Summary

Two color customizable necktie. Customize the size and pattern. No dual extruders needed and it is semi-flexible!

Instructions

TO GET PROPER STLs: Set all the design parameters first. Then turn off the "Preview all" option and click "Create Thing" once with the "Pattern Pieces" option selected AND click it again with the "Tie Body" option selected. Customizer will spit out 5 parts at once for each.

The main tie body is made up of 5 pieces that are clipped together with 8 flexible connector pieces, and 5 pattern pieces are designed to clip onto the front of everything. The whole tie slides onto a flexible neckband that is one size fits most. This is an ambitious print, and you need to print either 5 (solid color tie) or 10 ( with a pattern) pieces from the customizer app to make it, and also the neckband and the 8 identical connector pieces which are under the download button. I have actually printed this and it does work.

The openscad code that generates the pattern (honeycomb module) is taken from the MakerBot iPhone case( http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:40703 ), but all the rest is my own work. Please give feedback and I can tweak the design of the tie to work better!

USEFUL TIPS:
-If you don't know what dimensions you want on your tie, you might start by measuring a current tie you own to get an idea what you want
-To print the neckband, set your slicer to zero infill, zero top and bottom layers, and only 1 perimeter. Slic3r gave me good results. There is also a filler piece you need to clip off, you'll see what i'm talking about.
-UPDATE 3/7/12: Now with new neckband option that can be printed on printers with a buld area as little as 100X100 mm. The neckbands have the same total length. Choose the larger one if you have the build area.
-When clipping on the pattern pieces you might need to scrape the clips or the notches to get the right clearances. They can't take too much abuse when being snapped on but work fine once the tie is together. Also, they don't work well if anything is warped, so watch out for that.

Customizable Necktie