At Totom, CNC machining and 3D printing sit alongside our more established techniques, offering flexibility, consistency and precision when we need it most.
Here are some examples of how CNC and 3D printing support prop making in practice.
CNC Machining – Hilton Pride Float
The Hilton Pride float, created for London Pride, featured a sweeping rainbow that stretched across an articulated lorry roughly 13.5 metres long. While the shape was simple, its execution relied on precision and careful planning.
To achieve this, we turned to our 4-axis CNC machine. Each coloured band of the rainbow was cut separately from MDF, allowing us to rebate the sections cleanly into the underlying structure. This meant each piece could be hand-painted and glittered without overlap or mess, keeping the edges sharp and the colours vibrant. The final assembly was seamless, with no visible fixings, just smooth, continuous curves.
As Clinton, our CNC specialist, puts it:
“The end result was simple in concept but looked stunning in execution.”
That polished finish was made possible by the accuracy and consistency of CNC cutting, turning a straightforward idea into a visually impactful build.