Geometric Pencil Pot Series: 11 Designs (Vase Mode and Sturdy Variants)

These pencil/pen pots are designed using helical, hexagonal, spherical, and spiral patterns and geometries. The aim was to produce pencil/pen pots with a modern aesthetic and serve as functional art on a maker's desk!

For each design there is a vase mode and a sturdy .stl and .3mf file. The vase mode versions are designed to print in vase mode which will be fastest but not super strong (they hold pens just fine), and the sturdy versions are designed to print with more normal settings for more strength. The sturdy models also have some chamfers to make them nicer to handle with the added perimeters.

Print settings

The print settings bundled with the .3mf files are for PLA with 0.2mm layer height. Any material works for these, I used PLA and PETG. The vase mode .stl and .3mf models are full volumes, the final shape comes from applying spiral vase in the slicer. The sturdy models have a modelled wall with chamfers on top for nicer handling once printed. However, if you want to make a sturdier version but don't want to use the sturdy models, you can use the vase model with semi vase mode settings to precisely control the number of walls etc (just make sure infill and top layers are both 0).

Here is a summary of the main settings I used based off the default “0.2mm QUALITY” profile:

Vase mode settings:

Spiral vase: On

Layer height: 0.2mm

Sturdy settings:

Spiral vase: Off

Layer height: 0.2mm

Perimeters: 3 or 4

No support is necessary for either mode, I do usually use a brim to stop edges curling but if your bed adhesion is good enough this isn't necessary.

Design summary

There are 11 designs in total:

• Hex sweep variants: Exterior of pot is made of hexagon rotated clockwise/counter clockwise/both (2 designs)

• Grid variants: Exterior of pot has rectangular grid either inset or extruded from surface (2 designs)

• Drill variants: Exterior of pot is made of swept “fluted” shape to give the appearance of a large drill bit (2 designs)

• Helix cut variants: Exterior of pot has helical cuts rotated clockwise/counter clockwise/both (2 designs)

• Dimple variants: Exterior of pot has inwards/outwards dimple pattern similar to a golf ball (2 designs)

• Straight cut variant: Exterior has simple straight cuts along vertical direction (1 design)