PipeLink Chainmail Fabric

PipeLink Chainmail Fabric - Square Chainmail with a Twist

 

PipeLink Chainmail Fabric is a modern twist on traditional chainmail, and on similar 3d printed designs. While modeling the chamfered links I was reminded of classic pipeline mobile games, hence the name of this project. Unlike previously released square chainmail projects, I have modified both the typical direction of the weave, as well as adding unique edge geometry.

 

A Note Of Caution:

Please note that the difficulty in achieving a successful print will increase with the size if fabric you select. Printing a 16-576 piece of chainmail is easier than the 1,296 piece version. Before you attempt to print larger versions I highly recommend the following:

1. Use a build plate with good adhesion that has been properly washed and cleaned. I have successfully printed this design on both Supertack and Textured PEI plates.
2. Dial-in the settings for the filament you are using. If the first layer isn't perfect, the nozzle can easily catch stray plastic and destroy the print on subsequent layers due to the minimal adhesion surfaces.
3. Print smaller versions and correct any issues before printing larger versions. No one likes wasting filament on test prints, which is why the ‘Tiny’ and ‘Small’ test prints both have keyrings attached to them - it's a test print & a keyring! (Both sizes pictured above.)
4. Use Bed Leveling & Automatic Flow Dynamics Calibration… I know, I know, I leave these off for most prints to save time, but they really will help this print succeed.

Don't despair if you encounter a print failure. There is some inherent difficulty in achieving a successful print of a large model with minimal adhesion surfaces. I assure you that the print profiles I have provided will produce good results if you take the time to follow the above recommendations. Additionally, filament matters. While you may be able to print this in TPU, PETG, or any number of more exotic options, I have only printed this with basic PLA and Polymaker PLA Pro. Feel free to upload your own unique print profile if you find something that works great for you.

 

Various Print Profiles:

I've included two basic print profiles in this project. Each profile has 7 plates, each with increasingly large sizes. Here's a brief description of the plate sizes and profiles:

 

Every Profile Has These 7 Plates:

• Tiny (4x4) Keyring: A 14-minute print, perfect for testing, and it's a keyring so the print isn't a waste.
• Small (8x8) Keyring: Double the tiny fun at 35-minutes to print, it's also a keyring so the print isn't a waste.
• Intermediate (12x12): A 1-hour 12-minute print, 3-inch square panel.
• Medium (18x18): A 2-hour 32-minute print, perfect 4.5-inch square fidget size. (Pictured above.)
• Big (24x24): A 4-hour 25-minute print, 6-inch square panel.
• Bigger (30x30): A 6-hour 47-minute print, it's a bigger than big at 7.5-inches square.
• Humongous (36x36): A whopping 9-hour 42-minute print, because sometimes, biggest really is better! This takes up nearly the entire build plate. (Pictured in cover photo).

Choose A Profile:

 

PipeLink Chainmail (One Color) - I would recommend at least printing the ‘Tiny’ plate to test your printer before moving on to one of the larger plates. If Tiny prints well you should be able to print at least up to ‘Big’ without any issues.

 

PipeLink Chainmail (Two Colors) - Same as above but with a color change halfway through for an interesting effect.

 

Special Requests:

 

I've had a few special requests for custom modifications to this project. If you have a good idea I'm happy to see if I can make it happen. Feel free to leave a comment or message me directly. Here are some of the special request print profiles I have added:

 

Additional Keychains - Keychains are now available in 5 sizes of the fabric up to 24 x 24. I personally wouldn't recommend printing them that large, but if you have a specific use case for a large version you now have a profile to print them from.

 

Additional Pipelink Chainmail Projects:

 

I've done a few different projects related to this material. Here are links to my other chainmail projects:

 

Final Thoughts & Future Projects:

I am currently working on other projects including some additional variants of this design, so if you want to be notified when they or any of my other models are released, I'd encourage you to click the “Follow” button above. I greatly appreciate ratings, photos, and boosts, they are what encourage me and other creators to release free models to the community. Thanks!

 

Boost MeIf you enjoy this model or just want to encourage me to make more stuff, I would greatly appreciate a boost. Thanks!