MODYLO Plateau - a parametric plant stand / riser

A round top that splits into segments so it prints on any bed, then locks into one rigid piece. I made the first one to lift a fan off the floor, liked how it looked, and kept refining it. It went through a lot of full prints before the joints were right - which is the honest reason I trust it now.

Fully parametric

• Diameter 220-440 mm
• Foot length 50-220 mm - feet thread in, so you can change height without reprinting the top
• Segments 3-6 - fewer segments for a cleaner top, more to fit a smaller bed
• Ripple top on/off - leave it on for the turned-surface look, off for a smooth top

How it goes together

The segments are locked by a central hub and butterfly keys along each seam, so it's captured top and bottom and doesn't flex. Feet screw onto threaded studs - no hardware needed. A small index line by each foot socket shows when a foot is sitting square.

Choosing your segment count (256 mm bed)

• 3 pieces up to ~380 mm diameter
• 4 pieces up to ~480 mm (generation is capped at 440)

Parts auto-arrange diagonally on the plate. Fewer pieces means a cleaner top, so use the lowest count your bed allows - 3 pieces if you're at 380 mm or under. Larger beds fit more per piece.

⚠️ Important - print orientation When you generate a custom size, the customizer won't place the parts correctly for printing. The rule is the same at every size:

• Feet and studs: lay them flat on their cut face. This runs the threads across the layer lines for strength - printed upright they're weak and need supports.
• Top segments: print ripple-side-down (upside down), so the only support sits hidden under the hub on the underside.

If your slice is showing a lot of supports, the parts are oriented wrong. I've uploaded two reference plates - a small (240/100) and a large (380/150) - so you can see the correct layout; match that orientation for your own size.

Print settings

• Material: PLA is fine; PETG for a sturdier print.
• Walls: 2
• Infill: 10% hex or gyroid is plenty - the weakest points are the joints, not the body. The top is 15 mm thick printed flat, so it's very hard to break.
• Supports: only needed under the hub (top prints upside down) and avoided entirely on the feet/studs if oriented correctly. For the cleanest result, use a PETG support interface when printing PLA (and vice versa) so supports peel away clean. Otherwise just take care cleaning them up.

Design notes (for fellow makers)

Feet and studs are printed lying flat with one face cut, so the thread takes load across the layers instead of along them - much stronger than a vertically-printed thread, and no supports. The first turn of each foot needs a firm push, then it runs smooth; my kid can screw them in.

The top prints upside down so the only support is hidden under the hub. Remix it, resize it, tell me what you'd change.

Can you sit on it? Small diameters, yes. Large ones, no - at 300 mm+ treat it as a stand or display piece, not a seat. Printed in PLA here; if you want to sit on it, print in PETG and use a proper glued joint rather than relying on the fit alone.

MODYLO

As all my MODYLO models, do not resize, customize.

Part of the MODYLO family - the pots in the photos are on my page too.