X Marks the peeling cut

In one of my first posts I suggested running a peeling cut through holes to give the forceps something to grab onto when peeling away the supports. But it's not so good to run a cut through a large hole (or hollow area) because it divides it into two sections, which could take twice as long to peel. It also reduces the size of the Z-folds, so the support material is more likely to tear instead of coming out cleanly.

So I've begun adding an X-shaped peeling cut inside hollow areas, not touching any walls.


At first the X-shaped cuts don't look useful because they don't touch any walls, which goes against the standard convention for peeling cuts. But they conspicuously identify the leftover support material.


The X provides a convenient location to grab the support material without touching any walls, thereby preventing the forceps from scratching the model.


The Z-folds work better because all the sides are clear of peeling cuts. Even if the material tears during peeling, the X provides a safe place to get hold of the remaining layers and begin peeling again.