Print a Record on the Bambu A1 mini: 170 mm STL Presets

By the Make a Record project · Software reference v0.1.0

The A1 mini presets turn WAV or MP3 audio into a 170 mm STL record at 45 RPM. Choose the version matching your installed nozzle: a1mini04 for 0.4 mm or a1mini02 for 0.2 mm. Both are experimental geometries; physical playback has not yet been validated.

Why use a 170 mm disc?

The A1 mini's specified build volume is 180 × 180 × 180 mm. A centered 170 mm disc leaves 5 mm on each side of that nominal footprint. Check the actual printable area, brim, and any reserved space in your slicer before printing. The existing 250 mm Bambu presets exceed this bed size.

Choose the nozzle geometry

The 0.4 mm version uses a 1.2 mm pitch and a 0.6 mm nominal groove width. The 0.2 mm version uses a 0.8 mm pitch and a 0.4 mm nominal width, fitting more turns into the same disc. These dimensions describe the generated model, not measured print resolution or sound quality. A narrower groove does not by itself establish better playback.

From audio to a sliced test

1. Select the preset for your installed nozzle and upload a WAV or MP3. Set the length to 5–10 seconds for the first attempt.
2. Keep the output on STL and generate the record. Save the geometry report with the downloaded file.
3. Choose the A1 mini and the matching nozzle in your slicer. Import the STL at its original scale and check that its diameter is 170 mm.
4. Place the flat back on the plate with grooves facing upward. Use the slicer starting points, then inspect whether the sliced layers retain the channel and the wall between turns.
5. Print a test and record actual playback at 45 RPM. Compare it with the source and the generated preview as separate recordings.

Can I shrink a 250 mm STL instead?

Generate a new record at the required diameter instead of scaling a finished STL. Scaling also changes the spindle hole, groove width, depth, and pitch. These presets change the disc diameter and inner radius while retaining the selected nozzle's groove geometry.

Will the turntable play the whole disc?

Check your turntable's supported disc sizes, tonearm travel, and auto-return behavior. The preset can encode toward a 40 mm inner radius; your arm may stop earlier. A short excerpt stays nearer the outer edge. Bed fit and successful slicing do not establish mechanical playback compatibility.

Current preset geometry

Values below come from the converter's presets. Capacity is a geometric maximum, before the web app's point limit or a shorter uploaded clip is applied.

Method and further reading

This guide describes Make a Record's source code and presets. The broader technique follows earlier digital fabrication experiments, including Amanda Ghassaei's laser-cut records. Suggested fabrication settings need validation on your machine; they are not manufacturer-certified profiles.