Giant 3D Printed Dandelion

This is a fully 3D-printed Giant Dandelion. It uses a trick: the stems of the individual seeds are made from pieces of raw 1.75mm filament, making the final model look fluffy. Here is the step-by-step assembly manual. Print Settings & Important Tips Seed_Parachute.stl: You will need a lot of these (up to 133 pcs, but you can use fewer as long as it looks full). Crucial Slicer Setting: Make sure to enable the Arachne wall generator in your slicer. The seed parachutes have single-wall lines that need this setting to print correctly. Print in Batches: Do not print the seed parachutes one by one. Print them in batches! If printed individually, the plastic won't have enough time to cool, and the tiny hole for the filament will melt shut. What you need: Printed Parts: 100-133x Seed_Parachute 1x Seed_Base (Receptacle) 1x Bracts (Collar leaves) 1x Stem_Half_1 1x Stem_Half_2 1x Large_Leaf Tools & Consumables: Raw 1.75mm Filament (for the seed stems) Super glue (Cyanoacrylate) Flush cutters / Pliers Calipers or a ruler Small container for glue (e.g., the bottom of an aluminum soda can) Optional: Heat gun, Gloves Assembly Steps: Step 1-2: Preparing the Seed Stems You will need pieces of raw 1.75mm filament to act as the stems for each seed. Measure and cut a piece to about 30 mm. Tip: You don't need to measure every time; just use your first 30mm piece as a template to quickly cut the rest. Step 3: Preparing the Glue Pour a small puddle of super glue into a disposable container (the bottom of a cut soda can works perfectly). You will need to refill this periodically as the glue dries out. Step 4-6: Assembling the Seeds Take a 30mm piece of raw filament and dip one tip into the glue. Insert this glued tip into the center hole of a printed Seed_Parachute. Don't force it too hard; just make sure it's in, and the glue will do the rest. Let it dry. Step 7: Fluffing the Seed Once dry, gently bend the "hairs" of the parachute downwards with your fingers to give it a nice, fluffy, umbrella-like shape. Step 8-9: Planting the Seeds Dip the other end of the filament stem into the glue. Insert it into one of the holes on the Seed_Base. Again, don't force it too much; a snug fit and glue are enough. Step 10: Repeat & Batch Work Repeat steps 4 through 9 for all 100-130 seeds. Pro Tip for speed: Work in batches! Cut all your filament pieces first. Then glue all the parachutes to the stems. Then fluff them all. Finally, glue them all into the base. Step 11-13: Attaching the Bracts (Collar Leaves) Take the green Bracts part. Bend the thin leaves downwards (you can do this by hand, or carefully use a heat gun to soften the plastic). Apply glue to the center and attach it to the bottom of your fully seeded Seed_Base. Step 14: Assembling the Main Stem The main stem is split into two halves for easy printing. Apply super glue along the flat inner surface of one half and press the two halves together. (Wear gloves to avoid gluing your fingers!). Step 15: Attaching the Large Leaf Take the Large_Leaf, apply glue to the hook/peg at its base, and insert it into the designated slot at the bottom of the assembled main stem. Step 16: Final Assembly Attach your fluffy dandelion head to the top of the main stem. Your giant, everlasting dandelion is ready!