Listen to the Podcast! Subie & You!

Subie & You! podcast badges are here! Measuring 5 inches wide by 1.25 inches high, this PETG badge will be available in the same colors as the SLO badges. A majority of the proceeds will go to Rafael to support the podcast.

If you haven't to the podcast yet, go check it out. Raf has been making weekly shows for over two years and over 100 episodes, plus event notifications and bonus content. Focusing primarily on the Crosstrek and off-roading, Raf has covered a lot of ground in the Subaru community, interviewing the likes of Lance Smith (owner of Vermont SportsCar) and Bucky Lasek, as well as dozens of Subaru owners and drivers who are having fun modding and driving their cars. The podcast really highlights the best parts of the Subaru community, from both the owners and the supporting industry.

This is probably a good opportunity for a quick overview of how I develop a 2d logo into a 3d-printed item, since I took some photos of developing this one. I bought my first 3d printer in June 2022: a Creality Ender 3V2, based on recommendations from actual engineers where I work. With the help of some YouTube videos, I was able to quickly put it together and get it printing well from Day One. Designing my own things to print ended up being a combination of importing 2d files that I previously used for vinyl cutting and utilizing some older software to get new files to where I could turn them into 3d files. The SLO badges were developed directly from the files I used for making SLO stickers out of Oracal adhesive vinyl over the past few years.

Usually I'll start with a logo file and import it into Sure Cuts-a-Lot 5 (SCAL5), which I originally used with my vinyl cutter for making decals and pushing the files to my cutter. SCAL5 lets me import and trace almost any 2d image (jpeg, bmp, etc) into a vector graphic that can be manipulated and saved as a .stl file. For the Subie & You! badge, though, I didn't use the existing logo from the podcast, but rather I recreated it from scratch in Corel PHOTO-PAINT using the Square 721BT font and a small podcast logo snagged from the internet. Then I used SCAL5 to import that .bmp file and create a background outline (shadow function), then turned the logo and the shadow into separate vector .stl files.

The .stl files can then be imported into Tinkercad, a very basic web-based 3d design application. I like Tinkercad for it's simplicity and the fact that it's web-based means I can access it from anywhere at any time if I have an idea for one of my designs. For 2d files that are imported, Tinkercad lets me add height to it to make it three-dimensional. For the Subie & You! logo, I loaded the logo and the shadow as separate objects, set the height of each, and then placed the logo on top of the shadow (background). Once the objects are Grouped, they can be manipulated and tweaked as a single object. When the design is basically "finished" in Tinkercad, I export it again as a .stl file but it will be in 3d.

Now it's time to print. I use PrusaSlicer to drop the final 3d .stl design onto a virtual printer bed and adjust the size, placement, and print settings. Print settings such as nozzle temperature and print bed temperature need to be changed depending on the material used (PLA vs PETG), while settings such as speed and layer height will change the level of detail (and greatly affect the print time). If it's an object that will be printed in two or more colors - such as the SLO badges and the S&Y badges - I drop in a mark that tells the printer to stop after a particular layer and wait for me to change the filament. Once the object has been laid out on the virtual print bed and the settings adjusted properly, PrusaSlicer will "slice" the file and output it to a GCODE file for the 3d printer.

At the printer, it's just a matter of loading the proper color filament, running a bed-level GCODE file to make sure the print bed is adjusted properly, and then I let the object file print. When it gets to that mark to change color, the printer stops and retracts the current filament, then waits for my cue to continue printing after I load the next color. The SLO badges take about 2.5 hours to print two sets (4 badges total), and the Subie & You! podcast badges take about 5 hours and 15 minutes to print a set of four.

The whole journey from buying my first 3d printer, assembling it, figuring out how to print files, learning how to use the various software, researching the various filament materials, making my ideas into three-dimensional designs and seeing them through to a final product, has been nothing short of mind-blowing. It was overwhelming at times, and even quite frustrating. I wish I had started 3d printing a long time ago, but getting into it later means there are literally hundreds of thousands of YouTube videos to help me out with any problems, questions or learning curves I need to deal with. It has become a rewarding hobby and is on-track to paying for itself in the long run. My only regret is that I don't have more time for creating new designs and products.

Definitely go give the podcast a listen; there are currently 113 episodes to enjoy. If you like it, consider leaving a review on the Apple podcast app, or in Spotify; good reviews get the podcast referred to more users and helps build the community and support. If you really like the podcast, consider subscribing on Patreon to help Rafael keep it going and gain access to insider chats on the Subie & You! Discord channel. If you love the podcast, get yourself a Subie & You! badge to show your support and spread the word!