Finally got that 3D printer, but are having trouble getting your prints to look good? Here are some simple 3D printing tips.

Simple 3D Printing Tips

All 3D printers can benefit from these simple 3D printing tips.

Level the bed

Your printer will print its best when the bed is leveled.

The way to level:

1. Front Left Corner
2. Rear Right Corner
3. Rear Left Corner
4. Front Right Corner
5. Verify all corners now to fine tune

Level the bed 

I wanted to let you know that I wasn’t joking. Your bed will not stay level forever, so check it. Some printers will stay level for weeks, some need to be checked prior to every new print.

Glue Sticks will help drastically with bed adhesion!

Don’t waste your money on tiny glue sticks, get the jumbo glue sticks that have a lot of product in them! Glue Sticks can also dry out really fast, unless you are printing non-stop on a house full of 3D printers, so keep your glue sticks in an airtight container. I use the very handy Lock&Lock food storage containers for mine.

I had resisted using glue sticks for much longer than I should of, then wondered why my prints weren’t sticking. Learn from my mistakes and use blue painters tape and the freaking glue sticks.

Slow Down

Running a print at a slow speed is usually better than trying to go too fast. Take it slow until you know your printer and how fast it should print.

Which 3D printer for beginners?

I can not say enough good things about the Monoprice Select Mini 3D Printer. I already have a self-built Prusa I3 clone, but I find myself using the Monoprice Select Mini for my prints that need to look good. It comes pre-assembled and ready to print. It includes an sdcard with Cura and Repetier-Host software to get you up and running fast.

There is also a very large community of users who are willing to help out people who are just getting into the 3D printing scene.

These simple 3D printing tips, should be the core tenants of your 3D printing. Make sure to always consider them before going too deep down a troubleshooting rabbit hole.

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Filed under: 3D Printer,Uncategorized - @ January 6, 2018 9:18 pm

Tags: 3D Printer, 3D Printing, Tips