3D Printing Thread

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1

I have always wanted to get into 3D printing, not only as a hobby but for practical purposes as well. I did not find a dedicated thread for 3D printing resources and guidance so here it goes. I am aware many of the TE members have 3D printers and I have even received help to 3D print some stuff from one such kind member. I hope this thread will prove useful to anyone like me starting on the 3D printing journey. I invite all the experienced members to share there guidance/knowledge, tips, tools, websites, suitable 3D printers (for a beginner) and even useful models (to start off practicing).

Tutorials and Resources

[All3DP’s Beginner’s guide to 3D Printing](’

https://all3dp.com/2/3d-printing-for-beginners-all-you-need-to-know-to-get-started/’

). The [site ](’

https://all3dp.com/’

)itself is a great resource.
[MakeUseOf’s Guide](’

Ultimate Beginner's Guide to 3D Printing’

)
[Instructables](’

3D Printing Basics : 15 Steps (with Pictures) - Instructables’

)
[Filament or Resin](’

Resin vs. Filament 3D Printers - How to Pick What's Best for You — Creality Experts’

)

Best sites to buy 3D Printers and related materials

[Robu](’

https://robu.in/product-category/3d-printer-parts/’

)
[Robocraze](’

https://robocraze.com/collections/3d-printers-pens’

)
[Fab.to.Lab](’

https://www.fabtolab.com/consumer-electronics/3D-Printing’

)
[Electronicscomp](’

3D Printer and Accessories buy online at Low Price in India - ElectronicsComp.com’

)
[Hydrotech 3D Chennai](’

https://www.hydrotech3dchennai.com/’

) (No idea if its reliable !)
3idea

Software

TBD

Custom 3D Printing Services

[Robu](’

https://robu.in/product/3d-printing-service/’

)

[Free Files / Models Repositories](’

https://all3dp.com/1/free-stl-files-3d-printer-models-3d-print-files-stl-download/’

)

Useful files/models

And finally some useful stuff, I intend to print at some point -

[Cable Manager](’

CableManager by muzz64 - Thingiverse’

)
[3.5 hdd to 5.25 bay adapter](’

3.5 hdd to 5.25 dvd rom adapter extra minimalist design 9G v3 by D3dlabs - Thingiverse’

)
[Ethernet | RJ45 clip to secure/repair/fix broken tab](’

Ethernet | RJ45 clip to secure/repair/fix broken tab by guss67 - Thingiverse’

)
[SD card storage](’

SD card storage by chiuyiming - Thingiverse’

)
[Logitech C920 Privacy Cover](’

Logitech C920 Cover by marcaldo - Thingiverse’

)
[Grogu](’

Baby Yoda - Free Sample by MarVin_Miniatures - Thingiverse’

)

I will keep adding information and links as and when I find them and I would love if others can join as well.

Edit : I am not sure if this is the correct section so Mods can move it to the appropriate one, if needed.

6 Likes
Reasonable 3D Printing Services - Pan India Service
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I have used Robu quite a bit for RPI cases and some simple DIY work. They are pretty good, but if your models get big or complex, it can get quite pricey. Also, I have found that their accuracy is not that great for models that need precision. Always try to expect some variance there. Furthermore, I noticed that they always asked me to revise the models when layer thickness was low, even though the same models came out well by other people on Thingiverse.

For creating some models, I used Tinkercad. I tried Blender too but gave up lol

1 Like
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Anyone using klipper with ender 3 here? Have an ender 3 that I’m considering to integrate with klipper.

Side note, keeping filaments dry is a pain. Some of my filaments are 2 years old now, and they break if twisted slightly.

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Thinking of getting a dry camera cabinet. Need one for the lenses + body. Might as well get a bigger one and store filaments too.

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@@nRiTeCh tagging as you may be interested.

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What type of 3d printer to get get to start with.

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Cheap FDM printers, something like the Ender 3. Supportive community, readily available upgrades and the base model goes as low as 12k during sales iirc.

