Congratulations on diving into the exciting world of 3D printing! Whether you're a seasoned artist or a curious beginner, having the right tools can make all the difference in the quality and finish of your prints. This guide will equip you with the essential items to elevate your creations, along with some handy honourable mentions.
Mastering the First Layer:
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Humidity Sensor: Dial in perfect printing conditions by monitoring humidity levels. This can significantly impact filament adhesion, warping, and overall print quality. We have a few scattered around our office. Any ones will do. They will help you get a decent idea of the conditions of your room. You want to make sure your filament isn't soaking in too much moisture.
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Bed Adhesive: A thin layer of bed adhesive ensures your first layer sticks firmly to the printing surface, preventing lifting and failed prints. If you have a textured bed, then this may not be needed. But for the smooth beds, not only does it help keep your first layer stuck down, it also helps remove the print once it has cooled down.
Our recommendation is Magigoo.
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Precision Screwdriver Set: For those inevitable moments of calibrating your print bed or adjusting your nozzle, a precision screwdriver set is vital for fine-tuning your machine. Honestly, almost any set will do, but you cannot go wrong with an iFixit kit.
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Conquering Print Imperfections:
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Deburring Tool: This handy tool tackles those pesky stray bits of plastic left behind after the printing process. A clean finish is just a few swipes away!
You can get some cheaper plastic models, but a metal one will last you a lifetime, just buy more standard blades when needed.
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Heat Gun: A heat gun is a versatile tool for smoothing out uneven surfaces or warping. By carefully applying heat, you can gently manipulate filament for a flawless finish. We also use it for getting rid of any whisps on our prints in a matter of seconds.
We have had this Black+Decker model for years and it's not going anywhere any time soon.
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Scalpel Set: For those intricate details or stubborn support material removal, a scalpel set offers precision control. Cut away any loose edges, or hard to reach support materials.
This is the set we have had since 2020, all we do is replace the blades every once in a while.
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The Finishing Touches:
Sanding Files: Sanding files come in various grits, allowing you to smooth rough surfaces and achieve a polished look on your prints.
We have had ours for 4 years and the rubber on the handles has started wearing away, but they're cheap and we use them all of the time.
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Microfiber Cloth: This is self explanatory. We used it with the cleaning alcohol for the print beds, also just to wipe down the dust on our printers from time to time. Keep a few of these around, wash and reuse them and they should last.
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Isopropyl Alcohol: Isopropyl alcohol is a great solvent for cleaning your print bed and removing any residue that might affect adhesion. Do yourself a favour and buy it in the spray form, or at least get a spray bottle and pour the liquid into it. It's a lot easier to handle and results in less waste. Here's our recommendation.
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Essential Extras:
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Calipers: Calipers ensure dimensional accuracy. By precisely measuring your filament and prints, you can avoid unwanted surprises. Arguably our most important tool. We use this all of the time for making custom models and getting dimensions perfect. Don't cheap out on a plastic set, buy once and get a metal caliper.
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Cutting Mat: Protect your work surface and make clean filament cuts with a dedicated cutting mat. We pretty much do all of our work on these mats. Cutting, gluing and everything else. You don't want to ruin your surface. They're cheap enough and come in plenty of sizes.
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Wire Snippers: For quick and easy filament trimming, a good pair of snippers is a must-have. You likely had a pair given to you with your 3D printer, but I would guarantee the rubber is already falling or fallen off at this point. For the price of a coffee, get yourself this pair.
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Honourable Mentions:
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Nozzle Cleaning Needle: A clogged nozzle can ruin your prints. Having a nozzle cleaning needle on hand ensures you can keep your extruder running smoothly. We don't have to use these all too often, but there's nothing else that can do the job when they're needed. Keep these on hand, be careful as they're sharp and bend easily.
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Filament Dryer: For moisture-sensitive filaments, a filament dryer removes excess moisture, preventing printing problems like filament jams and brittle prints. We don't use it all that often, we mostly print with PLA. For any other filament type this is almost a necessity. There are other models, but the SUNLU S2 Filament Dryer is our choice.
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With this arsenal of tools at your disposal, you'll be well on your way to creating stunning 3D prints that are both functional and beautiful. Remember, practice and experimentation are key to mastering 3D printing. Happy printing!
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