3D Printed Candy Corn Gnome With Filament Splicing

This Instructable will take you through the process of splicing (or fusing) PLA filament to create multi-color prints.

In this case, I am printing a CandyCorn Gnome for Halloween.

Low budget is how I roll. I have cheap printers and buy sample packs on popular commerce sites. This enables me to push my printers one step beyond. My measurements are off a bit, but I think you will get some ideas from this #INSTRU

I'm just guessing as I go.

Supplies

3D Printer
Several Colors of 3D Filament
Fusing Device
Scale
Clippers
Sandpaper
An STL File
Patience

Step 1: Picking & Measuring Filaments

First of all, you will need a design to print. I chose a Gnome because I print Gnomes - lots of them.

Once you have chosen your object to print, it's time to pick your colors.

I chose my filament lengths kind of at random. I weighed a full Gnome (supports and all) to figure out how much filament I needed for this project. I had a failed Gnome print and just weighed that piece and divided the rest of the remaining weight in half. I'm sure a good slicer could tell you this, but I didn't have a good slicer during this project, and we're doing this on the cheap. Slicers will generally tell you how much filament you will need for your print. My Gnomes (with filament) weigh 17 grams, so I did:

8 grams Yellow

5 grams Orange &

4 grams White

I added the Bad Gnome STL to this file. He's actually are pretty nice guy. Not bad.

Bad Gnome.stl
Download View in 3D

Step 2: Fusing Filaments

I started fusing filaments with a Bic lighter and quickly found this process to be all wrong. I then purchased a $10 device I found on Amazon. and didn't have much success with this method either. I then purchased a $50 splicer and had great results fusing filaments together. Let's use the third one.

After you have picked your filaments you will need to cut the ends at a 45 degree angle so they will connect nicely and fuse well. I tried fusing flat ends together and they were not as good at connecting as the angled pieces.

Plug in your new "Vit Sport" filament splicer and preheat for 3 minutes..
Cut the ends of your filaments at 45 degree angles.
Once heated (3 minutes) - turn it off.
Open the jaws of the fuser and put in the first filament directly in the center.
Close the Vit Sport and slide the other piece of filament into the hole.
Set on the table and wait 5 minutes for the magic to happen.
After 5 minutes open the clamp and remove the now fused filament.
Sand the fused pieces and set up for your print.

I won't go over 3D Printers settings as I'm sure you know this part. What I will go over are a few tips and Ideas I created during this process.

Step 3: Tips Tricks & Resources

Here is the Amazon link for the filament splicer. This a direct link and not an affiliate link.

VIT SPORT 1.75mm Filament Connector

This is the link for the $10 splicer, just in case you want to try it.

Filament Welder Connector

I buy sample packs and fuse the filaments together to print my Gnomes. I will buy 2 of the same packs and they work out perfectly. Here are a couple of sample packs I purchased in the past.

MIKA3D 25 Colors 2 Dual Color in 1 Silk PLA Filament Refill Sample Pack