DIY 3D Printed Letter Hair Beads: A Summer Hair Accessory

Hi everyone! KraftzyKat here with a quick and fun summer crafting hack that my daughter absolutely loved! We needed a unique hair accessory, and instead of buying something generic, we designed (well, I downloaded and modified!) some custom 3D printed letter beads. The result? Totally unique, personalized hair flair that was a hit!

This project was quick, used readily available resources, and was a great way to put the 3D printer to use for something practical and fun.

Why 3D Printed Hair Beads?

Ultra-Personalized: Spell out names, initials, or fun short words.

Unique: You won't find these in any store!

Reusable: Durable PLA beads can be worn again and again.

Great Maker Project: Combines design, printing, and styling.

Materials & Tools Used:

3D Printer:  Anycubic Kobra Neo 

PLA Filament: DO3D PLA from amazon

Slicing Software: Cura - for scaling and preparing the print.

Lighter: For widening holes and cleaning strings off 3D prints

The Process.... From Design to 'Do

Finding the Perfect Design...

 I headed over to Printables.com and searched for "hair beads" or "letter beads". I found a design I liked for the individual letter beads (alphabeads). I also found a specific "beader" tool design (beader) which was longer and seemed perfect for the job.

Scaling Down

 The original bead design was a bit large for my daughter's hair. No problem! I downloaded the .stl file and opened it in my slicing software (Cura). , I scaled the bead design down to 75%. This made them the perfect size. 

Printing...

 I sliced the scaled-down bead file with standard PLA settings (0.2mm layer height, 15% infill worked great). I also sliced the longer beader tool design. I started the prints and let the printer do its magic.

 Styling...

 Once the beads and the beader tool were printed, it was time for the fun part! 

The Final Look...

  She was thrilled with her one-of-a-kind accessory!

Tips & Tricks:

Smooth Holes: If the holes in the printed beads are a bit rough, a quick sanding with fine-grit sandpaper. I used a lighter and an Allen Key, Heated it up and used it to widen the hole in the bead. 

Test Print: If you're unsure about the scaled size, print just one bead first to check the fit.

Beader Tool: That longer beader tool was a game-changer!  It allowed for fitting more beads on the end and made process easier because it was sturdy. 

This little project was a perfect blend of tech and creativity, resulting in a huge smile from my daughter! It shows how accessible 3D printing can be for creating personalized, functional items around the house – or in this case, for adding a special touch to summer hairstyles.

Have you tried making custom accessories with your 3D printer? I'd love to see your creations! Share them in the comments below or tag me on social media.

Want more quick tech tips? Download my free Google Docs Cheat Sheet – you never know when those shortcuts might come in handy for documenting your next project!

Happy Making (and Styling!),

KraftzyKat