3D printing consists of four components. A Slicer converts a 3D model to a 3D Printer program, which is then printed using Filament. This guide tells you what you need to start your first prints as short and helpful as possible.
Which 3D Printer should I buy?
Don’t buy cheap! I got into 3D printing using a 190 € printer. Still, I soon switched to a more expensive one because I wanted to print instead of tinker around issues. Therefore, I’d recommend starting at a price range of 400 €. As a pleased Bamub Lab X1C owner, I suggest buying one of those:
Those printers are easy to use because they calibrate themselves, print very well, and even have a camera for failure detection and monitoring.
Which Filament do I buy?
PLA! Yes, it’s that simple. PLA is an easy-to-use Filament that prints well and is available in various colors. Some manufacturers I have been using successfully for years now are:
To begin with, buy a couple of 1kg spools in different colors. If you get into 3D printing, they won’t last long, and nothing bothers me more than waiting for the new Filament to arrive.
Which Slicer do I use for my Printer?
You could have the best Printer and Filament. Still, only an adequately sliced model will get a great result because a Slicer decides how the Printer moves and extrudes Filament. If you buy a Printer from Bambu Lab, you get Bambu Studio, one of the best slicers. An equally good alternative is Prusa Slicer. I used both of them with great success.
Where do I find objects for printing?
If I am looking for a 3D model, I’ll start my search at printables.com. This site is well-made, has a powerful search, and provides a quick and easy model overview. But if I didn’t find anything there, I proceeded to thinigiverse.com, which has a much more extensive collection of 3D models but has a more challenging user interface and is less performant.
Some excellent models to start with are:
Going Further
If you have successfully printed your first objects, you could move to larger models like the Blastoise Pokémon, which requires more Filament and assembly but makes up for a great decoration. If you have issues or questions, leave a comment below.