New to 3D Printing?

Here are a list of tips I’d give to anyone looking to getting into 3D printing or has just recently purchased a 3D Printer.

Watch a LOT of YouTube / Facebook

There are a LOT of resources for learning how to 3D print and one of the best is YouTube. Here are just a few people I would recommend you follow:

• YouTube
  • 3D Printing Nerd
  • Makers Muse
  • Thomas Sanladerer
• Facebook
  • 3D Printing
  • Original Josef Prusa Owners
  • Fusion 360 Users

Keeping filament dry

• Store your filament in dry place. I’m not just saying this… DO IT! I learned the hard way. I had a bunch of different filaments and I was having a hard time figuring out why my prints were turning out poorly. Finally, after drying them with a food dehydrator and putting the in a dry box. I’m getting really good prints.
  • Filament is hygroscopic, it absorbs moisture from the air and will mostly likely over time cause poor performance (here is more information)
  • I’ve created Containers that I can print from they only costed about $25 a piece to make and I can hold around 4-5 rolls of filament in a box. Here is a video from Thomas Sanladerer demonstrating how to create a dry box.  I based my box off of his.
  • If you are just starting out I’d do this right away, then you won’t need to a food dehydrator later. However, if you want too… you can learn more on this page and there is a table with settings for drying your filament.

Enclosure

• If you are printing with ABS you’ll want an enclosure. ABS is really sensitive to a temperature change. If you’re printing in a relatively cool place, the print will cool too quickly and cause warping and layer separation.
  • Added bonuses of an enclosure is less fumes and quieter printing.

It is getting late, so more to come soon.