How to edit Thingiverse STL files Since STL files contain meshes. What's the best way the modify a Thingiverse design? Is there a way to convert the STL files to simple 3D geometric object so it can be modified? https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?80,118385,118385#msg-118385 Tue, 06 Oct 2026 14:17:47 -0400 Phorum 5.2.23 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?80,118385,868452#msg-868452 Re: How to edit Thingiverse STL files https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?80,118385,868452#msg-868452
Quote
dlc60
Blender can do cool stuff. Unfortunately, you need to be an expert before you can be a beginner!
There are no manuals to speak of, people's advice assumes you already know how to drive it, and the user interface is horrific. You know, Open Source. :)

I have done some useful stuff with it, but heck, I tried for an hour just to change the UI colors to something other than gray text on black background...And failed.

Folks need to stop adding stuff to it and start making it usable (IMO).

DLC

If you think so, you didn't find the correct Youtuber for you. There are plenty of videos and courses "learning Blender from scratch".
Videos always say press some Hotkey but nobody tells you that those hotkeys are on the menu bar, so the first time He uses that hotkey, He should teachs you where it is. You can forget that hotkey, but you will not forget where is the menu option.

I understand what you said and I agree with you on some aspects. Interface has been changed 3 times since I started with it. It is not a problem for me, my workflow is exactly the same in all versions.

Do you know that each text box where you type numbers is a calculator in blender? You can introduce expression like "34.86*2" (to duplicate size) or "sin(45)" (if you like)

Do you know you can turn around selection? I can not move my camera around an object if I don't use that preference. A few people use that tool, select a vertice and then orbit with middle mouse button around it, I love it!.



Yes, you need to master blender and then, you start again as a noob discovering something that is 15 years implemented and nobody told you :)]]> Lepes 3D Design tools Wed, 04 Mar 2020 05:46:45 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?80,118385,868440#msg-868440 Re: How to edit Thingiverse STL files https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?80,118385,868440#msg-868440
Quote
Lepes
Edit: OMG, I didn't see the second page of this thread facepalm!


To be honest, Blender is not the best software if you know nothing about it, although I encourage to learn it because:
- It's Open Source
- It's free
- It can do whatever you want: Split, modify, create, measure it, animate things and create a video, etc.
- It has a great and big community (infinite information, lots of free plugins)
- There are infinite tutorials on Youtube, for any user level.

Keep in mind that there are 2 differents kind of software to create/modify STL:
- CAD software: FreeCad, SolidWork
- organic modelling: Blender, Rhinoceros, etc..

If you don't like blender, just search on Youtube. I really don't know your level on those softwares, so maybe the one I suggest is not for you.

Some Examples:
[www.youtube.com]
[www.youtube.com]

Blender can do cool stuff. Unfortunately, you need to be an expert before you can be a beginner!
There are no manuals to speak of, people's advice assumes you already know how to drive it, and the user interface is horrific. You know, Open Source. :)

I have done some useful stuff with it, but heck, I tried for an hour just to change the UI colors to something other than gray text on black background...And failed.

Folks need to stop adding stuff to it and start making it usable (IMO).

DLC]]> dlc60 3D Design tools Tue, 03 Mar 2020 18:03:47 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?80,118385,868439#msg-868439 Re: How to edit Thingiverse STL files https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?80,118385,868439#msg-868439
DLC]]> dlc60 3D Design tools Tue, 03 Mar 2020 17:59:12 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?80,118385,868436#msg-868436 Re: How to edit Thingiverse STL files https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?80,118385,868436#msg-868436 Roberts_Clif 3D Design tools Tue, 03 Mar 2020 16:56:13 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?80,118385,868428#msg-868428 Re: How to edit Thingiverse STL files https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?80,118385,868428#msg-868428

To be honest, Blender is not the best software if you know nothing about it, although I encourage to learn it because:
- It's Open Source
- It's free
- It can do whatever you want: Split, modify, create, measure it, animate things and create a video, etc.
- It has a great and big community (infinite information, lots of free plugins)
- There are infinite tutorials on Youtube, for any user level.

Keep in mind that there are 2 differents kind of software to create/modify STL:
- CAD software: FreeCad, SolidWork
- organic modelling: Blender, Rhinoceros, etc..

If you don't like blender, just search on Youtube. I really don't know your level on those softwares, so maybe the one I suggest is not for you.

Some Examples:
[www.youtube.com]
[www.youtube.com]]]> Lepes 3D Design tools Tue, 03 Mar 2020 13:35:26 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?80,118385,848749#msg-848749 Re: How to edit Thingiverse STL files https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?80,118385,848749#msg-848749
This is what it does best.

