TL;DR: We chatted to Britt, a.k.a. SithLord_Britt about her background, her favourite 3D printing stories, and how she began her journey on TikTok. Read on to find out all the juicy details she shared exclusively with E3D! 

Hey Britt! Tell us a bit about yourself 

Hi E3D! I am Britt and I am a Professional Nerd/3D Printer/Cosplayer/Maker. Before having kids I was a paramedic and still have an affinity for medicine and biology.

We’ve noticed you’re into cosplay, how did you begin that? Who is your favourite character to dress up as?  

I grew up in a home that did not really “celebrate” Halloween so I feel like I missed out on a lot of “dress up” as a kid, so as an adult I have enjoyed cosplaying as a form of self-expression. Making the costumes and props is fun and getting to wear and enjoy them is even more fun. I don’t think I have ONE character that I love to dress up as, although it might be obvious that I have an affinity for Star Wars characters.

How long have you been working with 3D printers & what got you into 3D printing?  

I began resin printing about two years ago after being encouraged by my Twitch community. I started my Twitch channel by streaming Star Wars: The Old Republic and once the community found out I was a maker and cosplayer they asked to see some of my projects on stream. I would do research on the newest materials and tools in cosplay and I eventually came across 3D printing. I have worked with both AB and UV resin in the past so I was more comfortable starting off in SLA/MSLA printing. Around May 2021 I was finally convinced to also give FDM printing a try and I am glad that I did. I am somewhat obsessed with filaments now.

Can you tell us a bit about your 3D printing setup?  

I live in New York City and space here is notoriously scarce so I have to make my decisions on purchases/projects based on what I can physically manage within my space. I just upgraded to an Esal shelving unit and the first eye level shelf houses my FDM printers and the shelf below houses my resin printers/wash and cure station. 

When did you start making Tiktok videos? What drove you to do it?    

I posted my first “transition video” on TikTok in December 2021. I had been on the app before but never posted anything. I deleted the app soon after starting an account because I knew it would be addictive and I would be tempted to make videos and- look! I was right! I downloaded it a second time after watching other people post transition videos and I couldn’t get them off my mind- I kept telling myself, “I could totally do that.” After live-streaming for three years, it was such a nice change of pace to make short-form content that I was able to go back and edit or do multiple takes of.  

What is your most viewed piece of content on TikTok?    

My most viewed TikTok is actually a 3D printing video where I am basically poking fun at a print of “The Rock” when that was a big trend in the 3DP community. It only took me about 20 minutes to film and edit and currently has about 260k views. 

What’s the best 3D printer you’ve ever used? 

I just got my first Prusa MK3S+ (it is the 10 year anniversary edition) so that has, understandably, become the best printer I have used. 

What would your dream printer set-up be?     

My dream set-up would be less about the actual printers (although I wouldn’t be mad if I acquired a few more Anniversary Prusas to match mine) and would just be to have some kind of space or office that is detached from my home. Like a lot of people during the initial COVID lockdown I didn’t have any time to get any meaningful work done since my entire family was at home and in my workspace. It has made me appreciate the impact that physically and mentally separating your work from your home has on your productivity and mental health. If I could have a space that is dedicated to just my work where I am not distracted I feel like I could create things faster and more efficiently than I do now. 

What advances would you like to see in 3D printing in the coming years? 

Nothing is more important than safety. I really appreciate when the community speaks out about hazards they experience while printing so that current features can be responsibly scrutinized and improved upon. I know that isn’t the most ‘exciting’ answer I could give but it does mean a lot to me personally. 

Attending any industry events this year? 

I did get to attend MRRF and I plan on going to the second day of ERRF as well as New York City Comicon (NYCCC).

What’s your next big project? 

My next big project is finishing the cosplay I will wear to NYCCC. I finally decided on making the Feral Predator from the movie Prey. 

Is there anything else you'd like to share with the community? 

Be unapologetically yourself. If you do not fit society's pre-made mold of who they think you should be- lean into it. Celebrate it. Stay weird. <3

Get involved in the E3D community!      

A huge thanks to Britt for sharing her work with us. Keep an eye on all of Britt's latest work by following her socials here. 

Find lots of other hints and tips from other 3D printing enthusiasts to make your 3D prints better! Join the conversation on Discord, follow our blog, and keep in touch on our socials. Do you have an impressive 3D printing project you’d like us to highlight? Get in touch and we can feature you!