Hi there! My idea is to create a replaceable decorative cover for a picture frame. Pieces should be able to be added or subtracted to adjust the size of the frame. I was thinking about using TPU to wrap around the back and PLA for the front design. I downloaded Meshy but the AI gets the prompt wrong more often than right. I would love any design help. I’m open to changing everything expect for the decorative design and color. I’m excited to chat with real humans, lol.
Can you give a bit more detail on the design. Any pictures or what you are specifically looking for.
I’d love to but I think I need a tutorial to add a photo. 
I like the idea of the corners being printed as right angles instead of matching 45° segments. I was thinking the more pliable filament could act as a bracket to easily fit around the frame I’d be covering. What do you think? Would it make more sense to make the whole thing in one filament type? How about the joinery? I’d love your opinion on this.
The decorative part is the easy part.
What segment size, how you want to wrap the frame and connective system for the segments you want to use are the more important question. You can model any decorative design on top of the segments.
Are there specific frame sizes you are looking at to determine common segment size?
At first, I was thinking of making it extend 5’x3’ across my living room wall. Now I’m thinking I could start with a more manageable size like 24”x36” and add in more segments if I want after. Let’s say the frame itself is a standard 1”-1.5” width and 0.75”-1.25” depth. The frame cover should be 2”-2.5” wide.
Ok, so if I understand this correctly, the goal is to be able to take a plain old flat surface frame, and make it look more fancy by attaching a decorative cover. Is that right?
If yes, then I think messing around with mixing TPU and PLA is making it unnecessarily complicated.
Like, just make it out of PLA and have a “hook edge” at/around the top so it sits on the top edge.
Then maybe also have a small hook built into the top and bottom edges for a rubber band to hold it in place?
Completely agree.
Also additional info needed.
I made the assumption (with all that comes with that) that you wanted a reusable system that could be reused and modified to fit different frames at different time. So in my head that is what required a connector system that would hide itself in the design but could be disassembled and reassembled to different sizes.
If this is not meant to be reused and reassembled to new frame sizes and you would just print new segments for the new print then no fancy connector is needed. Just a simple key slot for alignment and glue. At that point you just need a to focus on the design that hides the glue joint the best.
I’ve made something similar. It was not for 3d print but cnc but same concept. I could remove or add bambu segments to change the overall size of the frame.
