3D Printing [Ice Is a Tough Client]

Once we moved from screen to reality, things got… educational.

We started 3D printing our first prototypes, which taught us an important lesson: water does whatever it wants. Ice cracked the mold. Ice fused to the plastic. Ice came out looking like a sphere that had lived a difficult life.

Every failure sent us back to the model. We adjusted curves, added vents, changed wall thickness, and debated tolerances like our final grades depended on it. Each print felt promising. Each freeze was suspenseful. Each reveal was either exciting or deeply humbling.

Our freezer became a testing lab. Our printer ran constantly. We learned that even tiny design changes could completely change how the ice formed. Slowly, painfully, the ice balls improved. They became rounder. Smoother. More cooperative.

We weren’t there yet - but we could finally see where “there” might be.

yours, Marc