diff --git a/interface/src/ModelPackager.cpp b/interface/src/ModelPackager.cpp
index a7fc0b9e20..5d7d4b1396 100644
--- a/interface/src/ModelPackager.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/ModelPackager.cpp
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ bool ModelPackager::loadModel() {
         qCDebug(interfaceapp) << "Reading FBX file : " << _fbxInfo.filePath();
         QByteArray fbxContents = fbx.readAll();
 
-        _hfmModel.reset(readFBX(fbxContents, QVariantHash(), _fbxInfo.filePath()));
+        _hfmModel.reset(FBXSerializer().read(fbxContents, QVariantHash(), _fbxInfo.filePath()));
 
         // make sure we have some basic mappings
         populateBasicMapping(_mapping, _fbxInfo.filePath(), *_hfmModel);
diff --git a/libraries/animation/src/AnimationCache.cpp b/libraries/animation/src/AnimationCache.cpp
index 06dfc0262a..5c9f083a3b 100644
--- a/libraries/animation/src/AnimationCache.cpp
+++ b/libraries/animation/src/AnimationCache.cpp
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ void AnimationReader::run() {
             // Parse the FBX directly from the QNetworkReply
             HFMModel::Pointer hfmModel;
             if (_url.path().toLower().endsWith(".fbx")) {
-                hfmModel.reset(readFBX(_data, QVariantHash(), _url.path()));
+                hfmModel.reset(FBXSerializer().read(_data, QVariantHash(), _url.path()));
             } else {
                 QString errorStr("usupported format");
                 emit onError(299, errorStr);
diff --git a/libraries/baking/src/FBXBaker.cpp b/libraries/baking/src/FBXBaker.cpp
index 6349b06c49..afaca1dd62 100644
--- a/libraries/baking/src/FBXBaker.cpp
+++ b/libraries/baking/src/FBXBaker.cpp
@@ -187,10 +187,10 @@ void FBXBaker::importScene() {
         return;
     }
 
-    FBXSerializer serializer;
+    FBXSerializer fbxSerializer;
 
     qCDebug(model_baking) << "Parsing" << _modelURL;
-    _rootNode = serializer._rootNode = serializer.parseFBX(&fbxFile);
+    _rootNode = fbxSerializer._rootNode = fbxSerializer.parseFBX(&fbxFile);
 
 #ifdef HIFI_DUMP_FBX
     {
@@ -206,8 +206,8 @@ void FBXBaker::importScene() {
     }
 #endif
 
-    _hfmModel = serializer.extractHFMModel({}, _modelURL.toString());
-    _textureContentMap = serializer._textureContent;
+    _hfmModel = fbxSerializer.extractHFMModel({}, _modelURL.toString());
+    _textureContentMap = fbxSerializer._textureContent;
 }
 
 void FBXBaker::rewriteAndBakeSceneModels() {
diff --git a/libraries/baking/src/OBJBaker.cpp b/libraries/baking/src/OBJBaker.cpp
index 389e708c12..83079bc052 100644
--- a/libraries/baking/src/OBJBaker.cpp
+++ b/libraries/baking/src/OBJBaker.cpp
@@ -145,7 +145,7 @@ void OBJBaker::bakeOBJ() {
 
     bool combineParts = true; // set true so that OBJSerializer reads material info from material library
     OBJSerializer serializer;
-    auto geometry = serializer.readOBJ(objData, QVariantHash(), combineParts, _modelURL);
+    auto geometry = serializer.read(objData, QVariantHash(), _modelURL, combineParts);
 
     // Write OBJ Data as FBX tree nodes
     createFBXNodeTree(_rootNode, *geometry);
diff --git a/libraries/fbx/src/FBXSerializer.cpp b/libraries/fbx/src/FBXSerializer.cpp
index fb7d95cf37..1cbb0ce386 100644
--- a/libraries/fbx/src/FBXSerializer.cpp
+++ b/libraries/fbx/src/FBXSerializer.cpp
@@ -1796,19 +1796,20 @@ HFMModel* FBXSerializer::extractHFMModel(const QVariantHash& mapping, const QStr
     return hfmModelPtr;
 }
 
-HFMModel* readFBX(const QByteArray& data, const QVariantHash& mapping, const QString& url, bool loadLightmaps, float lightmapLevel) {
+HFMModel* FBXSerializer::read(const QByteArray& data, const QVariantHash& mapping, const QUrl& url, bool combineParts) {
     QBuffer buffer(const_cast<QByteArray*>(&data));
     buffer.open(QIODevice::ReadOnly);
-    return readFBX(&buffer, mapping, url, loadLightmaps, lightmapLevel);
+    return read(&buffer, mapping, url, combineParts);
 }
 
