CORK PALS
“I don’t drink a lot of wine; I just like collecting corks and doing crafty things with them.”
That’s the official line. It holds up surprisingly well.
A Noble Use of Questionable Habits
What Are Cork Pals?
They began as an experiment. A moment of curiosity between prints.
What if a cork had arms? And legs? And a purpose?
And so: the Cork Pals were born.
Designed to clip onto either end of a wine cork, these little creatures turn leftovers from dinner parties into tiny, noble beasts. I’ve made a bear, a pig, a cow, a fish, and a deer so far. Each one has its own expression. Attitude. Agenda. Printed on the Formlabs Form 3 in clear resin, then hand-painted, because of course they were. Some makers batch their work. Others let the pig get three coats of pink while the fish waits.
Each creature consists of two main parts — head and tail — that snugly grip the cork from either side. No glue needed. Just fit and friction. The cork becomes the body. The soul... well, that's harder to print. They’re oddly sturdy. Surprisingly buoyant. And, as I later discovered, adventurous.
Anatomy of a Pal
Meet the Team
🐷 Truffle — The Gentle Enthusiast. A pig with a soft heart and muddy hooves. Loves snacks, low-effort adventure, and quietly cheering for everyone else. Thinks hydro dipping is “a bit much.”
🦌 Fernhart — The Mellow Monarch. A deer with regal chill. Always composed, never in a hurry. Wears invisible antlers of responsibility. Was probably elected leader without knowing it.
🐮 Moozart — The Joyful One. A cow with the smile of someone who’s never worried a day in their life. Loves sunbathing, optimistic timelines, and long floats in lukewarm tea. Probably thinks every project is “going great so far!”
🐻 Grizzle — The Serious Type. A bear who takes things very seriously. Keeps a journal. Does precision hiking. Probably the one who checks the slicer settings twice, then once more “just to be safe.”
🐟 Blip — The One On a Mission. A fish with laser focus and a mysterious agenda. Not the best swimmer, oddly. But always knows where they're going. Keeps saying “this isn’t my final form.”
Adventures of the Cork Pals
Once assembled, the team was... restless.
They’ve since gone on field trips (a stroll through the lawn), a bit of mountain climbing (some very forgiving rocks), and a pool party (floating like champions, thanks to their cork cores and general disregard for physics).
Each setting was a reminder that making things isn’t just about the thing — it’s about what happens after. The photos became their own reward. A scrapbook of mischief.
Why?
Because it was fun. Because corks are oddly satisfying. Because tiny creatures deserve field trips too. Also, because when you work with high-detail resins and precision prints all day, sometimes it’s nice to make a pig head that fits on a wine cork and floats in a bowl of water.
It’s not always about perfection. Sometimes it’s about personality.
Stay curious.
– Dr. O