Print-in-place chains, any style
Cable to Cuban, marquise to rosary: 34 styles that come off the bed already linked, from fine to extra chunky. Sized to your nozzle and bed, with clasps or as an endless loop, plus an extender and jump rings. STL or 3MF, built in your browser.
How to print it
- Layer height 0.12–0.16 mm. Small links need fine layers to keep their gaps open.
- PETG or silk PLA. PETG flexes without cracking; silk PLA looks like metal.
- No supports, no brim. Every link rests on the bed and leans at about 45°, so nothing overhangs.
- Print the test strip first to find the gap your printer needs, then set it under Printer fit.
- After printing, flex the chain gently along its length to free any link that stuck.
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Every chain an FDM printer can make
| Style | Look | Difficulty |
|---|
True snake and herringbone chains are solid tubes of tiny plates and can't be printed on FDM printers; the hinged versions here stand in for them.
Chain generator FAQ
How do the links come off the bed already joined?
Neighbouring links lean at about 45° in opposite directions, each resting on the bed and threaded through the next with a gap all the way round. The generator searches for the spacing where every pair is linked and nothing touches, so the chain moves as soon as it's off the printer.
What gap should I use?
0.35 mm suits most 0.4 mm nozzles. If links fuse, raise it; if the chain is loose and floppy, lower it. The test strip prints three short chains at your gap and 0.1 mm either side so you can see which works.
How do I make a thicker, chunkier chain?
Pick a Chain size from Bold up to Huge: the wire and the links grow together so the chain keeps its look. You can then set the wire up to 6 mm and links up to 45 mm long by hand. Big chains fold onto the bed or split into parts with jump rings if they don't fit.
Can I print a chain with no clasp?
Yes. Set Chain ends to Endless loop and the chain prints as one closed loop, already linked all the way round, so you can take it off the bed and put it on. Make it 24 in (610 mm) or longer so it slips over your head. If the loop is too big for your bed, it prints open with a jump ring to close it.
My chain is longer than my bed. What happens?
It folds back and forth to fit. If it still won't fit, it splits into parts, and matching jump rings are added so you can join them.
Can I sell what I print?
Yes. Everything you make here is yours to print, give and sell.
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