How to Fix Common 3D Printer Issues

 So, you’ve got a 3D printer sitting in your room. Maybe it’s new, maybe it’s collecting dust, or maybe it’s your precious baby you tinker with every day (no shame). But here’s the thing: that printer isn’t just for printing useless figurines or prototypes that never see the light of day. Nope, it’s a potential cash cow—if you know what you're doing. I’m here to show you how you can turn your 3D printer into a money-making machine. Yeah, that’s right. Get ready to print your way to profit! And hey, no need to be an expert in tech or have years of experience. You just need a bit of creativity, some hustle, and a dash of humor (because let’s face it, we could all use a laugh while working). 1. Create Custom Products for People Who Want Unique Stuff Let’s start with the basics. People love customized items. Whether it’s phone cases, keychains, or even figurines of their pets (yes, people will pay good money to have their dog immortalized in plastic), there’s a market for it. You ju...

 So, you finally got a 3D printer. Congratulations! You’re now the proud owner of a machine that can turn plastic into... well, slightly different plastic. But don’t just start throwing random models at it and hoping for the best—trust me, nothing crushes the soul like waiting six hours for a print, only for it to turn into a spaghetti monster. To save you from disappointment (and wasted filament), here are some of the best first prints that are actually fun, useful, and won’t make you rage-quit 3D printing on day one. 1. The Classic Benchy (a.k.a. "The Tiny Boat of Truth") If you’ve ever looked up 3D printing, you’ve seen this tiny boat. It’s not just a cute little tugboat—it’s a test to make sure your printer is working correctly. Print this first, and if it comes out looking more like a cursed shipwreck than a boat, you know something’s wrong. 2. A Fidget Toy (Because Spinning Plastic is Addictive) Whether it’s a gear cube, a flexi-rattlesnake, or one of those infi...

 If you’re like me, you love the idea of printing insanely detailed miniatures but don’t love the idea of going broke in the process. Resin 3D printers are the go-to for high-quality minis, whether you’re making D&D characters, wargaming armies, or tiny warriors that will ultimately sit on a shelf because you never got around to painting them. So, let’s cut to the chase—here are some of the best budget-friendly resin printers that won’t leave your wallet crying. Anycubic Photon Mono 2 ($150-$180) This one is a great balance of price and quality. It has a 4K resolution, which means crisp details, so your rogue’s tiny dagger will actually look like a dagger. The print speeds are solid, which is great because the less time waiting, the better. The build volume is decent too, allowing you to print multiple figures at once without constantly rearranging your files. That being said, it’s not perfect. There’s no air filtration, so your workspace might smell like a chemistry lab. ...

 So, you finally got yourself a 3D printer. Congrats! Welcome to the world of melted plastic, endless calibration, and that one model you swear printed fine last time. But before you start churning out an army of failed prints, let’s talk about the tools that will make your 3D printing life actually enjoyable. 1. Digital Calipers – Measure Twice, Print Once You know what’s fun? Designing a custom part for your project and realizing it doesn’t fit at all . Enter digital calipers. These bad boys let you measure down to fractions of a millimeter, so you can get your dimensions right before wasting hours of filament. 2. Nozzle Cleaning Kit – Because Clogs Are the Worst Your nozzle will clog. It’s not a question of if , but when . A simple cleaning kit with fine needles will save your printer from becoming a very expensive paperweight. Bonus tip: keep some acupuncture needles around—cheap, effective, and great for poking at your extruder’s existential crisis. 3. Plastic Scraper – AK...

 So, you’ve decided to jump into the world of 3D printing. Welcome! You’re about to experience the sheer joy of watching a pile of melted plastic turn into something (hopefully) useful. But before you get too excited, let me save you some headaches. Here are some mistakes I made—so you don’t have to. 1. Not Leveling the Bed Properly Listen, I get it. You just unboxed your shiny new printer, and you’re eager to start printing something—anything! But trust me, skipping bed leveling is like trying to bake a cake in an oven that isn’t preheated. Your first layer is EVERYTHING. If it’s not sticking right, your print is doomed before it even begins. Get a piece of paper, slide it under the nozzle, and make sure there’s just a tiny bit of resistance as you move it. Too loose? Your print won’t stick. Too tight? You’ll be scraping plastic off your build plate like it owes you money. 2. Ignoring the Filament Type Not all filaments are created equal. PLA is your best friend as a beginner—it’s...

 If you’re getting into 3D printing (or leveling up your game), you’ve probably stumbled upon the great debate: Bed Slinger vs. CoreXY. Sounds dramatic, right? Like a futuristic gladiator battle where printers duke it out for dominance. In reality, it’s more about physics, motion systems, and—let’s be honest—how much pain you’re willing to endure for print quality. Let’s break it down so you don’t make a decision that haunts you every time your prints fail at layer 37. What Even Are These? Bed Slingers (aka Cartesian-style printers) These are the most common printers, and they move the print bed back and forth on the Y-axis while the print head moves on the X and Z axes. Examples include the Anycubic Kobra, Prusa MK3S, and pretty much every cheap printer on Amazon. The biggest advantage of bed slingers is that they’re affordable. Most budget-friendly printers fall into this category. They’re also simple and easy to fix, with fewer moving parts, which makes troubleshooting way eas...

