So, you've finally gone ahead and purchased your first 3D printer and you're ready to start using it but you're apprehensive about how to proceed in using it for the first time? It's perfectly normal for a novice 3D printing user to mess up a few prints, so don't expect everything to be perfect from the beginning. Luckily, anyone should be able to become quite proficient at 3D printing with a bit of practice and the help of the following five tips:
1) Print Pre-made Designs from Repositories of 3D Printable Objects
It can be difficult to create your own designs as a 3D printing beginner, so to get your first prints done it's best to just use a repository of pre-made designs. For a long time, Thingiverse was the most popular 3D Printing repository on the web. However, if you've been following 3D printing news, you probably know that there are a bunch of alternatives available these days, so you should have no problem finding a virtually endless selection of interesting items to print.
2) Upgrade Your 3D Printer with Printable Mods
One of the coolest parts about owning a 3D printer is that you can upgrade it yourself by printing out part upgrades. If you have a relatively popular model, chances are there will already be quite a few mods available for you to download and print with ease. In addition to the 3D printed design specifications, these downloads will also usually include instructions for installing the newly printed part. You can modify your printer to make it faster and more efficient or add attachments to it.
3) Watch 3D Printing Tutorials and Time Lapses on YouTube
You've probably already been teasing and entertaining yourself with videos of people using their 3D printers on YouTube in anticipation of the arrival of your own. Now that you actually have the 3D printing device in-hand, it's time to shift focus towards more instructional and educational videos. The process of 3D printing can be kind of slow, although there are some who have hypothesized that it could eventually be sped up by a factor of 100. If you need the motivation to get through a long printing process, check out some time-lapse videos while you wait.
4) Join 3D Printing News Forums and Social Groups
Sitting in a room printing out objects by yourself can be fascinating but kind of lonely, and since 3D printers aren't exactly found in every household yet, it may be difficult to find local companions. Join a few 3D printing forums and Facebook groups so you can share your prints and find new 3D printing ideas.
5) Read the Manual Before You Do Anything
While some devices can be figured out at a glance, 3D printers are highly complex machines that should not be tinkered with by inexperienced hands, so read the manual thoroughly before you perform any installation or 3D printing tasks.
Buy Extra Materials
In case you didn't know, 3D printers tend to run through materials quickly, so you're probably going or run out within a couple of days. So, as a final bonus tip, be sure to buy plenty of backup 3D printed materials before you really start to delve into printing a number of different objects.
