How to Cut a Model in Blender

[@MarkusArkus5]

I am a beginner in both 3D printing and Blender and this video helped solve so many problems I was having! Great method, explanation, and demonstration even for a total novice.

[@WillishBroadbino]

For those out there without a numpad, the "shift+ctrl+minus" shortcut to perform a "difference" in the bool tool actually refers to "numpad -" in the settings. If you hit ctrl+shift+b you can open up the bool tool window itself and select the diff operation without the shortcut. I'll edit my comment if I find where to rebind hotkeys

[@troelsvejenchristensen8850]

Thank you!

[@davichomx4957]

thanks!!!

[@Its-TY333]

still doesn't work

[@Toyosu2399]

@@Its-TY333 Try ti use older versiom of Blender 2.83.2

[@langedelamort999]

@@Its-TY333 I was able to do it on 3.0.0, did you install bool tool and 3d print?

[@greencastleonlineauctions9152]

If you are having trouble with the Control-Shift- Minus not working do this : Go to Edit>Preferences>Input> and then click the box at the top that reads 'Emulate Numpad'. This should help.

[@OrcaFlips9842]

thank you so much!!

[@aero4562]

ty

[@cat740dt]

that saved me so much headache! Thank you

[@lexwii]

beautiful

[@Christopherstudiosrodriguez]

Thank you so much❤

[@Misko6]

This video has been INCREDIBLY helpful. Thank you for posting this as it took this amateur about 2 hours and a failure to figure out what you fit into about 10 minutes.

[@toooldfortwowheels2048]

This is an absolute life saver. I've been printing some huge Tyranid style figures for my son and a few parts came out perfectly with perhaps a single flaw here and there! Rather than print the whole piece agaiun I can now just get the single bit I need.... Incredible, thank you so much, saves me time and resin.

[@shaunjedi]

I've found this video totally by accident after asking on a helmet printing video how to people add holes / registration marks for easier connection (my printing bed is small. so i have to print 8 diff pieces instead of 1 full helmet) and man you are the G Thanks for your video!

[@xv1k375]

This is so great! I’ve been wanting to do this for so long but I’ve always settled for meshmixer plane cuts. Downloaded blender and this was without a doubt the most beginner friendly tutorial, even taking the time to explain key bindings you’re using etc. 10/10!

[@mosspath2974]

Honestly I thought cutting a giant area OBJ for making a Gamecube diorama was going to be impossible, but with this I finally know how to cut out the piece I want to use, thank you so much lol

[@creativohugo]

This worked like a charm slicing a model way too big for my print to make. thank you! Also, depending on the complexity of the seam you can also duplicate existing boundaries on the mesh,, use grid fill, and finally follow the same process to get even more organic shapes as result

[@franciscolagrifa18]

this was super useful and easy to follow. I'm starting with blender, taking my time, but channels like this get the "fear" away to keep on learning.

[@craigroberts4434]

As someone who is trying to teach my self modelling for the exclusive purpose of 3d printing - this will com in SUPER handy down the line. Thanks for this!

[@ASassyP]

You have singlehandedly been the solution to my issue I was having for days now on Blender. Thank you for making this video.

[@ZhengNeoh]

I would like to say, thank you very much Filaments Folly! Without this tutorial I could not have finished my prints as it it too large for my printer. Very clear instructions all the way!

[@Mcdonaldrod75]

That was really useful. And I like the way you call out the keys because sometimes its hard to see at the speed people work.

[@Yvelto_Gaming]

Super helpful bro. You were clear and too the point. I appreciate you narrating the key commands and having the key cast.

[@fishtinandcopper179]

A refreshing change to see such a clear explanation, thank you

[@Stillenacht3D]

This was super helpful! From my experience with printing it helps to scale up the negative socket ever so slightly. My first time I didn't do it and the positive peg would not fit into the negative.

