Fabrics and polyurethane foam used to be the only options for fursuits, but this started shifting over the last 10 years or so. Some enterprising furries started molding components like teeth, claws, and noses from soft rubber materials, which experienced a brief renaissance before hard plastic 3d-printed parts started supplanting the more labor-intensive custom molded pieces.
At the time when this was posted, hard plastic parts had become common for new fursuits, but now that 3d printers can use TPU and other flexible materials, they’ve become the new standard. Many fursuit makers actually use this technique to print the whole frame of the fursuit head, making them more durable while also improving airflow over the old-style carved polyurethane foam head bases;
A pic of an old-style carved polyurethane foam head base.
I always found it weird how fursuit snoots widen as they expand forward, unlike the animals they depict. I know it enhances the cartoony look, but it looks too exaggerated for my dumb tastes
I love it too, especially with how quickly the community evolves. New techniques catch on and spread like wildfire, and we make a great indicator species for the health of online spaces.
Thanks for sharing this info, because you’ve given me some interesting ideas to ponder. My personal craft domain is garment making, and in recent years, I’ve been having a lot of fun exploring stuff that exists in the space between “clothing” and “costume”. I don’t have much experience in 3D printing, so the stuff about 3D printing flexible materials like TPU is new to me. I should explore this more, because I bet I could make some awesome stuff with this method (such as in corsetry)
I have an approximate knowledge of many things and a fascination with new tech, but I’ve only been posting on Lemmy recently. Guess I oughta get started on a real newsletter. XD
More or less, yeah.
Fabrics and polyurethane foam used to be the only options for fursuits, but this started shifting over the last 10 years or so. Some enterprising furries started molding components like teeth, claws, and noses from soft rubber materials, which experienced a brief renaissance before hard plastic 3d-printed parts started supplanting the more labor-intensive custom molded pieces.
At the time when this was posted, hard plastic parts had become common for new fursuits, but now that 3d printers can use TPU and other flexible materials, they’ve become the new standard. Many fursuit makers actually use this technique to print the whole frame of the fursuit head, making them more durable while also improving airflow over the old-style carved polyurethane foam head bases;
A pic of an old-style carved polyurethane foam head base.
A pic of a new-style 3d printed TPU head base.
I always found it weird how fursuit snoots widen as they expand forward, unlike the animals they depict. I know it enhances the cartoony look, but it looks too exaggerated for my dumb tastes
This is so cool. Shit like this is why I love being in community with furries, despite not being one myself. I’m always awed by the creativity
(Plus furries always throw the best parties)
*pawed
I love it too, especially with how quickly the community evolves. New techniques catch on and spread like wildfire, and we make a great indicator species for the health of online spaces.
(Can confirm about the parties too =3)
Thanks for sharing this info, because you’ve given me some interesting ideas to ponder. My personal craft domain is garment making, and in recent years, I’ve been having a lot of fun exploring stuff that exists in the space between “clothing” and “costume”. I don’t have much experience in 3D printing, so the stuff about 3D printing flexible materials like TPU is new to me. I should explore this more, because I bet I could make some awesome stuff with this method (such as in corsetry)
Definitely do look into this, and check out some of the work folks are already doing with combining fabrics and 3d printing. =D
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJ8Gg0dPx0g
I would like to subscribe to your newsletter.
Lol, I don’t have one, but I post on Lemmy a lot, so there’s that. =3
I would also like to subscribe to your newsletter
Lol, I don’t have one, but I post on Lemmy a lot, so there’s that. =3
What the other two people said
Lol, I don’t have one, but I post on Lemmy a lot, so there’s that. =3
Well, Lemmy does have something
https://pawb.social/feeds/u/knightly.xml?sort=New
Dang, no comments view?
That makes at least four of us.
XD
I have an approximate knowledge of many things and a fascination with new tech, but I’ve only been posting on Lemmy recently. Guess I oughta get started on a real newsletter. XD