A couple of questions about holes. In item shown in the attached image I wanted to create a couple of small holes to drill and tap. I set the first layer to have 5 extra shells but when I started printing I realised I would need these extra shells in every layer to create a solid area around the holes. The thing is I don't really want these extra shells apart from around the holes so is there any way to create areas in a solid with varying density? The infill is set to 20% overall, gcode created with skeinforge. Second question, the hole on the left was designed at 1mm diameter and is coming out solid, I knew this would happen and it is not a problem as it is going to be drilled but is this because my settings are faulty or just a limitation of the process? [attachment 7523 PICT0001.JPG] https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,130104,130104#msg-130104 Tue, 14 Jul 2026 12:47:20 -0400 Phorum 5.2.23 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,130104,130338#msg-130338 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,130104,130338#msg-130338 I tried the idea about small holes and I'm sure it would work but it is not straightforward see my first attempt attached.
The group on the left has a centre hole of radius 0.8mm surrounded by six holes of 0.5mm diameter. I'm not sure why SF did not put anything between the small holes as there is a 1.5mm gap between the perimeters.
The circles on the right are all .5mm apart from each other and quite separated when printed, I wondered if this might be a an easier way to get a solid area but just confirms that large holes print more accurately.
[attachment 7531 PICT0003.JPG]
This is the stl file of the print
[attachment 7532 reinforcetest.stl]

Update...
This looks like a good method to create solid areas, basically I just put pentagonal cavities 0.1mm wide spaced around the area required and 1.0mm apart.
Image [attachment 7547 PICT0001.JPG]
STL [attachment 7548 reinforcetest2.stl]]]> glyn General Thu, 26 Apr 2012 16:30:27 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,130104,130167#msg-130167 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,130104,130167#msg-130167 josefprusa.cz]]]> Nudel General Wed, 25 Apr 2012 10:38:59 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,130104,130106#msg-130106 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,130104,130106#msg-130106 Polyholes".]]> rhmorrison General Wed, 25 Apr 2012 04:30:40 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,130104,130104#msg-130104 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,130104,130104#msg-130104
In item shown in the attached image I wanted to create a couple of small holes to drill and tap. I set the first layer to have 5 extra shells but when I started printing I realised I would need these extra shells in every layer to create a solid area around the holes. The thing is I don't really want these extra shells apart from around the holes so is there any way to create areas in a solid with varying density? The infill is set to 20% overall, gcode created with skeinforge.

Second question, the hole on the left was designed at 1mm diameter and is coming out solid, I knew this would happen and it is not a problem as it is going to be drilled but is this because my settings are faulty or just a limitation of the process?

[attachment 7523 PICT0001.JPG]]]> glyn General Wed, 25 Apr 2012 04:22:35 -0400