-HFMModel* readFBX(QIODevice* device, const QVariantHash& mapping, const QString& url, bool loadLightmaps, float lightmapLevel) {
-    FBXSerializer serializer;
-    serializer._rootNode = FBXSerializer::parseFBX(device);
-    serializer._loadLightmaps = loadLightmaps;
-    serializer._lightmapLevel = lightmapLevel;
+HFMModel* FBXSerializer::read(QIODevice* device, const QVariantHash& mapping, const QUrl& url, bool combineParts) {
+    _rootNode = parseFBX(device);
 
     qCDebug(modelformat) << "Reading FBX: " << url;
 
-    return serializer.extractHFMModel(mapping, url);
+    return extractHFMModel(mapping, url.toString());
+}
+
+HFMModel* readFBX(QIODevice* device, const QVariantHash& mapping, const QString& url, bool loadLightmaps, float lightmapLevel) {
+    return FBXSerializer().extractHFMModel(mapping, url);
 }
diff --git a/libraries/fbx/src/FBXSerializer.h b/libraries/fbx/src/FBXSerializer.h
index 9809b257e8..1173af2693 100644
--- a/libraries/fbx/src/FBXSerializer.h
+++ b/libraries/fbx/src/FBXSerializer.h
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@
 #include <Transform.h>
 
 #include "FBX.h"
-#include <hfm/HFM.h>
+#include <hfm/HFMSerializer.h>
 
 #include <graphics/Geometry.h>
 #include <graphics/Material.h>
@@ -35,10 +35,6 @@
 class QIODevice;
 class FBXNode;
 
-/// Reads HFMModel from the supplied model and mapping data.
-/// \exception QString if an error occurs in parsing
-HFMModel* readFBX(const QByteArray& data, const QVariantHash& mapping, const QString& url = "", bool loadLightmaps = true, float lightmapLevel = 1.0f);
-
 /// Reads HFMModel from the supplied model and mapping data.
 /// \exception QString if an error occurs in parsing
 HFMModel* readFBX(QIODevice* device, const QVariantHash& mapping, const QString& url = "", bool loadLightmaps = true, float lightmapLevel = 1.0f);
@@ -102,9 +98,13 @@ public:
 
 class ExtractedMesh;
 
-class FBXSerializer {
+class FBXSerializer : public HFMSerializer {
 public:
     HFMModel* _hfmModel;
+    /// Reads HFMModel from the supplied model and mapping data.
+    /// \exception QString if an error occurs in parsing
+    HFMModel* read(const QByteArray& data, const QVariantHash& mapping, const QUrl& url = QUrl(), bool combineParts = false) override;
+    HFMModel* read(QIODevice* device, const QVariantHash& mapping, const QUrl& url = QUrl(), bool combineParts = false);
 
     FBXNode _rootNode;
     static FBXNode parseFBX(QIODevice* device);
@@ -147,9 +147,9 @@ public:
 
     void consolidateHFMMaterials(const QVariantHash& mapping);
 
-    bool _loadLightmaps = true;
-    float _lightmapOffset = 0.0f;
-    float _lightmapLevel;
+    bool _loadLightmaps { true };
+    float _lightmapOffset { 0.0f };
+    float _lightmapLevel { 1.0f };
 
     QMultiMap<QString, QString> _connectionParentMap;
     QMultiMap<QString, QString> _connectionChildMap;
diff --git a/libraries/fbx/src/GLTFSerializer.cpp b/libraries/fbx/src/GLTFSerializer.cpp
index 5e60cfffe7..8f529868db 100644
--- a/libraries/fbx/src/GLTFSerializer.cpp
+++ b/libraries/fbx/src/GLTFSerializer.cpp
@@ -910,8 +910,8 @@ bool GLTFSerializer::buildGeometry(HFMModel& hfmModel, const QUrl& url) {
     return true;
 }
 
-HFMModel* GLTFSerializer::readGLTF(QByteArray& data, const QVariantHash& mapping,
-                                  const QUrl& url, bool loadLightmaps, float lightmapLevel) {
+HFMModel* GLTFSerializer::read(const QByteArray& data, const QVariantHash& mapping,
+                                  const QUrl& url, bool combineParts) {
     
