If you’ve looked for a painter’s pyramid before, you’re probably aware of the variety of designs out there. I faced the same situation and, while many models had great features, none quite ticked all the boxes for me. That led me to create the Painter’s Tetrahedron, which is based on the straightforward yet elegant form of a regular tetrahedron.
The symmetrical nature of the tetrahedron eliminates any worries about how you place it under the object you’re painting; it just works. The height is also carefully calibrated so the object remains level during the painting process, helping to avoid any unevenness.
In designing this, I paid special attention to the geometry to help facilitate a smooth 3D printing process. The various chamfers aren’t just there for aesthetics; they enable smoother movements for the printer, reducing artifacts. I also tried to balance material efficiency with the need for a sturdy build, to ensure it can handle the weight of heavier objects without using excessive material.
For those interested in making adjustments to the pyramid’s dimensions, the provided Fusion360 source file is parametric. This allows you to tailor the pyramid to your specific needs with just a few modifications.
Dimensions
The filename format for the model files is LR2372-H<height>.3mf, where the <height> parameter specifies the pyramid’s height in millimeters.
About the Fusion 360 Design
The Fusion 360 design allows you to easily customize the pyramid’s height. A single parameter, aptly named “height,” can be adjusted over a broad range—from 20mm up to 200mm or even more. While there are several other intermediate parameters you’ll find in the design, not all of them are in use for this specific model. I kept them there in case you find them useful for any modifications.
There are other projects out there that deserve mention for their excellent approaches to this challenge. Two that caught my eye were the Parametric Painters Triangles and the Paint Pyramid. Both projects came close to what I envisioned a painter’s pyramid should be, and I believe they deserve recognition for their contributions.
