You Bought a 3D Printer - Now What?

Meet 3D Benchy - The "Hello, World" of 3D Printing

You've gotten your geek on and bought a 3D printer - now that you've got it home and set up, the next question is what to do with it.

For the beginner, the little tugboat above seems to be the first thing most 3D printers want you to make. It's small, complex enough to show off a printer's abilities and details and is the standard purpose-built test model of the 3D printer world.

I have always thought of 3D printers as just a fun hobby to make tchotchkes - small, silly objects, trinkets or figurines - while there's certainly an element of that with 3D prints, it turns out they can do a lot more.

My friend, Phil has been using a 3D printer for a couple of years for all sorts of projects including fabricating a custom phone holder for his '84 Corvette which needed to be retrofitted, since cell phones weren't prevalent at that time. He also designed securing clamps for his pool brushes and even a very personal memento in remembrance of his daughter that he gave to family members.

My friend and neighbor, John, just got his first one and after setting it up, printed me this very cool Jeep key ring:

A guy I worked with was printing off face shields for the nurses at our local hospital to wear during COVID. 3D printers are being used more and more in industries such as healthcare, aerospace, manufacturing, construction and even fashion to create functional parts, prototypes, medical devices and customized products.

Good first projects include:

• Cable clips for chargers, USB cords, and tool leads

• Wall hooks for headphones, keys, hats, or light tools

• Drawer dividers that fit your exact drawer size

• Replacement knobs for appliances, cabinets, or tripods

• Custom phone stands and tablet stands

• Battery holders for AA, AAA, and camera batteries

• Pegboard bins, drill bit holders, and socket organizers

• Plant labels, seed trays, and small garden clips

• Vacuum hose adapters and shop tool dust ports

• Game inserts, card trays, and board game organizers

  
  

The biggest strength of 3D printing is customization. A store-bought hook has one size. A printed hook can fit the exact shelf, screw spacing, color, and load you need.

In addition to manufacturing new items, 3D printers have been instrumental in creating replacement parts for broken items you already own. Let's say the door latch hook on your dryer broke, you can search for a design on websites such as slicefoundry.com, 3dprintbounty.com or triakar.com to see if there's already a design out there for your part. You may need to input your OEM number, model, manufacturer or other information to ensure you're getting the right design.

If you've gotten this far and are still reading, maybe you're already into 3D printing. But if you're curious and haven't gotten your feet wet, I did a little research on how to get started:

For beginners, the hard part is not pressing print. It is choosing the right printer, understanding the basic parts, picking materials, and knowing what the real costs look like after the box arrives. My friend John was surprised at how easy it was to set up and get started with his first print.

Start by choosing the right kind of 3D printer

Most beginners should start with an FDM printer. FDM stands for fused deposition modeling. It melts plastic filament and lays it down layer by layer. These printers are affordable, materials are easy to find, and they are good for brackets, organizers, mounts, cosplay parts, repair pieces, prototypes, and hobby builds.

The other common choice is a resin printer, often called SLA, MSLA, or LCD resin printing. Resin printers use light to cure liquid resin. They make beautiful fine details, which is great for miniatures, jewelry masters, dental models, and sculpted pieces. The tradeoff is mess, odor, gloves, washing, curing, and more careful handling.

For a first printer, compare these features:

Feature	Why it matters
Build volume	Controls how large a single printed part can be
Automatic bed leveling	Makes setup much easier for beginners
Enclosed frame	Helps with heat control and materials like ABS or ASA
Direct-drive extruder	Handles flexible filament better
Heated bed	Helps prints stick and reduces warping
Good community support	Makes troubleshooting much faster

A solid beginner FDM printer often costs about $200 to $500. Better hobby machines can run $600 to $1,500. Resin printers can start around $200 to $400, but the real setup cost rises once you add resin, gloves, filters, wash containers, curing tools, and ventilation.

Learn the main parts before you buy

A 3D printer looks complicated at first, but the core parts are easy to understand.

The frame holds everything square and stable. A rigid frame usually means cleaner prints.

The build plate is the surface the print sticks to. Some plates are glass, metal, flexible spring steel, or textured PEI. A removable flexible plate makes it easier to pop finished prints loose.

The hot end melts filament. It includes the heater block and nozzle. Common nozzle sizes are around 0.4 mm, which works well for general printing.

The extruder pushes filament into the hot end. Bowden extruders keep the motor away from the print head. Direct-drive extruders place it closer to the nozzle, which can help with soft materials.

The motion system moves the print head and bed. Belts, rails, rods, and lead screws affect speed and accuracy.

The slicer is software, not hardware, but it is essential. It turns a 3D model into printer instructions called G-code. Popular slicers let you choose layer height, print speed, infill, support material, and temperature.

The nozzle, bed, and slicer settings all affect print quality.

Match the material to the job

Filament choice matters as much as the printer. The cheapest spool is not always the best choice for the part.

Material	Best for	Beginner notes
PLA	Decor, prototypes, organizers, light-duty parts	Easiest to print, low warp, not great in heat
PETG	Brackets, clips, outdoor-ish parts, functional prints	Tougher than PLA, can string if settings are off
TPU	Flexible feet, gaskets, bumpers, phone cases	Prints slower, works best with direct-drive extruders
ABS	Durable parts, higher heat use	Needs ventilation and an enclosure
ASA	Outdoor parts, UV exposure, stronger functional prints	Similar challenges to ABS
Nylon	Gears, hinges, tough mechanical parts	Absorbs moisture and needs careful drying
Carbon-fiber blends	Stiff parts, drone parts, jigs	Often needs a hardened nozzle

PLA is the best first spool. PETG is a strong second material once basic printing feels comfortable. For resin printers, common choices include standard resin, tough resin, flexible resin, castable resin, and water-washable resin. Resin can produce excellent detail, but it requires more cleanup and safe handling than filament.

