How to 3D Print Chess Pieces – DIY Project

Learning how to 3D print something does take some knowledge of the process, as well as knowing what software to use to get things running. I decided to write a simple article explaining how to 3D print chess pieces.

To 3D print chess pieces, you need to first get a model from websites like Thingiverse or Cults3D, or you can create yours using Blender or TinkerCAD. Then you can adjust your slicer settings to ensure optimal results when you’re done printing. When you’re done printing, you can sand and paint them.

While this is the short answer, keep reading for more information about how to 3D print chess pieces.

How to 3D Print Chess Pieces

Here are the steps on how to 3D print chess pieces:

• Download or Create your Chess Piece
• Prepare the 3D Model
• Prepare your 3D Printer
• Adjust your Slicer Settings
• Print your Chess Pieces
• Post Processing

Download or Create Your Chess Piece Models

The first step in 3D printing your chess pieces is to download an already-made model or create your design. You can find 3D models on various websites like Thingiverse, MyMiniFactory, Printables, or Cults3D.

On these websites, you will find loads of chess pieces with unique designs. However, some of these unique chess pieces may not be available for free.

When you want to select your 3D model, you should be on the lookout for high-quality models or models that have been thoroughly reviewed by other users. This is to ensure that the models are printable or if any adjustments would need to be made before printing.

On Thingiverse, you can filter the results when you input your model’s keyword in the search text box. You can switch the “Relevant” filter option to “Popular” so that you can access the most popular Chess pieces that people have printed.

Here is a list of popular chess pieces from Thingiverse that you can print:

• Chess – Classic Set by SteedMaker
• Egyptian Chess Set on Column Pedestals by Doctor_H
• OpenSCAD Chess by TimEdwards
• Puzzle Chess Board by Pbreeden0

You can also design your Chess piece models using 3D modeling software like Blender, Fusion 360, TinkerCAD, etc. However, this option may be very time-consuming since it will require a lot of time and skill to complete.

Another factor to consider is that your model may not be printable. The design could need some tweaking/fine tuning before you make it how you want, which could lead to a waste of filament during testing.

Also, if you don’t have prior knowledge of 3D modeling software, the learning curve can be pretty steep.

The easier path would just be to find a model online and download it since you can verify if the model is printable from the comments.

Prepare the 3D Model

After you have downloaded or created your chess piece model, the next step is to prepare it for printing. To do this, you need to import the model into your slicer software like Cura, PrusaSlicer, ChiTuBox, etc.

After you have imported the model into the slicer software, you would want to orient the model on your slicer so that it can print properly.

The model should be positioned in a way that would require the least number of supports and overhangs so that it prints easily and gets a cleaner surface finish. You can include a raft or a brim to each model to get better adhesion as well.

Also, you may want to scale the model to fit your build plate, especially if you intend to print all the pieces together. This is to ensure that the build plate can conveniently fit the chess pieces in one go.

You may also want to scale the models if it’s too small and you want larger chess pieces.

Prepare Your 3D Printer

The next step is to prepare your 3D printer. In case you have both an FDM and a resin printer, you want to decide which of the printers you want to use to print the models.

This is because you should consider the downsides to both of these printers. For example, resin printers produce better print results but may require more post-processing actions than FDM prints.

Depending on which of these printers you decide to work with, you should ensure that the printer is in good working condition. You want to ensure that the printer has enough filament or resin to complete the prints.

It’s good to check your printer’s bed is level and clean, as a well-leveled bed prevents printing failures.

Adjust Your Slicer Settings

Once you have gotten your printer ready, you want to tweak your slicer settings so that you can begin printing. Some of the settings you can edit on your slicer settings when printing on an FDM printer include:

• Print Speed
• Layer Height
• Printing Temperature
• Bed Temperature
• Infill Percentage, etc.

On your resin printer, some of the settings you need to edit before you begin printing include:

• Exposure Time
• Print Speed
• Lift Speed
• Lifting Distance

On FDM printers, a higher layer height will result in quicker but less detailed prints, while a lower layer height will take longer but produce more intricate results.

Since Chess pieces are quite small, I would recommend a layer height that is lower than 0.2mm (default layer height setting). For resin prints, I’d recommend a layer height of 0.05mm.

To get the ideal printing temperature for your filament, you can print a temperature tower.

I’d recommend following the steps in the video below.

Also, since you’re printing chess pieces, you can reduce the infill percentage to about 10-20% so that you don’t waste filament or resin.

Although the models may seem light when it’s done printing, there are other ways to increase the weight of the models which I’ll talk about later on in this article.

One user printed his resin chess set on his Phrozen Shuffle at 0.05mm layer height and painted them with black acrylic paints.

He also printed the FDM chess pieces on his Wanhao Duplicator i2 at 0.2mm layer height with wood and carbon fiber PLA filament and the print results were great.

Check out this video from 3D Printscape for more information on how to tweak Cura settings for miniatures.

Print Your Chess Pieces

The next step is to print your chess pieces. You simply need to slice the model and save it to your storage device (USB or SD card) or send it directly to your 3D printer to print.

Ensure that you monitor the progress of the prints so that you can verify whether the print is going as planned or not. This will allow you to quickly combat any issues that may arise before it ruins the whole print.

One user printed his chess pieces on his Creality LD-002h resin printer and it turned out great. He added that he painted them with Watco gloss, giving them a shiny appearance.

Another user shared his print results on this chess piece he found on Thingiverse. He also stated that he printed them without support.

Here is a video from Paw Paw’s WorkShop that shows how he printed his Pokémon chess set.

Post-Processing

Now that you have finished printing the chess pieces, they might not be perfect straight off the printer. First, you should remove the supports (if any) for either resin or FDM prints.

For resin prints, you want to place them in IPA (isopropyl alcohol) so that you can wash off uncured resin on the body of the models. Then let it air dry or use a compressed air canister to blow off any remaining liquid.

Once you are done cleaning, you want to cure the prints to ensure that they can harden the resin completely. You can use a dedicated UV curing chamber or a strong UV lamp to expose the print to UV light for a specified duration.

Ensure you follow the resin manufacturer’s guidelines for recommended curing times.

For FDM chess pieces, you can use fine-grit sandpaper to smoothen any rough surfaces and remove any stringing or imperfections.

You can get these YXYL 48 Pcs Assorted Sandpaper of varying grit sizes from Amazon so that you can give your prints a finer look.

You can now apply a base coat and then add intricate details to make your creations truly stand out. Remember to apply a clear varnish at the end to protect your artwork.

For the paint, you can use something like Rust Oleum Automotive 2-in-1 Filler Primer from Amazon to apply to your models before painting.

One thing to note is that these models may seem very light once they are done printing, so to counter this, you can add weights to the base of the model.

For models that have holes underneath, you can add sand or small nuts and secure them in place with glue or any form of adhesive. Then you can seal the bottom with rubber felts for better balance and to prevent scratches on the chessboard.

You can purchase these Black Adhesive Felt Circles from Amazon for your chess pieces. You get a range of sizes such as ½”, ¾”, 1″ or 1.5″ Wide. People usually go with ¾” or 1″ for chess pieces, but it will depend on your design.

Check out this video from Conor O’Kane on how to add weights and rubber felts to chess pieces.