Silk PLA Bust of Congressman Thomas Massie

This is a detailed decorative bust of U.S. Congressman Thomas Massie, created using MakerLab’s Make My Statue tool (https://makerworld.com/makerlab/makeMyStatue) with tweaks to the mesh to achieve the best possible surface quality and likeness for FDM printing.

The model is intended as a display piece, optimized for slow, high-quality printing where detail takes priority over speed.

Model & Assembly Notes

• The bust and base are separate parts
• Gluing is required for final assembly
• Clean printing with easy supports

Print & Process Information

The included .3mf contains tuned process settings for highly detailed display models. I've had a lot of success with these for glossy silk PLA and basic PLA. There are many speed and acceleration tweaks that are difficult to list individually, but they are intended for users who don’t mind longer print times in exchange for surface quality.

Key settings used:

• Material: Eryone HS Silk PLA Quadruple Color (Metallic Frenzy)
• Layer Height: 0.08 mm (you can print with 0.16 or 0.2 fine, just beware the small letters on the base)
• Nozzle: 0.4 mm Diamondback
• Build Plate: BIQU Frostbite
• Infill: 8%
• Supports: Tree slim
• Orientation is due to trying the best angle for 4-color silk PLA

Note:
The filament in the photos was slightly under-extruded (e.g., the M and a couple gaps). This Eryone silk has been difficult to nail down, and I didn't want drooping overhangs). With a more properly dialed-in filament profile, these process settings should produce excellent results.

Additional Notes

• Silk PLA benefits from slower outer wall speeds for best shine
• Ideal for desk display, shelves, or decorative use

I'm a huge fan of Thomas Massie and wanted to make what could be the first ever 3D printed Massie bust to have for myself. The likeness came out so well that I thought I would share it for others who might also wanted one.