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A maker is using Google Gemini to generate editable OpenSCAD code for parts of a Fallout-inspired Halloween prop he is building with his son. The AI has produced useful starting points but also ignored design instructions, so the project remains a work in progress rather than a finished model or prop.
A maker is using Google Gemini to help design 3D-printable parts for a Fallout-inspired Halloween prop he is building with his son, describing the AI as a useful aid for turning rough ideas into editable OpenSCAD code. The project is unfinished: early prints and generated models have exposed errors that still require the maker to revise dimensions, prompts and designs.
The project began after the maker’s son chose a costume inspired by Fallout 4. A full DIY power-armor costume was judged too ambitious for the available time, so the maker shifted toward a more achievable look using foam and craft materials, a hard hat and a custom prop. A motorcycle chest protector ordered online was delayed and apparently lost, prompting a change in the costume plan.
The maker used Gemini to explore a truncated-cone component with a mounting ring. After several rounds of prompting, the tool supplied OpenSCAD code that could be adjusted through parameters. The maker says the code helped settle on a design made from two connected truncated cones. A test print, produced with filament that was too wet, was described as good enough to move on to another revision, which is intended to be larger and include holes for mounting it to a wooden box.
Gemini also generated a proposed breakdown of a fantasy tool into printable subassemblies, but the maker said that result was not very helpful. In another design attempt, the AI ignored instructions about flush side arms and the placement of pill-shaped holes, and added unwanted chamfers. The maker modified generated code by changing dimensions and adding mounting-plate holes, and is printing a low-density version of a separate part. The plan is to make a rough first version using individually designed parts attached to a small wooden box, then refine it if time permits.
AI as a Workshop Design Aid
The report offers a practical example of AI being used as a design assistant, not as a substitute for making or engineering decisions. Gemini helped the maker move from an incomplete mental picture toward editable geometry, while the human user judged the output, corrected the code and decided how parts would be assembled.
That distinction matters to hobbyists considering generative AI for physical projects. A model that looks plausible or produces code does not guarantee a usable part: dimensions, clearances, mounting points and assembly choices still need to be checked. In this case, the maker says the AI’s mistakes were frustrating but also helped him visualize the object in three dimensions before committing to a manual model or print.
The account is an individual project report, not a controlled comparison of AI design tools. It does not establish how much time the tool saved, whether the final prop will work as intended, or how its results compare with a model built entirely in conventional CAD software. Its value is in showing both the potential and the limitations of an iterative workflow.
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From Costume Idea to Test Prints
The maker’s intended costume takes inspiration from the Fallout game setting, but the prop is being designed from scratch rather than reproduced as a detailed replica of an existing in-game item. The maker says he encouraged his son to accept a more creative design because the reference fantasy tool appeared difficult to make and the deadline was approaching.
The workflow described combines several methods: Gemini-generated OpenSCAD code, parameter changes by the maker, 3D-printed test parts and a planned wooden-box core. The maker has also used 3D files for green air fittings to check how fittings and quarter-inch-inner-diameter hoses might fit into an assembly. He has not decided whether to use inexpensive metal fittings, and says the printed examples helped him avoid ordering too wide a selection.
For future work, the maker is considering remodeling parts manually in Fusion or similar CAD software, which he expects would make it easier to control dimensions and their dependencies. He says that may not be practical for this deadline, so the near-term goal is a rough first version rather than a fully integrated design.
“The AI made a lot of mistakes, and I’m also learning how to better constrain dimensions in my prompts.”
— The maker, in the ToolGuyd report
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The Final Prop Is Still Pending
The report does not say whether the prop has been completed, tested as a working device or used as part of the Halloween costume. The maker describes a rough first version as the immediate goal and hopes to refine it later, but gives no confirmed completion date or final design.
It is also unclear which parts, if any, will ultimately be produced from Gemini’s code without substantial manual changes. The maker is still deciding on fittings, the handle design, attachment methods and the overall assembly. The wet-filament test print is only described as adequate for the next development step; it is not evidence that the final material or finished parts will perform reliably.
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A Rough Version Before Halloween
The maker plans to continue printing and revising components, including a low-density version of a part whose code he has already adjusted. The next cone revision is expected to be larger and include mounting holes for attachment to the wooden box. He may use screws, glue or other adhesives to combine separate components, with the design shaped by the remaining time.
The immediate milestone is a rough V1 prop that can be incorporated into the costume. Further refinements may follow if time allows, and the maker may later remodel components in conventional CAD software for more control over related dimensions. The report does not confirm whether that later redesign or a completed Halloween prop will happen.
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Key Questions
What is the maker building?
He is developing a Fallout-inspired Halloween prop with his son, using 3D-printed parts and a small wooden box as the planned main body. The intended costume is not a full power-armor build.
How is Google Gemini being used?
The maker used Gemini to help develop OpenSCAD code for printable geometry and to suggest a breakdown of a fantasy tool into subassemblies. He then reviewed and changed the generated code and dimensions.
Did the AI produce a finished design?
No finished design is reported. The maker says the AI ignored some instructions and added unwanted features, and the prop remains in development.
What happens next in the project?
The maker plans to print and revise more components, attach them to a wooden box and create a rough first version for the costume. Further CAD redesign and refinement are possible but not confirmed.
Source: rss
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