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A maker is using Google Gemini to generate OpenSCAD code for 3D-printable components for a Fallout-inspired Halloween prop he is building with his son. The AI-generated designs have needed repeated corrections, but the code has helped him test shapes and adjust dimensions as he works toward a rough first version.
A maker is using Google Gemini to generate and revise OpenSCAD code for 3D-printed parts in a Fallout-inspired Halloween prop he is building with his son. The project is still in development, but the maker says the AI has helped him test shapes and move from a design he could picture only vaguely toward parts he can print and assemble.
The planned costume is a scaled-back alternative to DIY power armor, which the maker said was not realistic within the available time. Instead, his son is expected to wear a chest piece decorated with the Fallout faction Enclave, along with other wasteland-style details. A delayed motorcycle chest protector also changed the plan: the maker said it appeared to have been lost, so he is considering foam and craft materials for the costume.
His focus has been a distinctive prop. He is considering a black hard hat and a flashlight attached with duct tape for the costume, while building the main prop around a small wooden box. One early AI-assisted design was a truncated cone with a mounting ring. After several iterations, the maker settled on modelling it as two connected truncated cones. Gemini supplied OpenSCAD code, which let him adjust parameters including the shape’s dimensions.
The first print was usable for evaluating the design, although the maker said the filament was very wet and was being dried. He plans to enlarge the next version and add mounting holes so it can be screwed to the wooden box. He also used 3D files for air fittings to check how parts and quarter-inch-inner-diameter hoses might fit, while weighing whether to buy inexpensive metal fittings instead.
AI as a Design Starting Point
The report offers a practical example of AI fitting into a maker workflow without replacing the person making design decisions. Gemini produced code that the maker could modify, but the results did not reliably follow instructions. He said the AI ignored requests to keep side arms flush and to place pill-shaped holes only on the main face, and it added chamfers he did not want.
Even imperfect outputs helped him picture parts in three dimensions before committing to a manual model or final print. That may matter to hobbyists who find it difficult to translate an idea into a model, particularly when several components must fit together. In this case, the benefit is described as a way to explore and adjust designs under a deadline—not as a finished, automated design process.
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From Game Idea to Printable Parts
The project began with the son’s interest in a costume inspired by Fallout 4. Rather than recreate complex power armor, the pair are taking a more flexible approach: a decorated chest piece and a custom prop that can suggest a device from the game’s wasteland setting.
The maker has previously modelled parts in 3D software, but says new shapes and assemblies are harder when the design is not fully worked out. He used Gemini to generate OpenSCAD code, then edited parameters himself. He also asked the AI to break down a fantasy tool shown on wikis into printable subassemblies. The resulting breakdown was not useful to him, though it supported an earlier idea to use mounting pins for parts that would be glued together.
The maker is considering whether to remodel components in Fusion or similar software for easier control over related dimensions. For this first version, however, he expects to attach individually made parts to a small wooden box, potentially using screws, hot glue or epoxy. He has not settled on a final identity for the prop; he has suggested a synth, ghoul or mutant detector, while his son may choose what to call it.
“The AI made a lot of mistakes, and I’m also learning how to better constrain dimensions in my prompts.”
— The maker, in the ToolGuyd report
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Design and Deadline Still Open
The final appearance, assembly method and function of the prop are not settled. The maker has not said whether the current low-density handle print will work, whether the next components will be printed in a final color, or whether he will switch to manually modelling parts in Fusion or another program. He also has not confirmed that the prop will be completed before Halloween.
Gemini’s generated breakdown of the fantasy tool did not provide a usable assembly plan, and the maker’s broader approach remains to combine separate parts on a wooden box. The final materials, including whether he uses metal air fittings, are undecided. The report documents one person’s experience; it does not establish how well the method works for other projects or users.
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The First Prop Version
The immediate plan is to print and test further parts, including a larger cone with mounting holes and a low-density handle. If the handle works, the maker may print it in a final color; he may instead remodel it manually for easier changes. He expects to assemble a rough first-version prop with his son, then refine it if time allows before Halloween.
The costume components and prop may still change as printing and assembly reveal what fits. For now, the next milestone is whether the printed pieces can be mounted to the wooden box and brought together into a usable object.
EVA foam sheets for cosplay costume
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Key Questions
What is the maker building?
He is developing a Fallout-inspired Halloween costume and a custom prop with his son. The prop is expected to use a small wooden box as its base, with 3D-printed and other attached components.
How is Gemini being used?
Gemini generated OpenSCAD code for shapes the maker wanted to print. He has used the code’s adjustable parameters to change dimensions and has also asked the AI to suggest a breakdown of a fantasy tool into subassemblies.
Did the AI create a finished design?
No. The maker reported that Gemini ignored some instructions and added unwanted features. He has corrected code and is still testing parts and deciding how to assemble them.
Is the prop finished for Halloween?
No completion has been confirmed. The maker plans to build a rough first version and refine it if time allows, but the design, materials and final assembly remain in progress.
Source: rss
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