[@BenjaminEsposti]

That's what I do too, usually about 0.1-0.25 mm, but it varies depending on how much desired tightness/looseness, corners, etc. Another bit of advice, is to accurately measure and calibrate your extruding rate. If you're over-extruding, the part will surely be larger than anticipated. Over-extrusion can also be caused by wet filament, so keep the filament dry. (Some materials absorb moisture from the air.)

[@Jenji999]

For anyone using Mac , It is shift + Ctrl + B Then difference

[@matthewbachman9328]

THANK YOU!

[@neilfoster9587]

😁👍

[@Noktarash1990]

for me it completely deletes the other part :(

[@tohnjay]

@@Noktarash1990 click/select the "plane" first, then shift click the body.

[@Noktarash1990]

​@@tohnjay I do that, and to simple parts it works, but when the plane has to many corners it starts deleting stuff instead of seperating.

[@Ultimaniacx4]

Perfect! Just what I needed. Very efficient and easy to follow. So much better than all those other videos on youtube using a cube to copy parts of the model.

[@graphguy]

This is perfect! As one side note for Newbie 3D printers like me, you have to know your printers tolerances and get them compensated or adjust for. My Creality Neo Max prints with about + 0.20 - 0.23mm variance from measured model. So, I have to adjust either the settings or my model if I need accurate fits.

[@Badkitty24]

even if your printer is dialed in...EXACT fits aren't a good idea. Over the years they never fit. a tolerance of one nozzle width is good (at least .4mm) that tiny bit of play allows for expansion and exact fits by slighting moving the inserted piece to align better.

[@esquebee]

Shift Ctrl Minus is a permanent offset zoom out feature now. What were you trying to do that made the plane disappear for the cut?

[@Valasilphukiir]

You need to go to "Object" (by default at the top of Blender), then "Bool Tool", then "Difference". That basically subtracts the area where the 2 shapes overlap, creating a very thin gap between the arm and the body (in this case). Had to figure that out myself, hope you did as well!

[@rosshanks3566]

@@ValasilphukiirI tried that and it deleted the plane, making a perfect cut, but the section i wanted to cut off and keep disappeared

[@weronikabudzynska]

@@rosshanks3566 I have the same problem, please help @esquebee

[@Noktarash1990]

@@rosshanks3566 this happens to me, it only keeps 1 side

[@Liiva1]

This is great. This allowed me to split up a 3D model and print it without having to use a ton of support material. I saw this other video from Artisans of Vaul where he was reposing a model and he added seams along the wireframe of the model, that makes we wonder if those seams can be used to split up the model as well? That would allow very specific cuts instead of eye-balling it with these planes.

[@evilpunk4767]

you my hero ! i look 3 or 4 other video but your the only one who explaine well for some one new to blender !

[@Jenji999]

Shift control minus does not work for me on my Mac :( what is the alternative for this

[@utapandgo]

outstanding - I can't wait to cut a few things up. thank you heaps. I'm so new to 3D modeling and blender - I'm soaking in as much as I can. thanks again.

[@jagdeepsingh8770]

What is the name of the instruction that you are using it as Shift+Ctrl+ - key for?

[@leozinho2r]

"Difference" according to the shortcuts dropdown menu in bool tool add on :)

[@Jenji999]

Difference

[@josephvanwyk2088]

Bolean addon (difference).

[@stevesparrow2992]

Same questing, because it doesnt work for me… some time it does, other don’t

[@Aashka_The_Mystic]

Thanks man. I couldn't find the 3D Print tab, and eventually found out I had to press "N" lol. Hopefully I'll get the hang of doing this as I want to make large scale prints.

[@seban678]

thank you, couldn't figure it out either

[@kinglarry3727]

thankyou! literally downloaded Blender last week , id love to see something in how to manipulate these sculpts with ball joints, making them a posable figure.

[@3dGator]

Thanks this is exactly what I was looking for I used to use blender way back when and just got back into 3d printing and modeling and for the life of me couldn’t remember how to do this thank you so much !!

[@wompstopm123]

this is essential viewing for anyone who buys a 3d printer and uses blender

[@freddielinares3198]

Shift+ctrl+B for newest version of Blender, select Slice.

