Build Log

This log reflects improvements, plans, and past updates to the workshop.

The Present

Wow, where to start? I’ve waited so long to get here, and I’m not even done! The site is however minimally presentable. I had a few models available for download once, but I’ve since learned about documentation, clearance, and tolerance. They will be up again, and every model will still have a free version — it’s just going to take me a little work to get it right.

I did get the free documentation that I meant to offer the community, it’s in the footer. It will probably need revisions and there will be more versions as I get more feedback, but I already got three people’s feedback for these; these forms should be a good start. Anyhow, enough reminescing, here is the monstrous list of tasks I have planned for the near future. I’ll keep posting around once every ten days, and I’ll pop the models out as quickly as I can re-work them (if needed) and document them (need it or not).

— Kim, 02 April 2026

The Future

A Monstrous List of Tasks:

  • Re-add free downloadable STL files.

  • Add a new category or two and sort existing articles accordingly.

  • Add a category menu.

  • Add a contact page.

  • Add saleable models (upgraded versions with extras).

  • Add a custom request sheet.

  • Fix my SEO, which is apparently awful.

  • Add a sign-up form for people who want regular updates.

  • Editing of a few things that seem important.

  • Add room for feedback/polls etc

  • Add alt images, which I thought I did but maybe I didn’t?

  • Redo all the asset tagging now that I’ve renamed all the workshop entries.

  • Add in hyperlinks to other useful parts of the workshop.

  • Add a page saluting useful links.

  • Add a site map page with ‘start here’ links

  • Add more page links to the site map

  • Add arrows linking multi-part posts

  • Add a FAQ to the Site Guide (should I rename it Site Guide and FAQ? Hmm)

  • Make a store blueprint - a doc that reminds me of the formatting for labels, downloads, and titles. Leave room for invoicing and custom item formats as well.

  • The store asks too much for a free download, holy cow! I am going to change it from a store to a series of downloads that you can get using buttons, that way you don’t have to give up any personal info. Since I only discovered this today (5/30/26), I’m adding it to my list today, but it will probably be done rather soon.

The Past

A list of site revisions and dates.

02 April 2026 - Today was the Workshop’s official launch, and it’s already undergone a major revision: I removed the beginning snippet of all forty-some articles. They had all started with ‘Blog Entry #:’, and now they don’t! I’m also renaming ‘journal’ to ‘workshop’, as it’s more apropos. I added a kofi cup to the donation page and made sure it worked. I also set up a site email.

04 April 2026 - I made sure any potential safety issues were addressed. After that I started changing up titles to be more reflective of their content. Expect to see those change a fair bit over the next few days. I decided to turn my favorite free download (the Comet Cleanser lid) into an actual post, so you can make it yourself if you want. It’s nearly done, then I will document it, then I will add it. And I can add it, now that I put some Categories in the Downloads area. No cleanser lid yet, but it’s coming!

06 April 2026 - I’ve created new categories, changed a couple, and deleted some old ones no longer in use. Here are the categories now: Codeblocks, Custom Designs (no longer Custom Solutions), Drafting Table, Journal, Resources and Best Practices (no more Other Resources category), Print in Place, Retrofitting (Replaces Remodels), Techniques, Tools and Tech, Troubleshooting Tips, and TtRPG Structures.

Before I add a category dropdown menu, I want to retitle my posts. The titles don’t often describe what’s happening, and I have no idea whether adding the menu will break everything or not. Halfway through the retitling, and fixing up the url slug when I do it, also double checking the categories. I got about 2/3 through the new titles, though had to stop to break up my basic machines posts. There had been two articles, now there are six. They are no longer sequential — i had to push four of them back for later publishing. That took a hot minute and I am done for the day.

15 April 2026 - Added a site map page. Goal: to help people navigate the blog. The page won’t be enabled til it’s done.

17 April 2026 - Worked on site map options, also renamed it Site Guide. After doing that for a bit, I went back and finished re-titling all the posts. That’s finally done. Next step is to finalize the categories and double-check the URL slugs. I am positive I skipped the slug step for the last few posts.

