Preparing files for 2-colour 3D printing

[seanspotatobusiness]

Maybe this is too difficult to implement but it would be cool if key legends could be printed in a second, differently-coloured filament. I've not done printing with two different filaments before but I'm guessing this could be facilitated by appropriate SCAD output.

[rsheldiii]

I don't have a dual extrusion printer but it seems like you basically just send the slicer two different STLs. if you wanted to prepare just the outset legend of a keycap to send to the second color, you could generate a keycap with an outset legend of your choice, and difference it with the same keycap without the legend. That will make only the part of the legend that doesn't intersect the keycap visible.

so, something like this:

difference(){
  sa_row(1) legend("Q") cherry() key();
  sa_row(1) cherry() key();
}

should generate the second STL.

Let me know if you need any more info!

[seanspotatobusiness]

I'm thinking now that I will print using a liquid resin printer with inset legends which I will try to fill with a contrasting resin which will hopefully harden and make some professional-looking keycaps.

[rsheldiii]

gotcha, that'll look fantastic. Are you still planning on printing an entire set? I've heard you have to be careful with the durability of some resins, so I might print a test batch to try out for a while first

[DavidGergely]

Making nice progress with dual printing with this code, the letter is printed with a small nozzle size.

// keycap stl
sa_row(1)  legend("Q",inset =true) cherry() key();
 
// letter inset stl
 difference(){
     sa_row(1) cherry() key();
     sa_row(1) legend("Q",inset =true) cherry() key();
}