[@katasto]

For those of you having problems with the Shift+Ctrl+Minus, I had to close out the application and re open it being the first time I added the boolian addon. Also use the minus key on the number pad.

[@easy_3d]

im using a laptop and dont have number pad, will it work if i only use the boolean add on?

[@Aunalis]

THANK you!

[@lincolngraham5158]

@@easy_3d shit man I got the same issue

[@majidmahjoorart]

it worket for me.....tnank you man

[@Minisoderr]

@@easy_3d try the top comment's emulating keypad maybe?

[@danielro1209]

After cutting an object in half I have open ends. How do I have to close them with additional walls?

[@GlenEdwards]

I was following along on my macbook running Blender 3.1.2 and it's all the same until you hit Shift+Ctrl+"minus" (your key press didn't show on screen) and when I do this with the - key nothing happens. Correction, it zooms out one step. I cant find any info anywhere on how to perform that cut. This is a very complex program which needs video tutorials on each little action, yours is great up until that step for me.

[@Transitionsband1]

Hey mate, its minus (-) on the number pad, the function is called "difference" if you wanted to look it up for mac specific instructions

[@chrisc9213]

Yep I am having the same issue, it would be nice to show the commands on the drop down menu.

[@hunderslash]

@@Transitionsband1 damn I don't have a numpad :( Edit: oh nevermind I can do Shift + Ctrl + B then difference

[@Avetorro]

Mac users with no numpad you need to set in preferences “emulate numpad”. This video is an older version of blender but it’s pretty much the same process kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y4O1ZXt9p5qpe5I

[@NOOBTRON-xe3on]

you should look into the snaping tool im not sure but you may be able to save time when you make the blade paper mesh to cut the object, and have it snap to verticies i think. not sure though recently started using it

[@steveferrerio-eo9kz]

Excellent video you were saying things in a very good way to help me fully understand the process. I may seek you for more insight and advice!

[@owenrichards1418]

This saved me millions of years. Thank you!

[@Tat2dTroll69]

i swear these type of videos are GOLD!

[@mandarb1111]

Very helpful. I have been wanting to learn how to do this for a long time!

[@FilamentsFolly]

Glad it was helpful!

[@IceCreamMan1923]

Thank you so much for this! It really helps a lot with the 3D model I'm working on for my Power Rangers cosplay. Very well-explained and helpful. Have a great day.

[@mehi99]

You skipped a step at 8:07. How do you put the model back together along with the cube?

[@rauljimenez7252]

After watching it like 15 times i found what to do, you should press slash, then back to object mode (to avoid getting the cube in the other piece) then Shift+D and select the other object

[@MonkeyNinja99]

This is super helpful! Exactly what I was looking for.

[@cheshirecatproductions]

Life saver. Been having a heck of a time with meshmixer

[@Boom-Town]

Absolutely love this tutorial mate

[@marcos10356]

Good video! I have a doubt, do you divide it into 2 parts, ok! There are files that these parts do not see connected, the head is in one place and the torso is far from it... is there any way to connect like a "magnet" to attract the other part?

[@geo088]

Best video I´ve seen on cutting, Thank you

[@BlazeFoxSteve]

If you are using blender 4.2 go to extensions instead of add-ons

[@octimus2000]

5:46 "We kinda f... messed up the front a little" Awesome, video. Never knew how this was made. I'll try to replicate it on Cinema4D as I'm more familiarized with it

[@ayalde]

I subscribed for this video alone. Great tutorial! If I may make a suggestion. I would make the cube key hole first in the body, then I would reduce the size of the cube key and then I would make the union between the key and the arm. This is because it'll leave a hole a little bit bigger that the actual key and when 3D printed it would allow for some variation in size, or dimension inaccuracy, inherent to all 3d printers. Cheers!

[@cadenbopp]

This video is going to be saved in my quick access bar for all time.

[@Speakhardly]

Thanks for the tutorial! How would you go about cleaning the surfaces that come out of the boolean operation? I’m finding that there is no easy way to smooth or remesh them without messing up the model.