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Thanks for that. And where to get these or any other 3d printers from.

10

Amazon and robu.in are the stores I know of. Got mine from amazon, it was fine.

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I wanted to 3D print an ITX case, but can’t land on a good template to start from. Anyone with experience with this? Just the frame is enough, I don’t mind covering it with cloth / plastic sheet to keep the dust out.

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Thingverse usually has the largest number of templates. You can try to search there, if not done already -

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Thanks, there are a tonne of good designs, but with their own perks and quirks. Will spend some time over the weekend and decide!

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FWIW have had great experiences with Hydrotech Chennai, he is my go-to source for resin. One of the few people whose whatsapp status I check regularly (for deals and new stock).

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Hmm.. I put a query on the Whatsapp number mentioned in their website but never got a response.

16

Primarily depends on what you want to print.

If you want to print medium sized structural parts where accuracy is not a concern, then filament is the way to go. This includes things like larger cases, props etc.

If you want more accuracy at smaller sizes, like to print jewelry, miniature figurines, make smooth molds to cast silicone or resin in, then go for resin. You can still do smaller sized cases, stands, gears etc.

Secondarily depends on your willingness to post-process. All resin prints needs to be cleaned with isopropyl alcohol, the tray emptied/filled etc, you need to use gloves at the least. It gets meh after a while, and you don’t want to do this in your house if you have kids. For filament you don’t need post-processing unless the part demands it. But from a safety perspective I don’t know if the risk of burning down your room with hot-end fires is better or worse than resin’s toxicity and allergenic potential.

A final small consideration might be time spent calibrating to get a good print, unless you’re getting a Prusa, with a budget filament printer you will spend a lot of effort on an ongoing basis to dial it in. Resin printers are mechanically simpler, so calibrating once will last you years.

1 Like
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I’m still looking for Resin 3D printing services at a very vfm/dirt cheap rate.
Need to print 3cm miniatures and with paint job if possible.

Few here offered services/help but claims were ltd. only to the thread posts…nothing actually went further..

18

You can try JLCPCB. The price for resin & MJF Nylon prints are really econcomical even after shipping, and quality is as good as it gets.

1 Like
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3D printing is a bit of a hands-on endeavour at the moment given the current technology, it’s not as straightforward like regular printing on paper where we Ctrl+P and the print pops out successfully.

Some suggestions to get effective prints for those who don’t own a 3D printer:

  1. Understand the printing process, post-print process and material capabilities (eg PLA vs ABS) by watching videos on Youtube. For example, an SLA print takes the same time for the same height regardless of print volume, while an FDM print takes proportionally more time. This means SLA prints can be merged together whenever the build plate size supports it.
  2. Design as per the printer and process. Part overhangs, orientation, slope/draft, wall thickness, infill, all may change depending on the printer. When I design, my part might substantially change if I were designing the same component for FDM versus for SLA.
  3. Failed prints are relatively common while 3D printing, especially at the prototyping phase. Sometimes this may be due to printer calibration and levelling, but mostly due to design considerations. Whatever the reason, failed prints increase the net cost as it means printer time and filament/resin wasted.
  4. 3D models downloaded from the internet are not always print-ready, as they might be meant for other uses, may need hollowing or adding of supporting elements, drain holes etc.
  5. Any edit that goes beyond scaling or auto-supporting is typically out of scope for a printing service, and needs to be done by a 3D artist or designer, these can be found cheap on Fiverr.
  6. If buying miniature models from patreon, many artists give “pre-supported” files. These are typically ready to print.

Remember how fidgety cars used to be in their early days, and how every driver needed to be hands-on under the hood. It is similarly early days for consumer 3D printing, and knowing how the machines and processes work is key to using them effectively and economically.

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Can anyone suggest a free and easy to use tool to modify STL files? I have a simple requirement (see attached) and think I may be able to it myself by modifying an STL on Thingsverse. Any help is appreciated. Cheers.

Attachments:

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