Source: Built Over Bot

This article is free for you and free from outside influence. To keep things this way, we finance it through advertising, ad-free subscriptions, and shopping links. If you purchase using a shopping link, we may earn a commission. Learn more

Creativity in the Limelight

Designer Spotlight: Built Over Bot

by Moira Daly
Published May 23, 2025

Looking for a fidget keychain or an adorable animal to keep you company? Check out Built Over Bot's creations and read all about them!

Comments

This week’s Designer Spotlight shines a light not on one, but on two creative minds: Sandy and Bob, who are behind Built Over Bot.

With almost 370 models offered exclusively via their Printables Club, plus close to 90 models shared for free, saying that they’re a productive pair is quite the understatement. Adding lots of merriment with plenty of festive Christmas ornaments, sparking amusement with a variety of bunnies, and offering dozens of cute keychains, you’re more than likely to find the perfect gift among these designs – for someone else or for yourself!

Now let’s look at how Built Over Bot came to be and how their creativity takes flight.

Q&A

All3DP: Tell us a little about yourself – what’s your background?

Bob: The wife and I are self-taught in 3D design and work together to make the cute designs. We own a business where we work together in an unrelated field and started 3D printing as a hobby. Most of the designs we post are designed to be sold at fairs to make money with 3D printers.

How do you get the ideas for your designs?

We print and sell our designs at local shows. We also get ideas from our members that also do the same. We are always getting ideas to add to the list and never catch up.

How much does the technical side of 3D printing (e.g. supports, a design that requires assembly or one that’s printable in one piece) come into play when you’re designing? Or is your designing entirely independent from 3D printing and you later figure out how they work together best?

We think of the total design as we make the file; when you are working to sell prints, you want to make the file. As well as test printing every file multiple times, we want a strong and easy-to-print file. The best way to make a file in our experience is to design for production. You have to think of the angles, how your plan on painting the model, and the orientation of the joints on the printer to make a good quality design. Both of us would also love it if we did not have to print supports brims or rafts on any print, so we try to avoid posting designs that need them.

Of all the things you’ve created, which are you most fond of and why?

I would say I am most fond of the Knitted Dragon; that was where I think our designs changed to a new level of design.

If you could step back in time and give yourself some advice from the beginning, what would it be?

I would have started earlier and concentrated on improving every design. It takes at least a year making designs before, as a maker, you are worth it for people to pay memberships to sell your products. I wish I had started sooner to get over that hump, to have enough files to offer a more complete subscription. I really want our members to get the value they deserve.