     _url = url;
 
diff --git a/libraries/fbx/src/GLTFSerializer.h b/libraries/fbx/src/GLTFSerializer.h
index 8ce64a83f2..754d097614 100644
--- a/libraries/fbx/src/GLTFSerializer.h
+++ b/libraries/fbx/src/GLTFSerializer.h
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
 #include <memory.h>
 #include <QtNetwork/QNetworkReply>
 #include <hfm/ModelFormatLogging.h>
+#include <hfm/HFMSerializer.h>
 #include "FBXSerializer.h"
 
 
@@ -702,12 +703,12 @@ struct GLTFFile {
     }
 };
 
-class GLTFSerializer : public QObject {
+class GLTFSerializer : public QObject, public HFMSerializer {
     Q_OBJECT
 public:
     GLTFSerializer();
-    HFMModel* readGLTF(QByteArray& data, const QVariantHash& mapping, 
-                          const QUrl& url, bool loadLightmaps = true, float lightmapLevel = 1.0f);
+    HFMModel* read(const QByteArray& data, const QVariantHash& mapping,
+                          const QUrl& url = QUrl(), bool combineParts = false) override;
 private:
     GLTFFile _file;
     QUrl _url;
diff --git a/libraries/fbx/src/OBJSerializer.cpp b/libraries/fbx/src/OBJSerializer.cpp
index a1a6893280..1684b2812c 100644
--- a/libraries/fbx/src/OBJSerializer.cpp
+++ b/libraries/fbx/src/OBJSerializer.cpp
@@ -652,12 +652,12 @@ done:
 }
 
 
-HFMModel::Pointer OBJSerializer::readOBJ(QByteArray& data, const QVariantHash& mapping, bool combineParts, const QUrl& url) {
+HFMModel* OBJSerializer::read(const QByteArray& data, const QVariantHash& mapping, const QUrl& url, bool combineParts) {
     PROFILE_RANGE_EX(resource_parse, __FUNCTION__, 0xffff0000, nullptr);
-    QBuffer buffer { &data };
+    QBuffer buffer { const_cast<QByteArray*>(&data) };
     buffer.open(QIODevice::ReadOnly);
 
-    auto hfmModelPtr { std::make_shared<HFMModel>() };
+    auto hfmModelPtr = new HFMModel();
     HFMModel& hfmModel { *hfmModelPtr };
     OBJTokenizer tokenizer { &buffer };
     float scaleGuess = 1.0f;
diff --git a/libraries/fbx/src/OBJSerializer.h b/libraries/fbx/src/OBJSerializer.h
index d33d2edf07..ccb97c02ff 100644
--- a/libraries/fbx/src/OBJSerializer.h
+++ b/libraries/fbx/src/OBJSerializer.h
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 
 #include <QtNetwork/QNetworkReply>
+#include <hfm/HFMSerializer.h>
 #include "FBXSerializer.h"
 
 class OBJTokenizer {
@@ -75,7 +76,7 @@ public:
     OBJMaterial() : shininess(0.0f), opacity(1.0f), diffuseColor(0.9f), specularColor(0.9f), emissiveColor(0.0f), illuminationModel(-1) {}
 };
 
-class OBJSerializer: public QObject { // QObject so we can make network requests.
+class OBJSerializer: public QObject, public HFMSerializer { // QObject so we can make network requests.
     Q_OBJECT
 public:
     typedef QVector<OBJFace> FaceGroup;
@@ -86,8 +87,8 @@ public:
     QVector<FaceGroup> faceGroups;
     QString currentMaterialName;
     QHash<QString, OBJMaterial> materials;
-
-    HFMModel::Pointer readOBJ(QByteArray& data, const QVariantHash& mapping, bool combineParts, const QUrl& url = QUrl());
+    
+    HFMModel* read(const QByteArray& data, const QVariantHash& mapping, const QUrl& url = QUrl(), bool combineParts = false) override;
 
 private:
     QUrl _url;
diff --git a/libraries/hfm/src/hfm/HFMSerializer.h b/libraries/hfm/src/hfm/HFMSerializer.h
index bd63d8bf82..3cd48b76b2 100644
--- a/libraries/hfm/src/hfm/HFMSerializer.h
+++ b/libraries/hfm/src/hfm/HFMSerializer.h
@@ -26,4 +26,6 @@ class Serializer {
 
 };
 