[@Zombielypse]

I have a problem. When i do shitf+ctrl+- my object dissapears but not the plane one :(

[@richardhertz7345]

Exactly what I needed, thanks! Easy to follow, not too fast and well explained.

[@shaunimcgarva329]

will this work for helmets being cut to fit a small print bed? Iam trying to work on a cosplay but the helmet iam making is waaaaay to big for my print bed. Was trying out mesh mixer but havent had success

[@nathanlewis42]

How do you select the cutting plane and then the model? I'm using the same version of blender, 3.0.0 but it won't do that. I can select one or the other. Then cntrl shift minus doesn't do anything. I tried holding down the control key to select both and then do cntrl shift minus but that did nothing. I'm trying this on a Mac. Does the Mac version behave differently?

[@AlVainactual]

It's been a year and still this tutorial helped, thanks a lot, friend!

[@plastiksurgeon9129]

When I hit shift/ctrl/minus key---It makes the image smaller. The cutting plane is still there. 🙁

[@FilamentsFolly]

are you using the num pad or the - + next to the backspace?

[@plastiksurgeon9129]

@@FilamentsFolly I’m on a laptop….keys are next to the backspace. I’m trying to split in half a model car body from an STL file. Not having much luck.

[@KarimJanobi]

I'm facing the same thing, even though I have NumPad. Did you solve the problem?

[@plastiksurgeon9129]

@@KarimJanobi I ended up using 3D builder which is on Windows 8 and 10, but I had to download it for my Windows 11. It did the job I needed it to do 👌🏾

[@KarimJanobi]

@@plastiksurgeon9129 Great. I will give it a go. Thanks brother.

[@jasonpbass]

when i ctrl shift minus both of my objects disappear. any idea why? edit: i switched to using the actual boole tool, set it to "fast" and it worked perfectly. added some keys and sliced! thank you for the tutorial!

[@janmw3774]

for Mac user shift + control ^ + - and make sure you have the bool tool add-on enabled because it's the difference bool tool used.

[@Avetorro]

Nice tutorial but I’d do this differently. I’d add a single vert rather than a plane and snap it to the arm seam then extrude and snap more vertices all the way round the shoulder till a ring was formed. Then fill it and alt+s scale on normals up a little and then solidify it. This way of working causes the front to go out of position when you move the back vertices.

[@Micahaphone]

Noob question - I'm trying to separate out a head on a model with a tall collar, and this seems like a good idea for that. I found how to enable Add Mesh: Extra Objects in the add ons menu, but I'm not finding how to fill it to do the rest of your suggestion. How do I fill in the random loose collection of verts going around this neck?

[@xavierneff1474]

Thanks for the tutorial! FYI, the plural of vertex is verticess.

[@mverna3628]

I am new to blender though I am an old man, I have been painting minis since the 70’s and was thrilled with the coming of the 3d printing age. Alas, many 3d models (scifi and fantasy) model them with backfill as though they are injection molds -especially paltrons/shoulder guards. I have a chaos dwarf BldBwl team that they look absolutely ridiculous. What would be an effective way to hollow these out properly? I liked your clear no nonsense tutorial on this and would love to see you tackle it.

[@secondarycontainment4727]

If you are talking about "hollowing" an already modeled model that you are going to print on a 3d printer (printing an STL?) the modeling software (Blender in this case) wouldn't do anything to the interior of your model. Blender can be used to remove any interior structures that are modeled inside there - but if there is nothing actually modeled inside the model then the process of INFILL is probably what you should be focused on. Your slicer software (software that prepares the model for printing / turning it into machine readable g-code/such as Cura or Slic3r) should have setting for INFILL. If the infill is set to 100% then the entire print will be filled with material (as if injection molded). Lower numbers will fill the interior with less material (typically in a definable and/or structural pattern). So, 0% would mean just the outer shell layer(s) is/are printed (as if a slush mold or blown mold)... sometimes a 0% fill is called a "vase" print. Maybe I am misunderstanding what you are asking here - if so, give some clarification and I will try to help.

