Are You New to 3D Printing?
You got your first printer. It’s either just arrived or is on its way. Now what? We see a lot of the same questions in the community. What filament/resin is best? What tools do I need? How do I slice a print? I have some guides I have written on these various topics and I keep updated.
The Toolbox
Those that are new to 3D Printing need to create their toolbox. FDM and Resin printers require maintenance and tools to work well. These “toolboxes” go into the stuff I have picked up that make 3D Printing easier.
Upgrading Your 3D Printer
It seems that every 3D Printer out there has upgrades you can do. If you are new to 3D Printing, you may want to find out more about these upgrades. Some, like the Ender 3 practically NEED upgrades, while others like the Sovol 3D SV01 have a number of optional upgrades that are not really needed.
I have a number of “upgrade” articles for various 3D Printers. As I get more written, they will be added here.
If you want to upgrade your print experience, I highly recommend learning about remote printing. Using cameras and smart power strips plus Octoprint you can run your entire print experience remotely.
Materials to Print With
There are a number of materials to print with. Many people new to 3D Printing find it overwhelming. I’ve put together a guide on filaments I have used and my experiences. These are low-cost PLA filaments to keep 3D Printing affordable, especially for large tables full of gaming terrain.
On the resin front, I have not put together an article yet, but I have had good luck with the major brands available. Anycubic Green, Elegoo Blue, Monocure Rapid(various), Harz Labs (Their Cherry color is probably the most striking resin have used), Siraya Tech, Longer 3D. They all produce good resins. I have not had any problems with any of these.
The 3D Printing Pipeline
This is basically coming from idea to print. It goes over some of the basics to get you started, or at least pointed in the right direction. It covers cad programs, slicing and getting the sliced gcode to your printer. Just little things I didn’t understand before I started 3D Printing.
The Directory
I have a well developed directory to help you find modelers, locations to discuss 3D Printing, tools, and more. Check it out if you are looking for something. It’s a terrific resource. Also, click the community menu for more items that may interest you like Patreons, Kickstarters, and where to find different styles of minis.
Welcome to the world of 3D Printing. I hope you enjoy this great new hobby.
