Customizable Tournament Trophy - BattleTech TTRPG

This is a printable fan-made trophy for a BattleTech game or tournament.

The model is of a "Generic" BattleMech articulated hand clutching a 6-sided star rising off a trophy with nameplate.  Requires 2 glue points.  Recommend printing at 1X in resin for small baubles and 2X in FDM to create large models with readable text.  On Elegoo Neptune 4 Plus (FDM) the small "original size" version prints in about 2 hours (all parts) but the 200% upscale takes upwards of 12 hours.

You can customize the nameplate. Three example trophy nameplates are provided: 1st, 2nd, 3rd place. To create a custom nameplate in the scale of the original models:

1. Create a free account at TinkerCad. (tinkercad.com)

2. Import the Blank Nameplate STL model.

3. Select the TEXT tool, drag to place in the center of the top surface on the nameplate model.
   I suggest setting height to 2, and use the font "Sans", but it's up to you.  You can also replace the half-circle curved part of the nameplate above the connector with any shape you want, but if it is too big (about twice as high as it is now) it will interfere with the model of the hand or other attachments and customizations (coming soon)

4. Customize your text string.

5. Scale and rotate the text on the nameplate so that it fits.  It must fit, no overhangs, for best effect.

6. (optional) Select all and "Union"

7. Export STL

8. Print with support ... in FDM you want the text on the top for best effect, most likely

Those familiar with mid-print filament switching will know that with the text orientation at the top, you can replace the top few layers of filament to highlight the text! :)

Glue-up Connectors

• I recommend 2-part Epoxy over E6000 or other strong glues for a permanent fit.

• I recommend placing glue on the bottom surface of the model around the hole, not just inside the hole.

Connector Dimensions

• Trophy base's dowel is a 7x7mm cylinder with a small chamfer/bevel. It fits an 8x8mm receiver hole loosely.  The dowel  is an approximately 2 to 2.5mm protrusion, the dowel's receiver hole is slightly deeper, closer to 2.5mm or 3mm. 

• Nameplate hole is 20x5x5mm.  If you wanted to make your own model from scratch this is the size and depth of the opening in the trophy base before it is scaled. 

• Nameplate connector is 19x4.5x4.5mm in the blank nameplate model.  This leaves room for glue but increases the contact surface. 

Print Orientation

• The hand sculpture is laying on its side on the bed thumb-side down.  In this orientation, it prints with the least amount of support, but visually I've had better results when I align it to the face with the connector hole.  It takes longer though.

• The trophy base prints best without a brim on the flat side down.

• The connector nameplate will require supports because it has a 90 degree overhang.

This model will be first in a series.  I will update this description with links to other options and variants that I make.