That said, keep safety in mind. Do not use random printed parts for critical loads, car repairs, food contact, electrical housings, heat exposure, or medical use unless you understand the material, design limits, and testing requirements.

Different filaments suit different kinds of parts.

Plan for the real costs

The printer is only one part of the budget. A simple starter setup should include:

• A few spools of filament

• A scraper or print removal tool

• Flush cutters

• Isopropyl alcohol for cleaning the bed

• Spare nozzles

• A filament dryer or dry storage bags for moisture-sensitive materials

• Calipers for measuring parts

• Basic hand tools for maintenance

  
  

A 1 kg spool of common PLA or PETG often costs around $15 to $35. Specialty filaments cost more. Resin bottles also vary widely, and resin printing adds recurring costs for gloves, filters, cleaning alcohol or wash solution, and replacement film for the vat.

Electricity use is usually modest for small printers, but long prints can run for many hours. The bigger cost is failed prints. Beginners should expect some wasted material while learning bed adhesion, temperatures, supports, and slicer settings.

Know what has changed in newer printers

Modern beginner printers are much easier to use than older hobby machines. Many now include automatic bed leveling, filament runout sensors, magnetic build plates, touchscreens, input shaping for faster motion, and better factory calibration.

Some printers also offer camera monitoring, print failure detection, enclosed chambers, multi-color systems, and faster printing profiles. These features are helpful, but they do not replace the basics. A fast printer with poor bed adhesion still makes spaghetti. A multi-color printer still needs clean filament, sane settings, and a good model. My friend Phil says that his printer will alert him if a print goes rogue and starts randomly spooling filament.

For most beginners, the best value is a reliable FDM printer with auto bed leveling, a heated removable bed, strong community support, and parts that are easy to replace.

Small custom parts are where 3D printing becomes useful fast.

The best beginner setup is simple and usable

Start with an FDM printer, buy PLA first, and print small, useful parts before chasing advanced materials or huge builds. Learn how bed leveling, nozzle temperature, supports, and infill affect results. Keep notes when a print works.

A good first 3D printer is not the one with the longest spec sheet. It is the one you can set up, maintain, and use often. Once the basics click, the printer becomes less of a gadget and more like a small workshop tool that happens to sit on a table.

What are the best websites for free 3D printer designs?

The strongest free 3D‑printable model sites today cluster into a few clear tiers. The top platforms combine huge libraries with high printability, active communities, and good search tools. Based on current sources, the best options are Printables, MakerWorld, Thingiverse, and Thangs, with several excellent niche sites depending on what you print.

1. Printables (printables.com) — Highest overall quality

Printables has become the most reliable general‑purpose repository. Models are well‑documented, curated, and often include photos of successful prints. Best for: functional parts, organizers, hobby projects, and anything where printability matters. Why it stands out: fast search, strong community, quality filters, and verified print settings.

2. MakerWorld (makerworld.com) — Best for Bambu Lab users

Exploding in growth, with millions of models and tight integration with Bambu Studio. Many models come pre‑sliced for Bambu printers. Best for: Bambu Lab owners, one‑click printing, high‑quality curated designs.

3. Thingiverse (thingiverse.com) — Largest library

The original giant. Quality varies widely, but if a model exists anywhere, it’s probably here. Best for: obscure or older designs, legacy parts, massive variety. Caveat: inconsistent quality and dated interface.

4. Thangs (thangs.com) — Best search engine

Indexes multiple repositories at once (Printables, Thingiverse, MyMiniFactory, etc.). Best for: finding models across platforms, geometric search, discovering similar designs.

Specialized Free 3D Model Sites

5. MyMiniFactory (myminifactory.com) — Miniatures & figurines

Top destination for tabletop gaming models; mix of free and paid. Best for: D&D minis, wargaming figures, display sculpts.

6. Cults3D (cults3d.com) — Artistic & designer models

Large mix of free and paid designs; strong artistic community. Best for: decorative prints, cosplay parts, designer objects.

7. GrabCAD (grabcad.com) — Engineering & CAD models

Massive library of mechanical parts and professional CAD files. Best for: engineering projects, prototyping, mechanical assemblies.

8. NIH 3D Print Exchange — Medical & scientific models

Curated scientific and medical designs from a trusted source. Best for: anatomy models, lab equipment, educational science prints.

9. NASA 3D Resources — Space & aerospace models

Free official spacecraft, rover, and satellite models. Best for: educational prints, space enthusiasts.

Meta‑Search Tools

10. Yeggi (yeggi.com)

Searches across multiple STL sites at once. Best for: quick “find everything everywhere”.

Quick Recommendation Based on What You Print

Goal	Best Site
Functional parts, organizers	Printables
Bambu Lab one‑click printing	MakerWorld
Hard‑to‑find or legacy models	Thingiverse
Search across all sites	Thangs / Yeggi
Miniatures & figurines	MyMiniFactory
Engineering/CAD	GrabCAD
Medical/science	NIH 3D Print Exchange
Space models	NASA 3D Resources

Finally, I want to leave you with an awesome YouTube video showing concrete home construction using a 3D printer mechanism:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vL2KoMNzGTo

Now that you've seen some of the capabilities of 3D printing, quit "spooling around" and get out there and make some cool stuff to wow friends and family!