After posting this update I made sure all my categories were up to snuff. Everything is sorted into one of the new ones, and there are no carry-overs from the old posts, so I was able to safely delete the remaining old categories. Now all that’s left are the slugs, then the dropdown menu. I admit to being really nervous over not being able to back up my site first. I have to get this step done though, so I can move on to the next one: posting free downloads (everyone’s favorite part!).

20 April 2026 - I compiled the first two lists on the site map: one path for beginners and another path with advanced techniques. While there are still several paths to sketch out, I’m going to go ahead and make this page public. Already a couple of people have landed here and I’m worried that it will be confusing. Also I need to hustle on the free downloads — I made yet another household item today, and I’m eager to share it! This time I saved my documentation information so I can share it right away! Still haven’t tackled the category drop-down menu yet. I’m working up to it mentally. Meanwhile I get to try out my own documentation, so exciting!

It’s been hours since my last post, and i have an update: the Site Map is nearly finished. It looks good, imo. I am going to add three more guides, but honestly there are categories, which will have a dropdown menu of their own, so I want to watch out for overlap (duplication of effort). Here is the notice I added to that page: — I’m still adding guides and links — this page is live but not yet quite finished. It still lacks a print-in-place section, which I will absolutely need. I’m already learning about how to 3D print articulated joints (expect an article around mid-July), before diving into the world of Captive Geometry. I also need to set up a journal/experiment guide, as well as one for custom models. The need for guides will probably grow with my blog, so this section might never be done exactly, but once I add the print-in-place, custom designs, and journal/experiments, this notice is going away.

tldr: not quite finished, but functional, and more cool stuff on the way

21 April 2026 - I finished the Site Guide categories, and trimmed the accompanying message appropriately.

23 April 2026 - I finished the site guide. It needs editing to make sure all the links are correct, and that everything that should be linked is. It looks really good though, and I feel like a hero. The ‘being built’ type message is gone. I also printed the new improved comet lid yesterday. I’m glad I tested it out first — somehow my sizing was off, but the grip concept is rather nice. A rework is in the offing.

Now that the site is navigable, the categories correct, titles rewritten, and downloads area organized, it’s time to put all my focus on the downloads, along with their accompanying documentation. The other things on my monstrous list of tasks need tended to, but the free offerings are the most important priority. Expect to see things pop up in the downloads section over the course of the next week.

27 April 2026 - Added a search function and a category drop-down menu to the Workshop page.

29 April 2026 - Added alt images to both Codeblocks articles and the Color Swap one, as well as re-organized their asset folders. Set up the Print in Place folders for the PiP images.

Drafted and printed a test size for the Comet lid. Three tests later, and it was time for a final print, which was successful. The lid fits well, and I think it would fit just as well on another printer. Maybe I’ll try it on the Bambu later. Meanwhile, it’s perfect, and I was even able to hold the Comet upside down (over the sink!), with no spill: the lid stayed on. Hooray! Next step is to upload it along with the documentation, which was the initial hurdle. I have the forms now, having created them, but I have never put together in a package before. Time to learn yet another skill!

Meanwhile, while that was printing I finished doing the alt-image and re-organization for the lazy susan and both folders for the abandoned river mill.

04 May 2026 - Moved resource page on filament types to its own folder and added alt images. Renamed the ball and socket images, then moved them to the new techniques folder. Finished adding alt images. blech. Did the same for troubleshooting prints.

05 May 2026 - Added a couple of images to the Comet Cleanser Lid and rewrote the download button so that it’s clear what people are adding to their carts. I’ll add documentation later, but it is the most simple and straightforward of downloads so I am going to focus more on continuing to organize the files and assets in the background while adding more free products to the store. Added the washcloth organizer to the store. I absolutely LOVE the one I made for our house: it has rounded corners so nobody gets scratched, a scoop front for grabbing things, and a lid that keeps things from falling into the bin. Both the products listed have some pics, but they still need documentation. And I need to add the lid!

06 May 2026 - Added 4 slot mail organizer - minimalist model. Noticed my button/label format for the store lacks consistency, so I’m adding ‘make a store blueprint’ to my Monstrous List of Tasks.

07 May 2026 - Finished retitling all the images and placing them in their shiny new folders. I feel like I just did something amazing.

