Setup Blender 2.82 with a default Scene
- Change cube measurements to mm
- Change cube unit scale to 0.001
- Change grid measurements to mm
- Change grid unit scale to 0.001
- Change cube measurements to mm
- Remove light
- Remove camera
- In edit mode, Move cube below the plane
- Move cube below the plane
- Set the X and Y dimensions of the cube to be the same size as your build plate
- Rename the cube to Floor (this is your buildplate)
- Change the viewport display of the Floor to Wire (it will be transparent with the edges highlighted)
Your default scene should look like this. You should see the build surface specific to your printer on here
Now you can add an object and set a boolean modifier such that it 'sits' on top of the buildplate, ready for printing
| Action type | Detailed Description | Shortcut |
|---|---|---|
| Orbit view | look around the scene (no panning) | hold middle mouse button + move mouse around |
| Edit mode | for a selected object, edit its individual components | tab |
| Deselect everything | reset selection | option + a |
| select/select multiple | In edit mode. To select an edge, vertex etc. (left mouse click on the part of the object) | shift + left mouse click |
| select object vertices | In edit mode. To lock selecting vertices | 1 |
| select object faces | In edit mode. To lock selecting faces | 3 |
| select object edges | In edit mode. To lock selecting edges | 2 |
| extrude | In edit mode. Select a part of the object and extrude it | e |
| toggle sidebar | for a selected object, toggle its sidebar | n |
| Add object | add an object to the scene | shift + a |
| move object | move an object in X,Y and Z directions (to move only in 1 direction, press that button after hitting g. Ex; g, x) | g |
| move object in XY (locked z) | move an object in X and Y directions, with z direction locked | g, shift + z |
| move object in X only (locked z + y) | move an object in X direction only. Shift + direction locks in that direction | g, shift + z, shift + y |
| rotate object | to constrain rotation axis, press x,y or z after toggling rotate mode | r |
| scale object | to constrain scaling axis, press x,y or z after toggling scale mode | s |
| pan view | pan the view around the X and Y axis | shift + middle mouse button + move mouse around |
| Apply menu | to apply location, scale etc to object (do this before applying boolean modifiers) | control + a |