[@secondarycontainment4727]

So, re-reading your comment - I now think you are talking about needing to remove volume (which you referred to as "backfill") from a premade 3d model. The simplest way to achieve this without any real modelling skills required would be to use the tool(s) called Boolean. Essentially you have a 3d model want to modify, another that will be used to remove part of the first, and then subtract the second from the first. The second model can really be anything (but obviously something would get you at least close to the shape you want carved out).

[@Alfaghetty]

since the other comment didn't answer your question at all- i mean you could just subtract a sphere or a cylinder to sort of hollow a model, but that isn't really hollowed, you only removed a shape from the model. What you want is the solidify modifier. The model you import into blender is going to be made of meshes- it doesn't actually have any density, it's just a bunch of 2D planes. If you use the solidify modifier, that will make all these planes into a 3d shell. You can set how thick that shell is from the modifier. Generally speaking, its a lot easier to just use the hollowing feature inside whatever slicer you are using, but the above will be how you would do it in blender.

[@alexcarlson7006]

Finally a tutorial that explains how to do this in a way I can understand THANK YOU

[@johantjie]

This solved a lot of problems that I've been struggling with. Thanks for an awesome tutorial

[@stevesparrow2992]

very usefull, I've been looking all over the youtube for cutting with connectors tutorial. Thanks A LOT!

[@marcos10356]

Buen vídeo! Tengo una duda, lo divides en 2 partes, ok! Hay archivos que estas partes no se ven conectadas, la cabeza está en un lugar y el torso lejos... ¿hay alguna forma de conectarse como un "imán" para atraer la otra parte?

[@Fahnder99]

In blender, you can loop cut the model itself. Which saves a lot of time on some models. The other medthod is defining a seam and then cut along. But this asks for sectioning the model first because otherwise the screen will lag on 50mb+ models.

[@h.montgomery]

hello and thank you, but how can I do the opposite? Some miniatures are in several files and if you import them all at once on the board, they won't fit together. Others assemble automatically. I don't know where the instruction is in the files that makes some assemble and not others. Renaming it doesn't change anything. Thanks for your help.

[@ryandeane4124]

Could use some help with this. (I am trying to cut a large terrain model down to fit my build plate). When I go through this process, the plane does not cut the model; instead I get 3 extra tiny dots that is says are separate parts. What am I doing wrong?

[@Skidly_Finley5879]

great video. only having one problem. the (shift+CTRL-) to show the cut on the arm is not working. It says I need to select at least two objects, which I did and it pops up with report error. any ideas? other then that your video has been quite informative. I am new to blender I'm sure you can tell lol

[@andrewlongfellow8745]

Loved the plane cutting!

[@Daeraug81]

Thank you. This video was an immense help.

[@Sentraxion]

i have an issue. i follow this tutorial, but theres no face where i cut it, just a hole to the models center. how do i fix this

[@giovanniesteban485]

x2

[@Minisoderr]

Shift control - stopped working for me today, but shift control + when keypad is emulated did the trick.

[@kenxchoi775]

thanks for tutorial, one thing to ask, if i done all the separete parts, how can I add bones into the "seperated" parts? it will be messed after add bone function, anyway can solve this issue?

[@ericanderson4973]

This was such a great help cutting models that meshmixer just cant cut. thank you for the information

[@strawberrycanary]

Can anyone help me at the shift CTRL - it does not make a cut but combines the object with the plane into 1 piece

[@phoenician3219]

Don't know if you still need help but make sure you use the minus on the number pad rather than by the backspace

[@connormackey642]

Shift control minus is not working for me and i'm on windows, any suggestions?

[@connormackey642]

figured it out, I guess all you are doing is applying a boolean modifier

[@gastonarnaldovega5883]

Once separated or separated, how can I join them more easily so that they are perfect, for example, so that when moving the pieces they fit together perfectly as if I were making a stopper?

