3D Printable Stuffed Bear

It might be pushing it a little to call this a stuffed toy but I wanted to try something a bit different and think outside of the box and oddly enough it actually turned out pretty well so I thought I'd share how I did it on the off-chance that anyone else wanted to give it a go!

This is a 3D printable Teddy Bear, I designed it using Tinkercad and MeshMixer to be printed hollow using flexible filament in place of the traditional fabric so it can actually be stuffed and still has that squishiness you expect from a soft toy!

Bonus: it's wipe clean!

• 3D printer
• Flexible filament - I used Geetech TPU
• Stuffing - I used the filling from an old cushion
• Flexible Glue/Organic Solvent/Soldering Iron/Anything that can stick TPU to TPU!
• Paint/Markers (optional)

I've included the stl files here - you'll notice in my pictures, the hole in the back of the bear is quite large - I've scaled that down in the stl as I think it was bigger than it needed to be!

I split the model down the middle so that it can be printed hollow and supports can be removed easily but I've also included the full model in case anyone wants to try something different.

Here's what I found worked well:

• Print in a flexible material like TPU
  • If you haven't printed TPU before, I recommend doing some smaller test prints to dial in your settings first
• Stick to 2/3 walls max otherwise it'll be too rigid and won't 'squish'
• Print with no infill or bottom layers
• Print slowly - I stuck to 30mm/s max but find what works for your printer
• You'll need supports - I used 20% in PrusaSlicer

You should be able to just pull the supports off - if you have any trouble you may need to revisit your slicer settings however TPU is very soft and can be quite easily cut with a craft knife so you may still be able to get them off with a bit of work to save you reprinting.

Once your bear pieces have printed and you've done any post-processing you needed to do (I had a few strings to remove) you can start sticking it together!

You can use flexible rubber glue for this or you can use a 3D pen or soldering iron to weld the 2 edges together

I would've preferred glue but didn't have anything flexible so used a soldering iron.

If Gluing:

• Run over the edges of both halves of the bear with your glue - ensure you completely cover both surfaces
• Line the 2 halves of the bear up with each other and start pressing them together, the ears are a good place to start as they're a little more rigid so easier to line up
• Take your time and work your way around the bear ensuring it's all well lined up
• Leave to dry

If Welding:

• Line the 2 halves of your bear up - if you want, you could use glue or tape to help hold them in place
• Slowly and carefully work your way around the edges of the bear, running the pen or iron over the seam until the two sides are fused

Once your glue is all dry or your melty bits are cool, it's time to stuff this stuffed toy!

The bear should have a small hole in its back - taking a small amount of stuffing at a time, push the stuffing through the hole and just keep adding more until your bear is the desired firmness all the way through.

You may want to use something like a pen, skewer or knitting needle to nudge the stuffing into the head, arms and legs.

As this was printed your bear is more than likely all one colour!

This step is totally optional and I actually quite like the gummy bear effect I got with my clear filament but you can add some details by colouring in the eyes, adding a mouth etc.

I used acrylic paint but sharpie would work fine or paint markers, maybe even nail polish.

If you want it to last, it's probably worth doing a priming coat first and then a top coat though.

I wouldn't recommend painting large areas of the bear as the paint will likely crack or flake from being flexed.

I was pleasantly surprised by how well the TPU worked in place of fabric - obviously there are some limitations and it's not half as cuddly but all in all a successful experiment and good fun as well!

I hope you enjoyed it too!

Have fun with your bear!