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Slotted deck plates and mesh grilles in raised frames, for sci-fi and industrial terrain. Bolt heads at every corner.

About this design

Deck plates about 14 by 12.5 mm in raised frames, each filled with deep slots about 1.8 mm wide between 1.6 mm bars, turned a quarter from one plate to the next, or with a square-mesh grille, and a round bolt head where four frames meet. Roll it into air-dry clay or heat-softened EVA foam for starship corridors, catwalks, hive city floors and industrial bases for 28 and 32 mm miniatures, or into polymer clay for sci-fi props and cosplay details.

Made with our free texture roller tool in its Rolling pin style, not modelled by hand: we drew the pattern in code as a seamless picture, uploaded it, and set a sleeve 40 mm across and 100 mm long, the pattern raised 1.5 mm and repeated three times round and twice along. The sleeve file is then 1 mm shorter, 99 mm, so a printed sleeve turns freely between the handles. The zip holds the texture sleeve and the tool's own two rolling-pin handles, as two STL files, plus the pattern picture, so you can remake the sleeve at another diameter or depth.

Every sleeve in this set slides onto the same two handles: the core, 202 mm long overall, a handle with a 30 mm tube, and a cap that locks on with a quarter turn. Print the handles once, and after that only sleeves.

The first picture is a 3D render of this sleeve on the clay it has pressed. The two photos are our own test print of the rolling-pin system from the texture roller tool, with a hearts sleeve: put together, and as its three parts.

Made with Meshcast

Meshcast is a free toolkit for makers that runs in your browser: turn any 3D model into a candle, soap, concrete or silicone mold, or make your own cookie cutters, texture rollers, stamps and keychains. Nothing to install, and you can try every tool without an account.

• Texture Roller Maker: meshcast.app/texture-roller
• Guide and print facts for this design: meshcast.app/3d-models/sci-fi-floor-grating-textured-rolling-pin
• 400+ ready-made molds and models: meshcast.app/3d-models
• Meshcast: https://meshcast.app/
• Instagram: @meshcast.app

How this was made

The model is parametric: it is generated by Meshcast's own code, not made by an AI. The pictures are rendered in Blender. We use AI to assist our work (ideas, writing and checking), so this design carries Thingiverse's AI label to be on the safe side.

Selling what you make?

Free for personal use under CC BY-NC. Selling what you cast or print from this design needs a Meshcast commercial licence (Pro or Founder): meshcast.app/licenses

Print settings

Time estimated for a current printer (Bambu, Prusa MK4 class), not sliced: 0.4 mm nozzle, 0.2 mm layers, 3 walls, 20% infill, PLA. Every part prints standing on its end, no supports.

What you need

• About 129 g of PLA or PETG for the sleeve and both handles (about 34 g for a sleeve alone)
• Something to texture: air-dry or polymer clay, EVA foam warmed with a heat gun, or pottery clay
• A printer that can print 207 mm tall: the core handle stands 202 mm on the bed
• A little cornstarch, or a water spray for pottery clay, if it starts to stick

Steps

1. Print the sleeve and both handles standing on their ends, as exported, no supports. A 5 mm brim keeps the tall core steady.
2. Slide the sleeve over the core's tube, push the cap on with its slots over the two lugs and turn it a quarter turn to lock.
3. Roll the clay or foam to an even thickness first: 3 to 5 mm for walls, floors and terrain tiles, 1.5 to 2 mm for miniature bases.
4. Roll across once, in one direction, with steady, even pressure, and lift off at the end. Going back and forth doubles the pattern.
5. Turn the cap back to swap to another sleeve from the set, and wash the sleeve in warm soapy water after use.