As you learn about 3D printing you will no doubt come across terms and initialisms that you haven’t heard before. On this page you will find a list of definitions for common and not so common 3D Printing terms. The page is divided into sections that are then alphabetized. Filament and resin types are included …
3D Printing has become a standard term that most people have heard. You may be aware of 3D printing and have seen some pictures of incredible 3D printed objects on the Internet. If you are wondering about purchasing a 3D printer but are on the fence, this guide is for you. 3D printers are a …
In this article I am going to walk you through resin printing a 3D model step by step. I will show you and discuss all the important steps in detail. In order to 3D print a resin model follow the steps below: Create or Download a Model to Print Use a Slicer to Prepare your …
How to 3D Print with Resin: A Step by Step Guide Read More »
In this article I am going to walk you through printing a 3D model step by step. I will show you and discuss all the important steps in detail. In order to 3D print a model on an FDM printer follow the steps below: Create or download a model to print Use a slicer to …
Share on facebook Share on twitter Share on linkedin Share on email I often get asked how someone can get started with resin 3D printing. They want to know how to get into the hobby without wasting a lot of time or money. In this guide we will talk about how you can get started …
Share on facebook Share on twitter Share on linkedin Share on email I often get asked how someone can get started with Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) 3D printing. They want to know how to get into the hobby without wasting a lot of time or money. In this guide we will talk about how you …
How to Get Started with FDM 3D Printing – A Quick Guide Read More »
Share on facebook Share on twitter Share on linkedin Share on email OctoPrint is a great tool for managing your 3D printer(s). Using OctoPrint you can control your 3D printer from the network and allows you to monitor your printer’s current status and print progress. In this guide we will cover how to install and …
Share on facebook Share on twitter Share on linkedin Share on email You finally have your shiny new 3D printer and started printing! But your prints aren’t coming out as nice as those pictures you see posted online. Why are there prints so much better than yours? Because you need to tune and calibrate your …
How to Calibrate your FDM 3D Printer: The Ultimate Guide Read More »
Share on facebook Share on twitter Share on linkedin Share on email You may have heard of resin printers or have seen the amazing prints they are able to create. If you’re new to 3D printing you may be wondering how resin 3D printers work. A resin printer uses a photocuring UV resin as the …
Share on facebook Share on twitter Share on linkedin Share on email If you are new to 3D printing you may wonder how exactly 3D printers work. How does a machine take a digital file and turn it into a physical object? In this article we will discuss how 3D printers work in detail. Fused …
How FDM 3D Printers Work: A Quick Guide for Beginners Read More »
Share on facebook Share on twitter Share on linkedin Share on email When I first started 3D printing it was because I wanted to print terrain and miniatures for my tabletop games. You may be wondering how to print miniatures for your games or simply to paint for display. In this article we will examine …
Share on facebook Share on twitter Share on linkedin Share on email Many people looking to get into the 3D printing hobby have ideas of how they plan to use a 3D printer. What a lot of people don’t realize is that 3D printing still has a learning curve. Lots of people purchase a 3D …
What You Need to Know Before Buying a 3D Printer Read More »
If you’re new to the idea of 3D printing you may be wondering if it’s worth it to buy a 3D printer. You might have ideas for things to use a 3D printer for and want to find out more about 3D printing. If you enjoy DIY projects or have specific ideas like printing miniatures …
Is Buying a 3D Printer worth it? What You Need to Know Read More »
If you are new to 3D printing you may have heard that you will need a slicing program or slicer for short. In this article we will review what a slicer is and why you need it for 3D printing. 3D printers need specific machine instructions telling them how to print your model. The models …
What 3D Slicer Software Does and Why You Need it Read More »
When it comes to 3D printing a big factor in someone’s decision to start the hobby is the cost. People want to know how much it costs to get started 3D printing. They don’t realize there are ongoing costs with this hobby. 3D printers cost from under $200 for a budget home printer to over …
Share on facebook Share on twitter Share on linkedin Share on email Bed adhesion is a critical component of both FDM and resin printing. When a print doesn’t adhere to the build surface it will cause warping and failed prints. In this article we will examine the causes of and solutions to this problem. For …