+using HFMSerializer = hfm::Serializer;
+
 #endif // hifi_HFMSerializer_h
diff --git a/libraries/model-networking/src/model-networking/ModelCache.cpp b/libraries/model-networking/src/model-networking/ModelCache.cpp
index 5a7e383630..507ee23f7c 100644
--- a/libraries/model-networking/src/model-networking/ModelCache.cpp
+++ b/libraries/model-networking/src/model-networking/ModelCache.cpp
@@ -196,23 +196,22 @@ void GeometryReader::run() {
             HFMModel::Pointer hfmModel;
 
             if (_url.path().toLower().endsWith(".fbx")) {
-                hfmModel.reset(readFBX(_data, _mapping, _url.path()));
+                hfmModel.reset(FBXSerializer().read(_data, _mapping, _url.path()));
                 if (hfmModel->meshes.size() == 0 && hfmModel->joints.size() == 0) {
                     throw QString("empty geometry, possibly due to an unsupported FBX version");
                 }
             } else if (_url.path().toLower().endsWith(".obj")) {
-                hfmModel = OBJSerializer().readOBJ(_data, _mapping, _combineParts, _url);
+                hfmModel.reset(OBJSerializer().read(_data, _mapping, _url, _combineParts));
             } else if (_url.path().toLower().endsWith(".obj.gz")) {
                 QByteArray uncompressedData;
                 if (gunzip(_data, uncompressedData)){
-                    hfmModel = OBJSerializer().readOBJ(uncompressedData, _mapping, _combineParts, _url);
+                    hfmModel.reset(OBJSerializer().read(uncompressedData, _mapping, _url, _combineParts));
                 } else {
                     throw QString("failed to decompress .obj.gz");
                 }
 
             } else if (_url.path().toLower().endsWith(".gltf")) {
-                std::shared_ptr<GLTFSerializer> glreader = std::make_shared<GLTFSerializer>();
-                hfmModel.reset(glreader->readGLTF(_data, _mapping, _url));
+                hfmModel.reset(GLTFSerializer().read(_data, _mapping, _url));
                 if (hfmModel->meshes.size() == 0 && hfmModel->joints.size() == 0) {
                     throw QString("empty geometry, possibly due to an unsupported GLTF version");
                 }
diff --git a/tests-manual/gpu/src/TestFbx.cpp b/tests-manual/gpu/src/TestFbx.cpp
index 290913e406..379481baa8 100644
--- a/tests-manual/gpu/src/TestFbx.cpp
+++ b/tests-manual/gpu/src/TestFbx.cpp
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ bool TestFbx::isReady() const {
 
 void TestFbx::parseFbx(const QByteArray& fbxData) {
     QVariantHash mapping;
-    HFMModel* hfmModel = readFBX(fbxData, mapping);
+    HFMModel* hfmModel = FBXSerializer().read(fbxData, mapping);
     size_t totalVertexCount = 0;
     size_t totalIndexCount = 0;
     size_t totalPartCount = 0;
diff --git a/tools/skeleton-dump/src/SkeletonDumpApp.cpp b/tools/skeleton-dump/src/SkeletonDumpApp.cpp
index bad38f24ba..cbee73528f 100644
--- a/tools/skeleton-dump/src/SkeletonDumpApp.cpp
+++ b/tools/skeleton-dump/src/SkeletonDumpApp.cpp
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ SkeletonDumpApp::SkeletonDumpApp(int argc, char* argv[]) : QCoreApplication(argc
         return;
     }
     QByteArray blob = file.readAll();
-    std::unique_ptr<HFMModel> geometry(readFBX(blob, QVariantHash()));
+    std::unique_ptr<HFMModel> geometry(FBXSerializer().read(blob, QVariantHash()));
     std::unique_ptr<AnimSkeleton> skeleton(new AnimSkeleton(*geometry));
     skeleton->dump(verbose);
 }
diff --git a/tools/vhacd-util/src/VHACDUtil.cpp b/tools/vhacd-util/src/VHACDUtil.cpp
index b1dcdebe60..4036dbefa7 100644
--- a/tools/vhacd-util/src/VHACDUtil.cpp
+++ b/tools/vhacd-util/src/VHACDUtil.cpp
@@ -44,9 +44,9 @@ bool vhacd::VHACDUtil::loadFBX(const QString filename, HFMModel& result) {
         HFMModel::Pointer hfmModel;
         if (filename.toLower().endsWith(".obj")) {
             bool combineParts = false;
-            hfmModel = OBJSerializer().readOBJ(fbxContents, QVariantHash(), combineParts);
+            hfmModel.reset(OBJSerializer().read(fbxContents, QVariantHash(), filename, combineParts));
         } else if (filename.toLower().endsWith(".fbx")) {
-            hfmModel.reset(readFBX(fbxContents, QVariantHash(), filename));
+            hfmModel.reset(FBXSerializer().read(fbxContents, QVariantHash(), filename));
         } else {
             qWarning() << "file has unknown extension" << filename;
             return false;