15 May 2026 - Added more alt images, starting with most recent post (not even publically available yet ;) ) and working backward. Did it til boredom set in. I’ve been working on workshop posts, 3D modeling, and getting free stuff out there more than upgrading the blog, so it was good to get a little done on the actual site. Ah, and I moved the search bar to the footer so that it’s usable from any page. The categories drop-down on the workshop page looks less squished and feels more relevant. I may or may not be done with the alt-images; reviewing to see if I missed any.

28 May 2026 - I got the email group set up, a button added, and a working sign-up form. I like it except for one very big thing: the button opens a form that has yet another button. I am going to rework it very soon because I frankly cannot stand the flow — a button that matches the site goes to new page that doesn’t match at all. So, two different submit buttons, and a jarring visual. It works though!

29 May 2026 - It worked, but the confirmation email kept getting trapped in the spam filter. Phew, finally! Anyhow, subscribers that confirm definitely get added to the list, I have tested this! So there are different options that fire off. More important, the button goes to an embedded version on the site, so it doesn’t break my theme or have ugly addresses. Created a contact page and form, accessible via a button in the footer. That footer is awful busy - at some point I might move the documentation downloads to the store section (still free ofc, just want people to be able to find things!) I might even move the sign-up to its own page. For now though it looks good enough and it works. Checked those additions of the monstrous list of tasks!

24 June 2026 I knew I didn’t put in last night’s updates (sleepy!), but it looks like I’m missing all the work I did on settling up newsletter accounts, sign-ups, not having people sign up twice, and then making all the forms look pretty. That short description gives no justice to the literal hours I worked on getting all that set up. Phew. I also improved the look of my kofi page (a little, guess i have some work to do there still). But that was last week I want to say. Last night was something else: the fourth attempt at a store that worked with buttons and was not ugly.

The less said about the first attempts the better. ‘Awful’ and ‘ugly’ would have sufficed, for the first. ‘Not very useful’ for the second, or maybe the third. The problem with not having noted my work at the time means it all runs together into a big knotty mess in my head. Suffice it to say, this time reflects all the learning of ways not to do it. It lacks only one thing: downloads. Okay, two things: anchors, so that people don’t have to scroll every category. The downloads would be easier if i didn’t decide to put them in zip files. But I got ahead of my workshop by around four articles, so I have some time to devote to the download area, which has the rather uncreative but extremely clear title of ‘downloadable STL files’.

26 June 2026 The anchors can wait (still). I have been adding downloads as quickly as I can. And hoo boy what a process it is.

Here is the workflow to get an object ready for you, the reader, to peruse and possibly download: Title the object, get a good screenshot of it in Tinkercad, write a description under the image, retrieve the most current STL file (or files), put the model in the slicer so I can get the total weight in grams and the total print time, and also check support info.

Ah, but that’s not all. Then I need to make a desktop folder using the Title name from earlier, fill out the documentation in Adobe, save it as a pdf, and put it in the desktop folder. By printing it, how crazy is that? it took me quite a while of trying things before I ended up going to the AI for help to figure that one out — talk about counter-intuitive!

We aren’t done yet: Put the STL files in the desktop folder. Double-check the contents of the folder. Turn it into a zip file. Label the button. Upload it to the button. Ah, and eventually go back and mop up all those extra photos from the cropped screens and edits, then sort the remaining inventory ones. Lastly, review it — two of the inventory items escaped downloads (somehow).

Phew. I can only do a few at a time before I get a blazing headache that can only be remediated by some time in Skyrim. Watch the skies, traveler! And happy printing!

27 June 2026‍ ‍More downloads uploaded :) So much work involved there, but the download section is starting to look more filled out. I will put a few more up, but I then the rate will slow down bc I need to work on some projects, some future blog entries, and the frightening backlog of site maintenance. Fancied up the Contact Page, using Perchance’s wonderful totally free image generator. I don’t remember how I made the anchor tags for the site guide area, so I’m going to look that up. I have more downloads, but I also need to finish a project for a client (and oh so much maintenance, still). My eyes need a rest.

29 June 2026‍ ‍Added a ‘why this?’ answer-text under each portfolio option.