Since 1986, the Legend of Zelda’s titular princess has sent millions of gamers on unending quests full of adventure, puzzles and action. Players control Link, a diminutive green-tunic wearing elf who is guided on quests by Zelda, often while trying to thwart his nemesis Ganondorf’s plans to kidnap the princess or try to take over his home of Hyrule. But Princess Zelda is both powerful and wise, and never sends Link on his quests unequipped; among the range of weapons that Link uses, and earns, during his travels, none is more powerful than the Master Sword.
As a 3D designer and a 3D printing and 3D design tutor for iMakr, Lloyd Roberts is about as qualified to create just about anything using a CAD program and a 3D printer. He bought his first 3D printer in 2012, and what started as a hobby grew into a full-blown passion. Not only has he turned that passion into a career with iMakr, but he shares his 3D models with the community over on MyMiniFactory so anyone can create their own version of his designs. After designing and receiving quite a bit of praise for his massive Devil May Cry Rebellion Sword, Roberts decided to try his hand at creating a 1.2-meter-long replica of the sword from one of his favorite games, the iconic Master Sword from the Legend of Zelda series.
“The reason I decided to model this sword is because I have always had a love for Zelda, I had also seen online that the Master Sword was incredibly popular amongst other gamers, seen by many as the best sword from any game. It is at the very least a very iconic sword from a classic game that has been played across generations on multiple consoles. Though the sword makes many appearances, often slightly altered between each game, I decided to use the sword from The Ocarina of Time as my reference, looking at how big the sword was compared to link in some of the original art as well as the overall shape and design,” Roberts explained to me via email.
And Roberts’ 3D printable version of the Master Sword is not only a pretty great recreation of the original, but massive enough to be perfect for anyone looking to cosplay as Link, or just put a great prop on their wall. And, of course, no sword is complete without an equally detailed sheath to keep it in place.
Both 3D models are available for download directly from MyMiniFactory, although you do need to have an account with them. If you don’t have a 3D printer capable of handling a job this size, and wouldn’t even begin to know how to post process and paint something like this, MyMiniFactory sells copies of most of their models now, so you can simply buy it directly from them.
The Master Sword and the sheath were designed and modelled in Rhino using reference images taken directly from the video game, as well as artwork and other props that he found online. Each design took about a single day to complete, and was designed to print completely support and raft free. Roberts said that he divided the sword up into about nine individual pieces so it could print easily on his MakerBot Replicator 2. The total print time was about 35 hours in total, and required about half a spool of PLA filament. There is no need for any glue or filler to hold the sword together, although it probably couldn’t hurt. The structure is supported by a pair of long, thin wooden dowels running down the center of the blade, through the hilt and into the handle.
Both the sword and the matching sheath are printed with walls about 2mm thick and about 10% infill; however, Roberts says that he sees no reason why the walls inside of the sheath couldn’t be tapered in a little bit to save time and material. While the sword is already a tight fit, he intends to line the sheath with some foam for added protection and security. He also designed a pair of slots on the back so it can easily be attached to belts or straps and worn across his back just like Link does in the video game.
You can find more of Roberts’ awesome 3D printable designs over on his MyMiniFactory profile page. While he doesn’t have immediate plans now, he is seriously considering adding a matching shield, so any Link cosplay will be complete. Let us know what you think of this 3D printable sword and all of the designs over on MyMiniFactory on our 3D Printed Legend of Zelda Master Sword forum thread at 3DPB.com.
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