 Let’s be real—3D printing is both the best and most frustrating hobby ever. One minute, you're feeling like a tech genius, slicing up an insane design for the perfect print. The next, your printer is extruding spaghetti instead of a model, and you're questioning every life decision that led you to this moment. A good slicer is the key to success (and to keeping your sanity). If you’re still using some outdated slicer from years ago, it’s time for an upgrade. Let’s check out the best slicer apps to use in 2025, from beginner-friendly options to hardcore tuning machines. PrusaSlicer – The Trusty Workhorse PrusaSlicer has been around forever, and for good reason. It’s free, open-source, and constantly updated with new features. Plus, even if you don’t own a Prusa printer, you can still use it. The devs behind this software actually care about print quality (unlike your cheap filament that keeps clogging the nozzle). It offers automatic supports that don’t make you cry when removi...

Alright, you’re ready to print that awesome 3D model you’ve been working on, and you’re setting up your printer. But wait! There’s one tiny little thing you might’ve overlooked—adhesive. Yep, that little thing that holds your print to the bed and keeps your masterpiece from turning into a wobbly, sad mess. You’ve probably heard of two main types of adhesives: glue sticks and liquid adhesive glue. They both do the job, but they each have their own quirks. So, which one should you choose? Well, that’s what we’re here to figure out—don’t worry, no stress, just some honest tech talk, a sprinkle of humor, and a little guidance. Let’s dive in. The Glue Stick: The OG of 3D Printer Adhesives Let’s start with the classic—the glue stick. You’ve probably used one in school to make a diorama or maybe you’ve just slapped it on your 3D printer bed because you saw someone on the internet doing it. The glue stick has been around forever, and there’s a reason for that: it works. Simple as that. Pr...

 Alright, fellow tech enthusiasts, let’s talk about FDM printers. You’ve probably been scrolling through endless reviews, trying to figure out which one won’t cost you an arm, leg, and your gaming rig just to get a decent print. If you’re like me, you don’t have unlimited funds (unless you’re secretly a millionaire in disguise), but you also don’t want a printer that jams halfway through your project. So, what's the sweet spot? After scouring the internet and doing the hard work (aka, procrastinating from homework), I’ve found that Elegoo’s Centauri Carbon is hands down the best affordable FDM printer out there. Yep, you read that right. This printer is about to be your new best friend in the world of 3D printing. Why FDM Printers Are Awesome... and a Little Terrifying Let’s start with the basics. FDM printers (Fused Deposition Modeling) are those printers that melt plastic and layer it up to create whatever your heart desires. Whether it’s a new phone case, a mini Darth Vade...

 Okay, so you’ve got your 3D printer all set up, but now you’re thinking, “Wait, I don’t feel like designing everything from scratch.” Honestly, same. While 3D modeling can be fun, it’s a lot of work, and sometimes you just want to download a cool file, hit print, and watch it magically come to life. Luckily, there’s a ton of websites where you can find awesome 3D printing files for free (or for a small fee), and I’m here to give you the lowdown on where to go. No need to reinvent the wheel—unless you’re trying to print a wheel. Thingiverse This one’s a classic. If you're just starting out, Thingiverse is where you want to go. It's like the OG of 3D printing file repositories. Tons of people upload their creations here, and you can find everything from little gadgets to huge, fully functional models. Honestly, you could spend days on here just downloading random stuff to print. While most of the files are free, the quality can be hit or miss. Some designs are amazing, and o...

Alright, so you’re thinking about diving into the world of 3D printing. Congratulations! It’s a fantastic hobby, but here’s the thing: FDM or resin —which one do you pick? It’s like choosing between two kinds of ice cream, but with way more potential to get seriously messy (seriously, both kinds are like the "ice cream headache" of 3D printing). But don’t worry, I’ve got you covered. I’m going to break down the differences, pros, cons, and the reality of owning either an FDM or a resin printer—without sugarcoating it too much. Let’s jump in! FDM Printers: The Jack-of-All-Trades If FDM printers were people, they’d be that one friend who’s good at a bunch of different things but not great at any of them. They’re reliable, easy to use, and you can get a decent one without needing to sell a kidney. They print by extruding filament, like a hot glue gun (but way cooler and with fewer burns). Pros: Affordable and Accessible : You can get a decent FDM printer for pretty che...

Hey there, fellow 3D printing enthusiasts! If you’ve recently joined the world of 3D printing, you’ve probably been standing in front of a shelf full of filaments, thinking, “What on earth is all of this? And why is there so much to choose from?!” Trust me, I’ve been there. It’s like walking into a candy store, except instead of sweets, you’re staring down a bunch of spools of plastic. And to make matters worse, each one has its own set of rules, like a secret club with its own weird language. But no worries—I’m here to break it all down for you! In this post, I’ll give you the lowdown on the most common types of filament you’ll encounter, what they’re good for, and which ones you might want to avoid if you don’t want your printer to turn into a plastic spaghetti machine. Let’s dive in! 1. PLA (Polylactic Acid) The newbie’s best friend If PLA were a person, it would be the super friendly one at the party who’s always there to help you out and never causes trouble. PLA is the most ...

Hey, fellow tech enthusiasts! If you're anything like me, you probably have your own 3D printer (or maybe you're just getting into it), and you've probably experienced some weird issues along the way. 3D printing is awesome, but it’s also kind of like trying to bake the perfect cake. You throw in all the right ingredients, follow the recipe, and then BAM! It falls flat or ends up with some weird, unexplainable texture. But don’t worry—I'm here to walk you through the common problems you might run into and how to fix them. Consider this a 3D printer “survival guide.” 1. Clogged Nozzle (aka the “Oops, it’s jammed again” problem) The first time I encountered a clogged nozzle, I genuinely thought my printer was trying to sabotage me. I spent 30 minutes cleaning the bed, double-checking the filament, and staring at the machine like it owed me an explanation. Fix: Turn off the printer (safety first, people). Heat up the nozzle to around 200°C (depending on the filament you’r...