PRINT OBJECTS THINNER THAN A HAIR USING TURMERIC AND A FIBRE
Print objects thinner than a human hair using a fibre tip, UV resin, and turmeric from the spice rack.
ScienceOpen-hardware
- difficulty
- ●●●●●
- time
- multiple weekends
- license
- MIT
- repo
- repo ACTIVE1,782 stars
●●●●● · multiple weekends · MIT · 1,782 stars · repo ACTIVE
WHAT YOU’LL NEED
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COMPAREE VERDICT
This is a genuine research-grade micro-fabrication capability assembled from two open-hardware projects and a kitchen spice. A 405 nanometre laser diode sends light down a single-mode optical fibre dipped in UV resin, and curcumin from turmeric absorbs the light so the resin only cures at the tip. Move the tip with a precision stage and you draw the object at tens of micrometres resolution. The demo prints are a 3D Benchy 150 micrometres long and a Stanford bunny photographed beside a human hair. The hardware is the Open Micro-Manipulator and the Fiber Coupled Laser Module, both MIT licensed with complete sources. The printing method itself lives in the video rather than a separate repository, so you follow the process from there after building the two machines. This is for people who want a micro-fabrication tool and are comfortable with precision mechanics, fibre optics, and iterating on a research process. The NSF grant database shows universities paying 395,000 to 628,000 dollars for a single commercial two-photon micro printer; this approach costs a fraction of that. The one thing most likely to go wrong is treating this as a turnkey printer: you are assembling a research platform and will spend time tuning absorber concentration, managing shear forces, and working around light bleed.
IN THE REPO
NOT IN THE REPO
- —Two separate hardware repositories ship with FreeCAD sources, KiCad boards, firmware, bills of materials and build guides.
- —Both repositories are MIT licensed and the licence text explicitly covers hardware design, software, documentation and concept.
- —The printing method itself is documented in the video only, not as its own repository.
- —You build the two machines and follow the process from the video.
- —No commercial restrictions.
- —The author lists honest limitations: residual light bleeding, absorber concentration ceiling, shear forces on prints, and slow serial printing.
Can I build this?
Build at your own risk. Projects involve tools, electronics and sometimes mains voltage — follow the creator’s safety notes.
Videos
Micro-Fabrication with a Fiber Tip
Published 5 September 2026. Documents the printing method itself; the hardware ships as separate repositories.
More builds like this
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Start here
Navigation into the creator’s own docs — we don’t rewrite the guide, we route you to the source.
- 1.Build the Open Micro-Manipulator (FreeCAD sources, STLs, KiCad boards, firmware, BOM and build guide)
- 2.Build the Fiber Coupled Laser Module (Second hardware component, also MIT licensed)
- 3.Watch the printing method video (The printing process is documented here, not in a repository)
- 4.Prepare curcumin solution(Mix curcumin from turmeric into UV resin at one part solution to four parts resin)
Resources
Documentation, files and community threads for this build — we link straight to the original sources and never rehost the creator’s files.
KNOWN ISSUES
- The printing method is documented in the video only, not as a downloadable repository. You follow the process from the video after building the hardware.
- This is a research platform, not a turnkey printer. Expect to iterate on absorber concentration, light bleed, and shear forces.
- Single-mode optical fibre handling requires care. A damaged fibre tip ruins the print quality.
- 405 nm laser diodes need eye protection. Do not operate without proper safety glasses.
- The serial printing process is slow for larger objects. This is for micro-scale work, not production runs.
- Residual light bleeding is a documented limitation. Tuning absorber concentration helps but does not eliminate it.
Why turmeric specifically?
Curcumin absorbs strongly at 405 nanometres, dissolves in UV resin, costs almost nothing, and is reasonably nontoxic. Without it the laser light bleeds through the resin and the print smears.
How does this compare to commercial micro-printers?
NSF grant records show universities paying 395,000 to 628,000 dollars for a single commercial two-photon micro printer, including accessories. This approach costs a fraction of that but requires build time and research iteration.
What resolution can I expect?
The demo prints show features at tens of micrometres. The 3D Benchy is 150 micrometres long, and the Stanford bunny sits beside a human hair for scale.
Is the printing process documented anywhere besides the video?
No. The hardware ships as two separate repositories with complete sources, but the printing method itself is in the video. You build the machines and follow the process from there.
What is the biggest practical limitation?
The serial printing process is slow for larger objects, and residual light bleeding is a documented issue. This is for micro-scale work where precision matters more than speed.
Community builds
No community builds yet — be the first, we feature the best ones.
Discussion1
FROM THE COMPAREE TEAM
The NSF grant database shows universities paying up to 628,250 dollars for a single commercial micro-printer — and this approach uses turmeric from the spice rack. What would you print first at that scale?
Diffraction Limited (0x23)
Diffraction Limited publishes as 0x23 on GitHub and released this method in September 2026. The work demonstrates that research-grade micro-fabrication is accessible outside institutional budgets, using curcumin from turmeric as the key enabling ingredient.
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DISCLAIMER
- Comparee is not the author of the projects featured here. All rights to each project belong to its creator — every page links to the original source, and we never host creators’ files.
- Information is provided without warranty and may become outdated as projects evolve. Prices are indicative bands only — always check the creator’s parts list for current costs.
- Building and operating any project is at your own responsibility. Protective equipment, safe workshop practice and compliance with local regulations are the builder’s responsibility.
CompareeTEAM11d ago
Practical notes from our verification: the printing method is documented in the video only, not as a separate repository, so you follow the process from there after building the two machines. The hardware repos are both MIT licensed and the licence text explicitly covers hardware design, not just code. The NSF award figures are for acquisition including accessories, not a bare catalogue price, but they give honest scale on what this capability normally costs. The biggest surprise is how candid the author is about limitations — residual light bleeding, absorber concentration ceiling, shear forces, and slow serial printing are all stated plainly rather than hidden.