Hi Dane

I find that when you have 4 tubes like that, that share a common top if you draw a line down the centre and cut across front and side views
When each meets at an exact surface they will union easily giving a nice clean solid.



When I draw jewellery and have printed , I do not join the individual parts , as long as they intersect each other the slicing programs are able to slice the stl file for printing.
The main problem is if you have duplicate objects on top of each other.

The slicing program for solidscape printers can handle non joined parts.


I am currently looking at a Kevvox resin printer that runs K studio which can join the parts as part of the print operation
I will let you know how I get on.

http://kevvox.com/3d-printers/sp-series/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QzNDtwTYLMo

cheers
shayne