Inside a 3D Clay Printing Experience in Berlin: What to Expect
Inside a 3D Clay Printing Experience in Berlin: What to Expect
Summary
Four hours, one machine, and a piece of stoneware you designed yourself. If you're wondering what a 3D Clay Printing Experience at The Loom Lab actually involves — the schedule, the price, whether you need any experience — this post walks through it start to finish.
What This Actually Is
People usually ask us the same question first: is this a workshop, or is it more of a demo where we do the work and you watch?
Neither, really. You mix the clay. You load the machine. You design the shape yourself in a browser — no software to install, nothing to learn beforehand. Then you press print and watch a nozzle lay down your own design in clay, one line at a time.
We run it in small groups — 4 to 6 people per session — at our atelier in Berlin. No prior experience with clay, 3D printing, or design tools is needed. Most people who book have never touched a pottery wheel and have no interest in learning one. That's kind of the point: this process doesn't ask for those skills.
How the Four Hours Actually Go
This is the real schedule we run, not a rough estimate:
| Time | What happens |
|---|---|
| 0:00–0:20 | Welcome and introduction |
| 0:20–1:00 | Clay preparation — you hand-mix block clay to the right viscosity and load the tank |
| 1:00–1:35 | Extruder setup and test printing — calibrating pressure, running a first test extrusion |
| 1:35–1:50 | Break |
| 1:50–2:50 | Designing in the web app — shaping your vase, uploading a pattern, exporting the print file |
| 2:50–3:45 | Printing — watching your design get laid down in clay, layer by layer |
| 3:45–4:00 | Wrap-up, questions, and what happens with firing |
The clay prep step surprises people the most. It's not automated — you're working block clay by hand until it reaches the right consistency for the extruder. It's slower and more physical than most people expect from something described as "3D printing."
Designing Your Own Piece
The design step happens in a web app we built specifically for this. You don't need Blender, Fusion 360, or any prior CAD experience. You shape the vase — height, profile, curvature — and you can upload a personal pattern image that gets wrapped around the form. Some people bring a photo, a drawing, or a texture that means something to them. Others just play with the shape until it feels right.
Once you're happy with it, you export the file and the machine takes over. This is the part where the room usually goes quiet — everyone's watching their own vase come into existence, and it's genuinely a little strange to see something you designed ten minutes earlier take physical form in front of you.
What You Get to Take Home
Your piece isn't finished the moment printing stops. Clay needs to dry slowly before it can go anywhere near a kiln, so we fire it after the session — bisque fired and ready to collect from the atelier in about 2 to 3 weeks. This isn't a same-day souvenir, and we'd rather be upfront about that than let people show up expecting to walk out with a finished piece.
Who This Is Actually For
A few types of people tend to book this:
- Someone looking for a different kind of date or a gift experience rather than another object
- Small teams wanting something more memorable than a bowling alley or an escape room
- People curious about digital fabrication who want to actually touch the process, not just watch a video about it
- Anyone who's tried a pottery wheel before, didn't take to it, and wants a different way into working with clay
It runs with 4 to 6 people, which keeps it small enough that everyone gets real time with the machine — nobody's standing in the back watching someone else's turn.
The Practical Details
- Price: €139 as an introductory rate (regular €169), all materials included
- Location: The Loom Lab atelier, Berlin
- Group size: 4–6 people
- Duration: 4 hours
- What to wear: Something you don't mind getting clay on
- Minimum to run: 3 participants — if fewer have booked 24 hours out, we'll let you know and refund in full
Common Questions
Do I need any experience with clay or design software?
No. Everything is taught during the session, and the web app is built to need zero prior knowledge.
Can I take my piece home the same day?
No — it needs to dry and be kiln-fired first. Pieces are ready to collect roughly 2 to 3 weeks after the session.
Is this good for a group that's never met before, or only for friends?
Both work. We've had friend groups, couples, and colleagues who'd never worked together outside a meeting room.
What happens if not enough people book?
We need a minimum of 3 to run a session. If that's not met 24 hours before, you'll be notified and refunded in full.
Can I choose what my piece looks like, or is the shape fixed?
You design it yourself — the shape, the height, and the pattern wrapped around it are all your choices, made in the app during the session.
Booking
If this sounds like your kind of afternoon, spots are limited to keep the groups small. You can find the current availability and book directly on the 3D Clay Printing Experience page.
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