Introduction: 3-D Crytal Christmas Tree Ornament

This ornament was design by 3 8th grade students from Massachusetts. This was their first project with google Sketchup and 3-D printing.

Attachments

Step 1: Polygons

Use the polygon tool to make a set of 6 sided polygons that stacked, that get progressively smaller. Use the push/pull tool to make the polygons 3 dimensional.

Step 2: Corner Removal

Use the pencil tool to connect the corners of the polygons.

Step 3: Flatten the Edge

Use the Eraser tool to erase the lines in the middle to make a new flat edge.

Step 4: Repeat

Repeat this step all around the sides of the stacked polygons.

Step 5: Add the "crystal" Boughs

Use the pencil tool to soften the corners of each bough by creating a diamond pattern.

Step 6: Erase the Corners

Use the eraser tool to eliminate the lines of the former corners. There will be an empty space.

Step 7: Connect the Lines

Connect the lines in the diamond shape to fill the hole. The wider the hole, the better. REPEAT this process on all the corners.

Step 8: The Star Is Our Secret

We finished the tree by adding a 3-D star at the top. You will have to wait for the instructions to the star.

In order to print the model, we made sure that the faces of all the exterior surfaces were reversed. You do this by identifying darker grey surfaces, right clicking on them with the arrow tool, then selecting the option to "reverse face".

This will ensure that your object is printed with solid surfaces.