TinkerTroy Workshop

10/14/2026

Personalized Christmas Name Train

I make this personalized Santa Christmas train from the licensed STLFLIX Xmas Xpress design, modified to spell any name from 2 to 10 letters. Lowered cars, letters printed flat on a textured plate, three Santa skin tones, made to order in Hurst, TX. Shop it on Etsy....

https://tinkertroy.com/portfolio/personalized-christmas-name-train/

10/02/2026

Funding the 3D Printing Hobby on MakerWorld

MakerWorld can help fund a 3D printing hobby if you use the levers: points and boosts toward coupons, Exclusives for cash and reach, plus algorithm visibility. For Bambu ecosystem buyers, coupons usually stretch further than cash. Here's a simple playbook - fund the printing, don't build a second job....

https://tinkertroy.com/2026/10/02/funding-the-3d-printing-hobby-makerworld/

09/30/2026

The OCC Earrings Started as a Favor for a Friend

I first made these OCC airplane gift box earrings when a friend needed 20 pairs to thank shoebox volunteers. Now they're one of my busiest listings, and one buyer ordered five pairs at once for her team. Here's how they started, what they are, and when to order for collection week....

https://tinkertroy.com/2026/09/30/occ-airplane-gift-box-earrings/

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09/26/2026

Chiseled Prayer Angel

A modern take on faith and comfort, this 3D-printed faceted guardian angel features clean geometric planes, flowing drapery, and a classic display plinth. Designed to catch room light softly, it serves as a serene symbol of peace, prayer, and protection for the home....

https://tinkertroy.com/?tinkertroy_portfolio=chiseled-prayer-angel

09/25/2026

Nobody Asked for Hard Mode

I sweat tight tolerances, supportless angles, and impossible CAD - then MakerWorld crowns Benchy remixes and fidgets while Etsy buyers grab small trinkets and flat plaques. Nobody asked for hard mode. Here's a light take on two scoreboards, and why I still build the hard stuff anyway....

https://tinkertroy.com/2026/09/25/nobody-asked-for-hard-mode/

09/18/2026

Print-in-Place String Art: It’s a Bridging Skill

My string art isn’t pegs and thread — it’s print-in-place PLA bridges. This post covers the real skill: cooling and orientation, channel anchors into the start and end bodies, failure modes like sag and wall-only joints, and why Arachne can slice thin strings that classic walls skip....

https://tinkertroy.com/2026/09/18/print-in-place-string-art-bridging-skill/

09/16/2026

Bridged Filament “String Art” Turkey

I reimagined retro string-and-nail art using intentional 3D bridging. By tuning cooling speeds and anchor geometry, each colorful PLA feather strand stretches unsupported across the open tail arch straight off the build plate. The result is a modern, print-in-place Thanksgiving centerpiece that merges precision engineering with nostalgic holiday craft....

https://tinkertroy.com/portfolio/bridged-filament-string-art-turkey/

09/12/2026

Operation Christmas Child Earrings

I first made these airplane gift box earrings for a friend to thank Operation Christmas Child volunteers. They’re lightweight 3D printed PLA drops with ear wires - a small handmade thank-you for packers and church teams. Not an official Samaritan’s Purse product. Shop the pair on Etsy....

Save 20% on Etsy with promo code: OCC20

https://tinkertroy.com/portfolio/operation-christmas-child-earrings/

09/11/2026

Custom Colors Aren’t Just a Dropdown

Custom colors on 3D printed earrings aren’t a dropdown — they’re a workshop process. On my cheer megaphone pairs, 2–3 colors, name length, filament stock, and one-pair-at-a-time printing all decide whether personalization ships clean or turns into waste and delays....

https://tinkertroy.com/2026/09/11/custom-colors-3d-printed-earrings/

09/08/2026

Purge Waste Is the Real Multi-Color Tax

Multi-color 3D printing looks great—but every color change comes with a hidden cost. Purge waste, extra filament, longer print times, and failed prints can quickly add up. Here’s a look at the real “multi-color tax” and the technologies trying to make it cheaper....

https://tinkertroy.com/2026/09/08/purge-waste-multi-color-3d-printing/

Discover the hidden costs of multi-color 3D printing at home, from purging waste to smart solutions for efficient prints.