Proper settings in your 3D printing slicer program can mean the difference between a successful print and a failed print. That’s why it’s so important to know how “slicers” work and how each setting will affect your results.   We understand that the many settings in slicing software can be intimidating, especially for beginner makers. Sometimes even advanced makers can make mistakes and end up with failed prints. Just ask Pinshaper & experienced 3D printer, Zheng3! His picture below illustrates a simple but effective example of the difference that slice settings can have on a pri ..read more

Learning to paint your 3D printed parts will enable you to create prototypes, detailed miniatures, and a variety of other visually accurate models. Navigating the various different materials and techniques can be intimidating, and in this post you’ll learn all of the steps needed to paint your parts from start to finish. Printing Starting with a detailed and well-printed model will make the rest of the painting process easier and improve your final results. Resin printers like Anycubic, Phrozen, and Elegoo models are best for painted parts, both because of the high resolution and the ..read more

You’re in the middle of a long 3D print and you start hearing a click-click-click coming from your extruder and notice filament has stopped extruding. Chances are, your printer is experiencing a jam. If you act fast, you can pause your print and recover the job with minimal artifacts, but in many cases often counts as a print failure and will require canceling the print and performing some maintenance. Jams and clogs happen to every maker and thankfully they can be fairly easy to fix! Before we begin, it’s important to define each of the parts we’re talking about as the wording can get a littl ..read more

It’s the spookiest time of the year, so get your 3D printers up and running to create your very own Halloween decorations, costume pieces, and more! We want to see your favorite 3D prints for spooky season on social media! So get your best filament or resin prints online and tag us for a chance to win – good luck to everyone! Five lucky winners will win TWO SPOOLS of PRO Series PLA Filament! To enter, all you need to do is print something that’s Halloween-related, take a picture and post it to Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter  – you must tag @matterhackers to be en ..read more

In this week’s featured designs, you’ll find several models from your favorite movies and TV shows as well as a number of functional prints. Looking to re-create models that make use of multiple connected components? Check out this week’s featured tutorial that will teach you which adhesive is best for your project. Superhero Keychains by FORMBYTE These Superhero Keychains make for impressively quick prints that only take minutes to complete. Choose your favorite design and material, and get printing! “Ben” the Bendy Bat by Trent Ristow “Ben” the Bendy Bat is an articulating model that was de ..read more

In this week’s featured designs, you’ll find several functional models and highly intricate creations that will push your printer to its limits. Learn how to make your 3D prints truly optically transparent in this week’s featured tutorial. Iris Pendant by potentprintables Functional iris containers are a long-time favourite of the 3D printing community. Rotate the outer ring to actuate the iris open and closed.  Easy Print No Support Modular Candy Dispenser by Mr EC Mr EC has designed this Candy Dispenser to easily print with no supports and to be fully modular. Food safety is a tricky ..read more

In this week’s featured designs, you’ll find several functional models that would look great with a splash of color. Learn the 6 top techniques for adding color to your prints in this week’s featured blog post! Surprise Egg #1 – Tiny Haul Truck by agepbiz  Agepbiz is a master of articulation with their Surprise Egg #1 design which features points of articulation on both the egg and haul truck. This is a great design for dialing in your printer’s settings.  Sqwidums Six Inch Super Fig by Marco Valenzuela  Marco did a great job with both the design and presentation of t ..read more

In this week’s featured designs, you’ll find two brand new RC car releases from Brett Turnage as well as functional models from Adafruit and Jobsmolders! For a deeper dive on Brett’s new RC cars, check out this week’s featured blog.  Mazda 787B 3D Printed RC Car by Brett Turnage The Mazda 787B was the winner of the 1991, 24 Hours of Lemans, and has been a long-time favorite of Brett. The low slung look, sizable rear wing, deep dish Volk rims, and iconic Renown Livery, inspired Brett to turn this car into a functional 3D model. Aryton Senna’s Mclaren MP4/6 3d Printed RC Car by Brett Turna ..read more

Today we’re excited to introduce two new RC cars on Pinshape from Brett Turnage; the Mazda 787B and McLaren Mp4/6. The Mazda 787B was the winner of the 1991, 24 Hours of Lemans, and has been a long-time favorite of Brett. The low slung look, sizable rear wing, deep dish Volk rims, and iconic Renown Livery, inspired Brett to turn this car into a functional 3D model. The 1:10 scale model was printed in 3D Solutech PLA and bolted together to form the final assembly. The rims are made from a two piece assembly, and the car features a panhard style rear suspension with rear pod and a Tamiya F104 r ..read more

In this week’s featured designs, you’ll find models from popular franchises like The Avengers and Star Wars as well as several functional electronics designs. Check out this week’s featured tutorial on the 10 Easy Steps for Painting Your 3D Printed Parts to learn how to create a professional looking finish on your models with spray paint.  Chubby Thor (Low Res) by Huanksta  Thor is clearly in the midst of a bulking phase in this new model by Huanksta. Learn how to replicate this colored model on your own in this detailed tutorial on hand painting.  Star Wars Legi ..read more