PA1 MAKER - SANTA'S WORKSHOP! 1:64 SCALE!

Hello, my dear friends!

Here it is at last—after many hours of hard work, the latest addition to the Hot Wheels-scale (1:64) Christmas village: Santa’s Workshop!

I must say, I’ve poured a tremendous amount of effort into this design, layering on detail after detail, all while striving to keep the assembly simple and the number of parts to a minimum!

There is quite a bit to know about this design, so even if some parts of this post seem like things you already know, I encourage you to read through this entire post—you wouldn’t want to miss any important information!

(NOTE: THE WHOLE SET OF PHOTOS IS COMPLETELY AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS POST AND THE ZIP FILE CONTAINING ALL THE STL FILES IS JUST BELOW THE PHOTOS.)

First, let’s cover the standard details:

Everything prints without supports.

The entire project can be printed on a "mini" format printer.

The project can be scaled up if you wish, with no issues.

All parts are pre-oriented for printing.

A complete Bambu Lab file is included, with all settings pre-configured. Remember; color changes are by layers in the project file. You MUST slice the plate first to see the applicable color changes in the preview window.

Some parts require color changes by layer, but—as always—no AMS is needed; any printer can handle this.

Some parts require the "fuzzy skin" setting.

Full instructions are included. Feel free to refer to the photos or the next instructional step if you need a better idea of ​​where certain parts go.

As always, making some dry fit checks (without glue) is highly recommended to see how the parts assemble together.

Now, let’s move on to the important points that differ slightly from my usual projects:

To save you time, I’ve combined certain parts. Take the base, for example: it consists of two gray sections—nothing too unusual compared to my other projects. The difference here is that I’ve integrated two snowdrifts directly into the base, sparing you the need to glue them on separately and shortening the assembly time.

Naturally, this means a color change is required to transition from gray to white. It also involves applying "fuzzy skin" to the snow piles using the fuzzy skin painting tool. I know that not all slicers offer this option—some do, while others don't. If your slicer lacks this feature, you can simply use its cutting tool to separate the snow piles from the base and print them separately with the fuzzy skin effect applied. Alternatively, you can use Orca Slicer; it supports most printers and includes a tool for painting on fuzzy skin. You’ll see that several parts are designed this way; this is clearly indicated in the filename (look for "fuzzy on white") as well as in the Bambu Lab project file, so it should be very straightforward. You can also choose to print the parts without fuzzy skin. They will still be very pretty, and the snow effect won't really be diminished.

Regarding the trees: the slicer might issue a warning suggesting that supports are needed. You can ignore this—they print perfectly fine without any supports.

For the two main sections of the building, the window openings should print without any issues or supports. If you do run into trouble, or if your printer struggles with overhangs, simply add supports to the tops of the window openings. Generally, however, these types of openings print perfectly well without any supports.

I recommend using the "Arachne" wall generator setting; this will result in better-looking lettering and windows, free of gaps.

For the factory sign, if the lettering doesn't look as good as you’d like, try using the "ironing" feature—this will leave the surfaces smooth and polished. The same applies to the window panes if any small gaps persist, even when using the Arachne wall generator.

As I often mention: go easy on the glue! Small dabs are more than enough. There’s no need to apply a continuous bead of glue around the entire perimeter of a piece—this will also help prevent any messy overflow.

The design is intended to be illuminated using four battery-operated tea lights. I’ve also included specific openings (such as those in the small towers) in case you’d prefer to use a different light source.

For those who would like to use a wired lighting system (with an adapter), I’ve included an alternative version of the right-hand building section that features a hole for routing your wiring. This version isn't in the Bambu Lab project file, but it is available among the STL files—look for the filename that begins with "Optional".

One last thing, as I suspect someone will ask: the car with Santa Claus is, of course, one of the Hot Wheels from my own collection. If you’d like to get one, there are plenty available on eBay or Amazon—various types, often at quite reasonable prices.

And with that, I think I’ve covered everything regarding the project!

I hope you have a lot of fun with this project! I’ll be back very soon with that update and information post I mentioned a few days ago—I just haven’t had the time to put it together yet. I’ll also have a small favor to ask of you; I’ll explain everything shortly.

Take care of yourselves, friends! Thanks to all of you for your continued support!

Pascal

HERE'S THE ZIP FILE WITH ALL THE STL FILES