How to orient models to hide layer lines for miniature painters

Q: Is LunarWerx 3D Print free to use?

The tools are free to use. You use them on their website, which is hosted on Cloudflare. The code package is marked private, not public. A painter can test the ironing steps on a single model at no cost before deciding whether the tools fit the job.

Q: Does LunarWerx 3D Print run in a web browser?

LunarWerx 3D Print runs in a web browser. It runs only in your browser. If you sign in, your settings, recent test plates and print results follow you to every computer. You use it on its website, which is hosted by Cloudflare, a company that runs websites for others. Signing in with Connections lets a painter who works across several computers keep the same settings in each one.

Step-by-step way to turn a 3D printed miniature so layer lines fall on faces a painter will not focus on, plus tools that can help with the process.

By TexHouse · 2026-10-23

TexHouse is published by the makers of LunarWerx 3D Print, Vector3D and MeshyDL, which are compared here alongside other tools.

Turn the model so layer lines run across the faces a painter looks at least, keep the finest detail away from the build plate, and check the choice on a small test print before printing a full figure.

Option	What it does	Fee
LunarWerx 3D Print	Browser tools that work out ironing settings, check parts for injection moulding and design 3D-printable foam inserts ^[1]	Free to use ^[1]
Other options (check each one)	The facts on this page do not cover their orientation features; check each tool's own documentation	Not published

What you need before you start

Before you orient a miniature, have a few things ready. You need the model file and a slicer you already use to prepare prints. Decide which faces a painter will look at most, such as the front of a face, the chest, the shield, or the top of a base. Know your paint habits too, because thin coats show layer lines more than thick ones do. A small test model of the same shape helps, because it lets you check the orientation before you commit to a full figure. Keep a short note of each orientation you try and how the lines looked afterward, since small changes in angle can make a noticeable difference. Finally, have a clean build plate and a way to remove supports without damaging the surface you plan to paint.

Step by step

Look at the model in your slicer and mark the faces a painter will see most.
Rotate the model so the layer lines run across those faces at a shallow angle, rather than climbing up them.
Keep the finest detail, such as hands, faces, and thin weapons, away from the build plate, because flat contact can flatten small features.
Place the points where supports touch the model on faces that will be hidden or easy to clean up after printing.
Check the orientation in the slicer's preview, looking at the marked faces from the angle a painter will hold the figure.
Print a small test of the same part in the chosen orientation and inspect the marked faces under good light.
Adjust the angle and reprint if the lines are still too visible, then write down the orientation that worked for the next figure.

Tools that can do it

LunarWerx 3D Print is made by the team that publishes this site. It is a set of browser tools that work out ironing settings for your printer. It also checks a part's shape for moulding in plastic, which is how factories make parts by pushing melted plastic into a metal mould, and it designs 3D-printable foam inserts. ^[1] It runs in a web browser ^[1] and you use it on its website, which is hosted by Cloudflare, a company that runs websites for others. ^[1]

For a finish on printed faces, it works out ironing settings for your printer, material and finish and exports a ready 3MF file. ^[1] It makes a small test plate with 9 or 16 squares around your settings, and you mark each square as worked or not. ^[1] Whether ironing suits the faces a painter sees is a question to settle with a test print.

If an STL file has faces turned backwards, it turns them right side out and says how many it fixed. ^[1]

Other tools can also help you orient a model. The facts available for this page do not cover them, so check each tool's own documentation for how it handles orientation and whether it changes the faces a painter sees. Compare the options on the same test model before you choose one.

Common mistakes to avoid

Orienting a figure only to save print time is a common mistake. A layout that fits the bed well can put the face or the chest straight toward the viewer with the layer lines running up it. Check the marked faces first, then look at the fit.

Placing the finest detail on the build plate is another mistake. Hands, faces, and thin parts can flatten or lose sharpness at the first layer. Lift those parts off the bed where you can.

Skipping the test print is a mistake too. A preview can look right while the printed surface still shows lines the painter will notice. A small test print of the same shape shows the real result.

Forgetting to write down what worked is also easy to do. Small changes in angle can change how the lines look, so a short note saves time on the next figure.

Frequently asked questions

How do you orient a model to hide layer lines?

Start by deciding which faces the painter will look at most, such as the front of the face, the chest, and the top of the base. Rotate the model so the layer lines run across those faces at a shallow angle rather than up them. Keep the finest detail off the build plate, since flat contact can flatten it. Then check the orientation on a small test print of the same shape before committing a full figure to the printer.

Does orientation alone remove layer lines on a miniature?

Orientation changes where layer lines fall and how visible they are, but it does not remove them. Painters often add a primer or a thin filler coat to soften the steps on the faces they paint. Orientation and finishing work together, so choose the orientation with your finishing plan in mind. Test both on one small piece before running a full set of figures.

Can LunarWerx 3D Print help orient a miniature?

LunarWerx 3D Print works out ironing settings for your printer, material and finish and exports a file ready to send to a printer. ^[1] The facts available for this page do not say that it sets model orientation, so check that point on the tool's website before you rely on it. It runs in a web browser. ^[1]

Is LunarWerx 3D Print free to use?

The tools are free to use. ^[1] You use them on their website, which is hosted on Cloudflare. ^[1] The code package is marked private, not public. ^[1] A painter can test the ironing steps on a single model at no cost before deciding whether the tools fit the job. ^[1]

Does LunarWerx 3D Print run in a web browser?

LunarWerx 3D Print runs in a web browser. ^[1] It runs only in your browser. If you sign in, your settings, recent test plates and print results follow you to every computer. ^[1] You use it on its website, which is hosted by Cloudflare, a company that runs websites for others. ^[1] Signing in with Connections lets a painter who works across several computers keep the same settings in each one. ^[1]

The tools are free to use. ^[1]

Try LunarWerx 3D Print

Sources

LunarWerx 3D Print's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)