[@blainesiemiller2807]

I'm trying this, but when I get to the actual boolean cutting, the cutting plane doesn't disappear and the whole thing becomes on piece. I checked my shortcuts and everything is set up right, and i tried looking for fixes like making sure normals are facing out and removing doubles, but nothing works. I'm worried the piece I'm trying to cut may be too complex.

[@BungusChungus-c7t]

same here, I hit save preferences, and did everything the video said. Right now im stuck because my object is not being cut.

[@Edmf29]

Not sure if you figured it out but that should only happen from a Union Boolean. Instead of ctrl shift - try just adding a Boolean modifier with the model as the target and see if it works

[@BungusChungus-c7t]

@@Edmf29 ok, will do. Thank you!

[@greencastleonlineauctions9152]

I ran into the same problem because I am using a gaming laptop and the keys are set up slightly different than a typical keyboard.

[@redakumaproduction]

This is amazing but how do you do it across multiple joint object ? It dosent work when i tried .it keep one object and the rest desapear ..😢😢😢

[@lwkvy]

wow dude, I really loved this tutorial!!! I was looking how to do this for a long time and YT just recommend me to watch this video

[@twombols3555]

I WOULD WATCH EVERY BLENDER VIDEO YOU MAKE

[@josephvanwyk2088]

Very nice. The cubes you add inside the model - they are called "keys". (molding terminology).

[@garyhaven7940]

This was excellent! Thank you so much! This was the perfect video I’ve been looking for cut and keying. I’ve used MeshMixer but it has limitations. Continue with Blender tutorials, I’ve been looking for some simple sculpting videos.

[@joshuastackhouse8006]

Hey worked great for a bit. Now whenever I try it deletes the whole model. (In the collection, the plane disappears but the model stays, but the model is gone in the work area.) What am I doing wrong?

[@MissNightsong]

The first time I did it it went smooth. Now I have an issue with the Shft+Ctrl+minus removing the whole, so it disappears. Has this happened to anyone else? Edit: Solved it. Some small parts of the body was disconnedted and were left hanging after the Shft+Ctr+minus

[@sergeyp921]

6:50 what if the plane just disappears without a cut or become a part of the main model?

[@raynlaze1339]

Would it not work to just select all the vertices for the arm and then separate them with ctrl + P ?

[@RetiredToddler]

I did this successfully with the first modification I made. On the second one, when I hit shift ctrl -, it simply zooms out and if I emulated the numpad, it merges the two meshes.. Any idea what I screwed up?

[@BetBack9]

I dont have the tabs to select the "3D print", anyway I can make this appear or an alt route? also I am trying to save these as separate file, any advice?

[@tylerbrauer22]

I've watched a ton of videos on trying to cut things and i learned so much info and im actually able to continue with my projects! Thank you so much!

[@luclibaers2192]

Great tutorial! Where can I find the model. I like that one.

[@brendanvds1789]

hey great tutorial but how do I put the cube and arm back to the right place on the body

[@HeplingHandGaming]

Apparently i dont know what im doing. Crtl shift minus is adding the plane to my object. But when i rotate the plane 90 in Y, it cuts.

[@Mewyz]

Omg great tutorial! I have been trying to figure out how to do this, simple enough for a beginner thank you so much!!

[@RM.-_-.]

I have a large form 3d printer and a lot of models come cut is there a way to join them back together before printing?

[@teabagNBG]

very nice helped me alot to understand it...i have one question , i understand if the print size is too small it makes sense to have multiple pieces but why do most vinyl toy designers do this even on small modelss? can it be it has to do with painting?

[@Vaioplayer88]

How do you make cuts on an object who's arms are both holding something like a rifle? I want to remove the arms from the model to make it easier to print.

[@Jayy8Bit]

6:54 Can't figure it out but every time I do this, the majority of my main object disappears. I have spent hours following along multiples times, following the same steps and even searching google and cannot figure it out. Anything I should be looking for in the main object that could cause this?

[@melijedits]

did you solved?

[@Jayy8Bit]

@@melijedits No. Orca slicer has a built-in tool that does all of this for you now so I just use that.