DLC]]> dlc60 3D Design tools Thu, 07 Mar 2019 15:33:56 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?80,118385,772555#msg-772555 Re: How to edit Thingiverse STL files https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?80,118385,772555#msg-772555
Read the topic over again. The first post specifically asks about STL files (which is the file format overwhelmingly used on Thingiverse). All the replies try to answer the question.

Reality check: if you want a simple answer you won't get any. Which is why this topic is 2 pages long.]]> NormandC 3D Design tools Thu, 08 Jun 2017 18:24:56 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?80,118385,772130#msg-772130 Re: How to edit Thingiverse STL files https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?80,118385,772130#msg-772130 If you read his posts all he wants to know is what software to mess about with Thingiverse files.
I'd like to know too.
Thanks
Adrian]]> Bee69 3D Design tools Tue, 06 Jun 2017 15:45:35 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?80,118385,764166#msg-764166 Re: How to edit Thingiverse STL files https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?80,118385,764166#msg-764166
I haven't used SolidWorks in years. For personal projects I prefer to use open source software on an open source operating system. As it happens, FreeCAD (also available on proprietary operating systems ;) ) can convert STL files to solid.

[www.freecadweb.org]

Once done, you can export to STEP then import into SolidWorks.

Just remember that an STL file is a polygon mesh, it does not have smooth surfaces. For example a cylindrical surface is actually made of multiple facets. When converting to solid, it will not smooth the surfaces. For that you have no choice but to rebuild the model.]]> NormandC 3D Design tools Mon, 24 Apr 2017 23:01:23 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?80,118385,763986#msg-763986 Re: How to edit Thingiverse STL files https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?80,118385,763986#msg-763986 dronemaker92 3D Design tools Sun, 23 Apr 2017 20:42:24 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?80,118385,763985#msg-763985 Re: How to edit Thingiverse STL files https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?80,118385,763985#msg-763985 dronemaker92 3D Design tools Sun, 23 Apr 2017 20:41:21 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?80,118385,763290#msg-763290 Re: How to edit Thingiverse STL files https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?80,118385,763290#msg-763290
[help.solidworks.com]

I'm surprised you didn't think of checking about this first.]]> NormandC 3D Design tools Wed, 19 Apr 2017 21:46:19 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?80,118385,763075#msg-763075 Re: How to edit Thingiverse STL files https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?80,118385,763075#msg-763075 DeuxVis 3D Design tools Tue, 18 Apr 2017 13:56:14 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?80,118385,763028#msg-763028 Re: How to edit Thingiverse STL files https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?80,118385,763028#msg-763028 dronemaker92 3D Design tools Tue, 18 Apr 2017 08:43:29 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?80,118385,762584#msg-762584 Re: How to edit Thingiverse STL files https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?80,118385,762584#msg-762584 n9jcv 3D Design tools Sat, 15 Apr 2017 15:33:48 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?80,118385,755139#msg-755139 Re: How to edit Thingiverse STL files https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?80,118385,755139#msg-755139 I sometimes use TurboCAD depending on what I want to do.]]> DwightMann 3D Design tools Sat, 11 Mar 2017 21:41:17 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?80,118385,749533#msg-749533 Re: How to edit Thingiverse STL files https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?80,118385,749533#msg-749533 Srek 3D Design tools Fri, 17 Feb 2017 15:38:05 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?80,118385,749517#msg-749517 Re: How to edit Thingiverse STL files https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?80,118385,749517#msg-749517
I'm also using Meshmixer more nowadays to manipulate STLs. That has some good tools for selecting multiple triangles.]]> frankvdh 3D Design tools Fri, 17 Feb 2017 14:42:57 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?80,118385,749458#msg-749458 Re: How to edit Thingiverse STL files https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?80,118385,749458#msg-749458 Papajohn88 3D Design tools Fri, 17 Feb 2017 10:36:17 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?80,118385,241016#msg-241016 Re: How to edit Thingiverse STL files https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?80,118385,241016#msg-241016
For HWC or Routing as Turning I'm lucky as I use a CAD with an integrated scripting engine - similar to VBA - not REAL TIME FAST but it works,,,

HWC

[www.youtube.com]

Routing

[www.youtube.com]

[www.youtube.com]

Turning

[www.youtube.com]]]> Optimist 3D Design tools Thu, 29 Aug 2013 14:43:47 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?80,118385,240360#msg-240360 Re: How to edit Thingiverse STL files https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?80,118385,240360#msg-240360
Quote
Optimist
STL is a one way ticket!