What to do When Your 3D Prints Won’t Stick to the Plate Read More »
Share on facebook Share on twitter Share on linkedin Share on email Unlike Laser and Inkjet printers that can spit out dozens of pages per minute 3D printers take much longer to print. There are several factors that can affect the length of time that a 3D print will take. A 3D print can take …
As educators we often are told of new teaching methods and instructional supplies for use in the classroom. In the past several years the concept of using 3D printing in the classroom has been gaining traction. In this article we will look at ways that you can use a 3D printer in your classroom. 3D …
Using 3D Printers in the Classroom: Things to Know Read More »
When discussing 3D printers, the question of do you need a computer often comes up. An alternative question I often get is “do I need a good computer for 3D printing?” In this article I plan to answer both of those questions in detail. You do need a computer for 3D printing; however, it does …
Computers and 3D Printing: What You Need to Know. Read More »
People new to 3D printing often ask if resin printers are more expensive to print with than FDM. Usually they want to know if getting a resin printer will cost more per print than using an FDM printer. Because there are more consumables involved with resin printing the cost per print of resin is higher …
Are Resin 3D Prints More Expensive Than Filament? Read More »
A common question I am asked is how exactly does 3D resin go from liquid to a solid? The answer involves a little chemistry and physics and is easy to understand. The liquid resin used in photocuring resin printers is a mix of chemical monomers and oligomers. When exposed to UV light, the energy from …
Share on facebook Share on twitter Share on linkedin Share on email If you have a few different bottles of printer resin sitting around with only a small bit left in each you may wonder about mixing them. Is it possible or safe to mix different types of 3D printer resin? You can mix different …
3D printers are not as simple as their 2d counter parts. You will need to spend a good amount of time researching for your printer. 3D printing does have a larger learning curve than using an inkjet or laser printer. The good news is, with dedication you can learn this process too! 3D Printing is …
Is it Hard to Learn 3D Printing? A Quick Overview Read More »
If you are new to resin 3D printing you may be wondering the best method for removing supports from a print. In this article I will share the best method I have found for removing supports. The best method for removing supports from an SLA print is to remove the supports before curing. Run the …
How to Effectively Remove Supports from a Resin 3D print Read More »
Share on facebook Share on twitter Share on linkedin Share on email If you enjoy tabletop gaming, you might be thinking about buying a 3D printer for terrain. With a multitude of terrain models available to download printing 3D terrain is a great addition to your hobby! Currently, the best printer for gaming terrain under …
The Best 3D Printers for Tabletop Gaming Terrain Read More »
Resin printing is great for producing parts with high levels of detail. Unlike FDM printing a resin part isn’t ready as soon as the printer finishes. To get started with resin printing you will need; a resin printer, resin, a way to wash your prints, a way to cure your prints, extra printer consumables, and …
What Do I Need for Resin Printing? More Than You Think! Read More »
If you’re new to 3D printing you may be wondering how much printing you will get from a roll of filament. There are no exact answers because filament rolls are sold by weight not by length. In this article we will estimate how long or how much you can print from a roll of filament. …
How Long Will 3D Printer Filament Last? A Quick Look Read More »
When someone asks me for advice about getting into 3D printing the question of noise often comes up. Some people worry that the noise from a 3D printer will disturb their family or neighbors. The amount of noise produced by a 3D printer depends upon the style of printer. In general home use 3D printers …
Sometimes my students will ask me if 3D printers smell while they are printing. Other people ask me because they want to get into 3D printing and worry it will smell up their house. In this article we will examine the smells behind 3D printing. All 3D printers will have some amount of smell when …
What Does 3D printing Smell Like? Things You Should Know Read More »
As an educator and 3d printing enthusiast my students often ask if we can 3D print anything. While it is true that you can print many things with a 3D printer, we can’t print everything. What you can print depends on the type of 3D printer and the material. 3D Printers can print many things, …
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