3D Printing a solid model hollow using only Cura

In this video I demonstrate some techniques for slicing a solid model in a way that it will be printed hollow using only Ultimaker Cura. The technique includes setting the bottom thickness to 0 and using infill as support. I'm demoing this with the Lindon Utah Temple that I modelled which is currently under construction, and should probably be done within the next 2 years. My model is on Thingiverse, and you can download it and print it now.

[@johnm.gerard1718]

this is the issue I have with CURA. All this should be done automatically! End of story. If you use Tree supports these are very easy to remove. I don't remember if you can use tree supports on the inside of a model. But my frustration is that all Supports should be as easy to remove as Tree supports. And I don't think The CURA team is trying to fix this issue. It auto support worked correctly this would save a lot of time and frustration.

[@valentinovalentin5666]

Hi John, is there a free 3D software program that hollows automatically or easily that you know of?

[@JustinLT212]

@@valentinovalentin5666me too looking for this at the moment, maybe you have found something?

[@Jackhi-xl3in]

I am trying to 3D print a hollow Iron Man helmet and it shows to be hollow before I slice but after I slice it gets all filled in. I have put the infill to 0 and the top and bottom thickness are also 0. Can you please help me?

[@Peteskis]

Hi, Thanks for vid.
Just wondering why if you made this model yourself you did not make the entire ceiling/top section a separate model then just stick it to the bottom model after, would save all that infill etc? 🙂

[@davidhicken6817]

Good question.
I guess first, the real purpose of this video was to demo a technique for taking any solid model with some amount of bed surface area and making it hollow, not about the temple model itself.
With that said, this is the first temple I've modelled, and I didn't think about doing that. Actually, I don't think I've ever seen a temple model done that way. All of them I've seen on Thingiverse are either solid like I did mine, or they are already designed to be hollow. One advantage to starting with a solid model is, using the technique I described in this video ... you can choose the thickness of the walls (in contrast to an already hollow model, where you get what they designed), and with this technique the walls are a single wall (rather than two walls with infill) which I think adds to the aesthetics of the light box.
If the top and the walls were printed separately, it does seem like it might be a bit of a pain to try to line them up just right while you use superglue to attach the two. And then I expect the line where they meet would likely be visible. For me the extra one dollar or so of material is worth not having to do that post print work and to also have it look amazing right off the bed.
I guess if the 10 minutes of post print work is worth saving a dollar to you, it wouldn't be hard to do this yourself. Simply take my model (www.thingiverse.com/thing:5642686) (or any other temple model for that matter), throw it in Meshmixer, do a slice to separate the top from the base (demo [not mine] for how to slice models in meshmixer: th-cam.com/video/zSv948fjpcY/w-d-xo.html). Then in Cura, with the base, have 0% infill, a wall thickness of 1.6mm (or whatever wall thickness you want), a top thickness of 0, and a bottom thickness of 0. And with the model top, follow the process I demonstrated in my video. Then glue them together when they are both done.
Honestly, we do these light boxes as wedding gifts, and I just consider the used infill to be part of the cost of a really nice print.

[@DemePoole]

​@davidhicken6817 Damn. It was just a question. Calm your nutz, man.

[@jacknabvoip]

right away the video became confusing - you already sliced the model before making the video - should of started fresh in cura and walked through the steps.