That's one nice way to put it.

I'm not as nice: I call STL "garbage out". Because to experienced CAD users, that's what it is. ;)

STL is unsuitable for most large-scale manufacturing processes (injection molding) and even some small-scale ones (CNC machining).]]> NormandC 3D Design tools Tue, 27 Aug 2013 18:40:02 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?80,118385,240122#msg-240122 Re: How to edit Thingiverse STL files https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?80,118385,240122#msg-240122
STL is a one way ticket!

Deviating geometries from a mathematically defined model (Step; 3DM etc) to e.g. STL or VRML or one of the more illustrative file formats like OBJ oder 3ds always leads to a discretization of information ( in case of the illustrative files the renderer/ shader afterwards improves the facette look to back into a smooth appearance - the discretization is made to save calculation time and the improvement is just for the visualization not for the geometry!
A SPLINE or NURBS mesh always relates to functions similar to polynoms so you can calculate for each point on such an object an individual solution.

STL and the others consist of triangles or squares which have straight / flat facettes - so any additional information is lost in conversion and can not be restored! For manufacturing, maximum conversion quality is reached as the longest edge on the largest triangle is defined equal or smaller than the possible step resolution of the machine axis!! This would mean huge files ( larger than the mathematical files which were the origin) and so usually the resolution is chosen to be much lower!!

This is a typical OBJ or VRML Mesh

[attachment 18284 Skull.jpg]

This is done from a typical mathematical model ( you still can see the isobate lines on the surfaces)

[attachment 18285 Proposal1.jpg]

Hj]]> Optimist 3D Design tools Tue, 27 Aug 2013 05:39:00 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?80,118385,240049#msg-240049 Re: How to edit Thingiverse STL files https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?80,118385,240049#msg-240049 -------------------------------------------------------
> Not all models are made with solid modellers. Some
> are made with mesh modelling tools like Blender,
> Mesh lab, Art of illusion, Wings, Z brush, etc,
> etc, etc. Most of them will edit the stl's as
> well.Take the time to learn one.
>
> Trying to force people to provide drawing and
> source code shows how little you appreciate the
> work they did in the first place. Be glad they
> shared at ALL.


Thank You!!!

All great products worth trying, I like Mesh-lab so far and have to try the others.]]> crob 3D Design tools Mon, 26 Aug 2013 21:19:41 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?80,118385,205819#msg-205819 Re: How to edit Thingiverse STL files https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?80,118385,205819#msg-205819
Or (for making bigger holes) construct a cylinder with the targed dimensions on a different layer and make a boolean subtract from the original object ...]]> VDX 3D Design tools Mon, 06 May 2013 01:42:26 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?80,118385,205770#msg-205770 Re: How to edit Thingiverse STL files https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?80,118385,205770#msg-205770
Please, could somebody explain practically how he/she is modifying (dimensions of holes, etc) an stl part? It will be great by steps - on Solidworks, or Freecad or scketchup 8?

Thank you.]]> zoltan 3D Design tools Sun, 05 May 2013 20:25:12 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?80,118385,200797#msg-200797 Re: How to edit Thingiverse STL files https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?80,118385,200797#msg-200797
Once an STL is converted to solid, it can be modified with parametric features similar to what can be found in SolidWorks. Of course it's not as complete, but for personal use it's pretty good.

As for printing out multiple sheets from converted STLs... That seems like a lot of work, not sure how one would proceed. This might require more than one free program. Possibly FreeCAD to convert stl to solid, then to flatten to 2D, export as dxf or svg then open in Inkscape for multiple page printing, but I haven't looked into it.]]> NormandC 3D Design tools Thu, 18 Apr 2013 01:12:03 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?80,118385,200781#msg-200781 Re: How to edit Thingiverse STL files https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?80,118385,200781#msg-200781 REPRAP SQUAD 3D Design tools Wed, 17 Apr 2013 23:46:16 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?80,118385,197714#msg-197714 Re: How to edit Thingiverse STL files https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?80,118385,197714#msg-197714 jkoljo 3D Design tools Fri, 05 Apr 2013 16:59:55 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?80,118385,197689#msg-197689 Re: How to edit Thingiverse STL files https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?80,118385,197689#msg-197689 Dale Dunn 3D Design tools Fri, 05 Apr 2013 15:25:19 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?80,118385,197675#msg-197675 Re: How to edit Thingiverse STL files https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?80,118385,197675#msg-197675 jkoljo 3D Design tools Fri, 05 Apr 2013 14:26:05 -0400