Asking what different types of 3D printers there are can get you a variety of seemingly different & confusing answers. That is because there are a number of different criteria are often used to classify 3D printers. If you simply ask about the different types of 3D printers – you might get an answer based on a one criteria such as the technology employed one time, and a completely different answer the next time you ask based on something like the coordinate system the 3D printer uses to position the printer head. Common Characteristics Used to Classify 3D Printers 3D printers on the marke ..read more

Authors Note: We recently bought a SECOND 3D printer – and it is a Dependent Dual Extruder printer. (The Qidi Tech iFast) Before making that purchase – we did a lot of research regarding Dual Extruder 3D printers – and here is a summation of a lot of that research. Introduction to Dual Extruder 3D Printers Dual extruder 3D printers are becoming increasingly popular among hobbyists and professionals alike, thanks to their ability to print with multiple materials or colors at the same time. This allows for more complex and detailed prints, making them ideal for a wide range of applications. One ..read more

Looking for some ideas of what to 3D print with your NEW 3D printer? I know we are. We just upgraded ours to a new dual extruder Qidi Tech iFast (Amazon affiliate link) and were looking for some fun new things to do with it! Here are some GREAT ideas! 3D printing, also known as additive manufacturing, is a rapidly evolving technology that is becoming increasingly accessible & affordable to the general population & hobbyists. With a 3D printer, the possibilities are seemingly endless! 3D printing can create a wide range of objects and designs that would be difficult or impossible to pr ..read more

3D printing, also known as additive manufacturing, is a process of creating three-dimensional objects by building up layers of material. This technology has been around for decades, but it has become increasingly popular in recent years due to advancements in materials and software, as well as the decreasing cost of 3D printers. Some of the most common questions about 3D printing include: How does 3D printing work? What materials can be used in 3D printing? What are the advantages & disadvantages of 3D printing? What industries are using 3D printing? What are the different types of 3D pr ..read more

3D printing, also known as additive manufacturing, is a process of creating three-dimensional objects by laying down thin, successive layers of material. This technology has been around for decades, but in recent years it has become more accessible and affordable for both hobbyists and professionals. The basic process of 3D printing involves using a digital model, typically created using computer-aided design (CAD) software, to guide the printer in building the object layer by layer. The printer reads the digital model and uses it to guide the movement of the printing head, which lays down th ..read more

3D printing is a rapidly growing technology that allows people to turn digital designs into physical objects. It can allow for the creation of complex & intricate objects with ease. However, as with any technology, it can come with its own set of challenges that arise when 3D printing an object. In this post, we will explore some of the most common issues encountered when 3D printing and provide solutions & suggestions for dealing with each problem. Warping Incorrect Model Orientation Overhangs & Bridges Blurred or Low-Quality Details Stringing Curling or Delamination of th ..read more

A lot of the fun of getting involved with 3D printing is actually producing your object or 3D model by printing it yourself. But there are a number of reasons why, at times, you may want or need to hire the printing process out to a third party. If you are just a hobby 3D printer – you may be more limited in the types of filament that you can use compared to some of the 3D printing services out there. But you might still really like to see a particular model you’ve designed or created printed in a filament that you can’t print yourself with your own 3D printing equipment. That’s whe ..read more

We recently had an issue loading some files into TinkerCAD because they were too big. TinkerCAD only permits files that are 25 MB or smaller to be uploaded. We were constructing a totem pole for my daughter’s social studies project and were trying to manipulate some existing models we found on Thingiverse into a totem pole. We tried various online utilities – but they did not work for us. We found a free solution that was surprisingly easy to manipulate the STL files so they were a smaller size and could be uploaded to TinkerCAD. The easiest way to reduce an STL file is to use 3D Builder (Fre ..read more

No – 3D printing can be a very inexpensive hobby! Here I show that a 12.5 cm diameter emblem we printed for the kids’ principal with the school’s logo on it cost just about $1.74 in total to produce: $1.61 for color changing PLA filament and 13.27¢ in electricity costs. Many of the tools you can use for 3D printing, such as TinkerCAD & Cura, are free. 3D models can be obtained for free from website repositories like Thingiverse – and some incredibly capable 3D printers, like the Creality Ender 3 Pro, can be purchased for right around $200. There are 3 primary costs to determine the total ..read more

Dominick spent a little time perusing the 3D model universe to come up with some of the best Minecraft models to 3D print! Here is what we have come up with so far… 1) Minecraft 3D Logo by TOMV (Cults3D) 2) Minecraft Sheep by weberalejandro (Thingiverse) 3) Minecraft Creeper by gmarsh23 (Thingiverse) 2 pieces – so some assembly required. 4) Minecraft Sword with Logo by GoDominick (my son) (Thingiverse) 5) Minecraft Horse by LadyDretza (Thingiverse) This has both a hinged (movable) head & tail. 6) Minecraft Tree by shuckz (Thingiverse) 7) Minecraft Wolf by KingEc (T ..read more