First time user needing help finishing 3d print design

[piran_gartner]

Hi, I'm pretty new to 3D design (use to use the old Gmax software for Flight Sim modeling waay back, but all that knowledge has evaporated..)

I'm hoping some kind person can help me achieve my goal. Basically, I have a standard sized (size 7 = 9.4"/23.9cm diameter) white Spalding basketball, and I’m looking to custom spray paint it in a quite unique way.

I am trying to replicate the “official” game balls they use in the 1998 movie Baseketball (ref: 

 

 )

First step is painting on the red “baseball stitches” either side of the seam line on the ball that does continuous loops.
Originally I planned to mask it up with tape, but creating identical “stitches” (skinny rounded rectangles) was too tough.
Next I considering a freehand red paint pen, but a test on another ball showed it wasn’t accurate enough due to the light dimples on the balls surface. – each slight stuff up stood out badly..

So finally I thought, why not take advantage of my 3D printer (CR-10S)?
So I thought, could I possibly print a partial shell of a same sized sphere, maybe just an oval shell section that would have a few stitch template holes on either side.
That way I could just mask up around the print, spray front on, let dry, and then move the shell/template along to the next section.

So far I've managed to create a 3D shell of the same diameter, and used a rectangular prism to slice a section of that shell.

But I’m struggling with the creation of the small rounded rectangles to be “laid out” across the skin like stiches.

Is there any chance someone could help me out with this part of the modelling?

I’ve also downloaded a basic basketball 3D model, and scaled it to the exact size of my ball to work out positioning of the stitches in relation to the seam lines.

I’m trying to use the black lines (non straight ones) as a template to work around (they are probably a bit too wide/thick compared to my ball).

I’m thinking the best way to do this is to create 2 prints, one around the apex, and one between the two apex’s. This would allow the 2 templates to cover all sections.

Here's what I'm trying to achieve (but red "stitches" along the line within the entire shell area in shaded white):

 

 

Sorry for the crude drawings, I can easily visualise what I want to achieve, but making it happen is a bit of a battle for me..

Worst case, even a small shell with just one "stitch" on either side of the seam would be workable, just time consuming as I'd have to wait for it to dry after every single paint application.

Thanks again for any help!

[etfrench]

This site has a method of creating a planar path for a baseball curve.

[etfrench]

Here's a crude model based (very)loosely on Viviani's Curve:

Here it is as a surface:

While it doesn't follow the baseball curve exactly, the file shows how to create a pattern on path and create the stitch holes.  The surface with stitches could be cut using the circle in Sketch2.

p.s. If a circle doesn't fit the basketball stripes, try an ellipse.

[piran_gartner]

thanks for that file and help- I've downloaded it and tried to slice a smaller part of the shell, and scale it up to the correct inner diameter of the shell (given in original post) and I just can't get it to happen.

I think those stitch lines are pretty close, just maybe a touch long, and not quite wide enough.

Is there any chance, if it's not too much effort or time, you could help by doing these two steps? All I really need is just a small oval shaped area with 3 pairs of stitches, and that would be enough for me to print, spray and move along the line to repeat.

Thanks again mate, very much appreciated

[etfrench]

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@piran_gartner wrote:

Is there any chance, if it's not too much effort or time, you could help by doing these two steps? All I really need is just a small oval shaped area with 3 pairs of stitches, and that would be enough for me to print, spray and move along the line to repeat.

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That would require payment for my time 😁

You can change the size of the offset surface(last item in timeline) as well as the stitches by editing the features (Right click on the timeline icon).