be good test models for soluble supports), however they were difficult to remove and the rounded edges were quite rough, so I opted to print these three on their back. See 3D Printing Settings below for details. Letters **F**, **J**, and **P** do not stand up on their own after printing and one of my goals was to make a full set of letters that could. Each of these letters have extra versions included in the set. The ones labeled "Modified Base" have a platform on the bottom to help them stand upright. The "v2" models have narrower platforms, and I added these later. The **F** and **P** with the platforms print well on the side and the **J** with the platforms print well standing up. In the photos, the **J** without the platform was printed on its back like the C, G, and S. The **Q** has three versions included in the set. The "Original" **Q** is the only letter that has a part that goes below the baseline. This would not balance well, so I included a "Rotated" version that should stand up on it's own. I did not print this one. Instead, for standing letters, my family preferred the "Modified O" that I designed as an alternate **Q**. Print **T** upside down. The **Z** needs to print flat on its back or standing upright with supports. Note that printing on its side will NOT work. The top horizontal part of the **Z** is shorter than the base horizontal part. I realized this after trying to print the **Z** on its side and the top part does not touch the plate. A little support didn't work for me either. See photo of **Z** printed standing up with support. --- Also see my [Kids & Toys Collection](https://cults3d.com/en/design-collections/abbymath/kids-toys). My [LOVE Letters](https://cults3d.com/en/3d-model/art/large-love-letters) are the same shape as the L, O, V, E from this set originally designed 180 mm tall. --- ## 3D Printing Settings Most letters are exactly 100 mm tall. Some rounded letters are slightly taller. Letters are approximately 39 mm thick and have various widths. **The alphabet shown in the photos was printed at 50% scale.** I printed upright letters with 0.2 mm layer height, 4 perimeters, 4 top layers, 3 bottom layers, and 15% infill. For the letters that I printed on their flat back (C, G, S), I used a modifier to change the layer height to 0.12 mm (rather than 0.2) and the number of perimeters to 6 after the first 9 mm (out of 19.44 mm height at 50% scale). --- ## Not for commercial use. No derivatives. See © link. --- ***[Curved Chunky Digits & Symbols](https://cults3d.com/:2606601) also available! See separate post.*** ---