Mother's Day Bowl Design

I originally designed this as a surprise gift for my mom when she returned from visiting her mother in Tennessee, just in time for Mother's Day.

The Idea:

I wanted to print the entire bowl in a vase-like mode, where the print head keeps moving in the same direction continuously—no stopping, no changing layers. This approach worked for the main bowl (both large and small versions), but not for the other pieces. The lid requires supports, and the base has cutouts that prevent spiral printing.

Vase-Mode Printing Challenge:

To achieve this effect on the bowl, you’ll need to create a new slicer profile. The effort is well worth it, especially if you’re using dual- or tri-color filament. But here’s the challenge: vase mode typically only allows one wall, so how can you get multiple continuous walls?

That’s where I asked: Why can't we have several walls in continuous motion? I was sure it would require a mix of clever design and the right slicer settings.

Slicer Settings:

I originally used Simplify3D, but I’m now using OrcaSlicer and will update the settings once I reprint the design. Here are some key tips and settings to make this possible:

General Tips:

• Use your slicer’s built-in GCode viewer to check the layer-by-layer process before printing.
• Scrutinize the path within each layer to ensure that the print head moves continuously without stopping. This avoids wasting filament and prevents surprises.

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Critical Settings (Don’t Use Default Vase Mode):

• Turn off Retraction, Coasting, Wipe, etc.
• Disable Monotonic Printing options.
• Set Outer Perimeters / Outer Walls to 1.
• Set Bottom Solid Layers to 0.
• Set Top Solid Layers to 0.
• Set Sparse Infill to 100% Sinusoidal.
• Set Sparse Infill Minimum Length to 999.
• Set Solid Infill Threshold to 99,999 and Expansion to 0.
• Allow Single Extrusion Min Width 10%, Max Width 300%, Min Length 999.
• Select Optimized Start Points and set Seam to Nearest.

This process isn’t perfect—sometimes a slicer update can throw off your print—but these settings should help keep the print head moving without interruptions. With the right setup, you can achieve continuous walls and create a beautifully detailed bowl.