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bernhard.reichert@mailbox.org

3D Printing Tips and Tricks

Angus Deveson
Maker's Muse
CONTACT US:
angus@makersmuse.com
www.makersmuse.com
www.youtube.com/makersmuse

Copyright © 2017 by Maker's Muse

All rights reserved. No part of this document may be reproduced nor transmitted in any
form, by any means (electronic, photocopying, recording or otherwise) without the prior
written permission of the author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical
reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission
requests contact sales@makersmuse.com

Much of this publication is based on personal experience. Although the author has made
every reasonable attempt to ensure the accuracy of content in this document, he assumes
no responsibility for errors or omissions and no liability for the information contained in
this document.
 Welcome to the
wonderful world of
3D Printing!
3D Printing is an amazing technology, one that I have now been heavily
involved in for over 6 years. Whether you 3D Print as a hobby or use
it for your business I’m sure you will agree that there is quite a steep
learning curve to getting the results you expect!

This list compiles tips, tricks and ideas that I have discovered after
using 3D Printers of all kinds for hundreds of projects. They cover
everything from 3D Printing tips, maintenance, good old fashioned
3D Printer hacks and more to help you get the results you’re after.

Whether you’re new to the technology or have been using 3D Printers

for a long time, there will be tips here to help you get the most out of
the technology for your projects.

This eBook is web enabled. Some tips will have links to related videos
if you're interested in pursuing further information on the topic.

Lastly, while most of these tips and tricks are universally applicable to
FDM/FFF 3D Printers, each machine has its own differences and may
require things to be done differently to what is discussed. If in doubt
always contact your supplier.

At Maker’s Muse we aim to empower creativity through 3D Printing

technologies and hope you find these tips as useful as we did
discovering them!

Happy Printing!
~ Angus Deveson ~
Thanks to my loving partner and family who for

some reason continue to support me through my

crazy endeavours.
 Table of Contents
Your 3D Printing Toolkit 1

Print Better 13

Slice Better 26

Maintenance 38

3D Printing Hacks 49

Beyond 3D Printing 60

3D Scanning 65

About Maker's Muse 66

For a comprehensive glossary of 3D Printing terminology

please follow this link.
Your 3D Printing
Toolkit

Things have changed a LOT in the 3D Printing space since

my first video on Maker's Muse, 3 years ago. But what about
my recommended tools?

When you're starting out it can be daunting to know what

tools you'll need while operating your 3D Printer, from
preparing it for printing to removing supports and cleaning
up 3D Prints, as well as performing regular maintenance.

While some 3D Printers do now come with basic tools,

every 3D Printing enthusiast needs the items in this list!

They don't have to be the highest of quality but you'll be

thankful you have them on hand when you them.

Purchase links will take you to US Amazon product listings,

1
100% optional!
TIP 1
Paint Scraper

Sharp, deadly and perfect for releasing 3D Prints from your

print surface. NEVER force towards yourself or others, and
always store safely. Wearing gloves and safety glasses
while removing prints is also recommended.

Watch our video on Scraper Safety Here.

Where to buy

As shallow angle as possible

Stabilise print surface Force away from self!

2
TIP 2
Side Cutters

Not just for electronics use! Side cutters are incredibly

valuable in 3D Printing to snip filament before inserting
into hot ends and remove support material from 3D Prints.

Not all side cutters are created equal. Some that come with
3D Printers are horrendous quality (even for working with
plastic!), so it's not a bad idea to get a better quality pair if
you find yourself using them a lot.

Where to buy

3
TIP 3
Hot Air Gun

The tool of 1000 3D Printing uses! Use a hot air gun to

warm up heat beds and print chambers faster, re-form PLA
prints by softening them and even to restore colour to 3D
Prints after sanding or support removal. Watch our video
on the many ways you can use a hot air gun in your 3D
Printing here.

Where to buy

Before After

Black is back!
Discoloured Plastic

4
TIP 4
Feeler Guage

Yes, that is only 0.05mm or 50

microns thick!

Correct first layer height is critical for good 3D Printing

success, and a feeler gauge is the most accurate way you
can do this. Feeler gauges are a stack of thin metal plates of
varying marked thicknesses and can be found in automotive
stores. Want a nozzle height of EXACTLY 0.15mm? You can,
with a feeler gauge. Consider it a very premium upgrade to
using a business card to set your layer height.

Where to buy

Adjust your nozzle height until you feel it

5
just catch the feeler gauge
TIP 5
Acupuncture Needles

Print nozzles clog in time, but if this happens don't despair!

You can clear these was with a 0.4mm drill bit or the new
favourite tool of choice is a metal acupuncture needle.
These thin, sharp flexible bits of metal are perfect for
mechanically clearing nozzle blockages. You can find drill
bits on Amazon and acupuncture needles on ebay.

WARNING: These items are very sharp, apply caution

during use.

A brilliant example of an item used for an entirely different

purpose than intended!

6
TIP 6
Safety Glasses

Self explanatory! Cleaning up prints with side cutters can

send bits of sharp plastic shooting across the room. Don't
let them end up in your eyes.

Safety Glasses vary drastically in quality. Most which come

with 3D Printers will be bare polycarbonate plastic. Keep
them out of direct sunlight and away from contact with
solvents, which can turn them yellow and brittle.

As a plastic, polycarbonate is very durable but also very

soft, scratching easily. Keep the glasses in a spot where
they wont rub against other items to protect the lenses.

Where to buy

7
TIP 7
Gloves

Similarly, your hands are pretty valuable and while I don't

use gloves all the time when cleaning up 3D Prints, PLA (and
especially PETG) can shatter or leave razor sharp edges on
a print during clean up and removal of supports.

For these prints, I always make sure I have gloves on to

protect my hands from sharp edges and painful, annoying
plastic splinters!

Where to buy

8
TIP 8
Picks

Not for guitars! Metal picks are handy for removing support
material from inside holes and small areas of a 3D Print,
allowing you to lever an edge in between support and a
part to snap it free.

WARNING: Out of all the tools in this list, picks are the ones
that have hurt me the most. They are dangerous, sharp
and can easily stab you if mistreated. They can also easily
even go through gloves if you put enough force behind
them. Always apply force away from yourself, like with all
sharp tools in this list.

Where to buy

9
TIP 9
Glue Stick

Prints not sticking to your print bed? Put a bit of glue on it!

It's incredible how much of a difference glue stick makes

in helping almost every kind of filament adhere to your
print surface. If you're having troubles, give it a shot. Most
brands work, but some work better than others. Elmer's
All-Purpose is very popular.

You only need a thin layer, and it can be cleaned off using
a wet paper towel or IPA wipe - best done when the print
surface is cold.

Where to buy

10
TIP 10
Allen Key Set

Most likely your 3D Printer is assembled using a multitude

of socket head machine screws – so arm yourself with a full
allen/hex key set (both metric and imperial just to be sure)
for when you need to tighten that one screw that came
loose to get your 3D Printer back in action!

My buying advice? Just buy a cheap set and replace keys

you wear out with higher quality ones from brands such
as Wiha or Bondhus (no affiliation, they're just nice tools).
That way you only pay for what you use!

While ball tip hex wrenches can be handy for tight spots, I
find they wear out a lot faster. For very small screws (such
as the grub screws in timing pulley's) I recommend straight
hex keys to avoid stripping the socket.

Where to buy

11
BONUS
Measuring Tools

A good set of measuring instruments is a huge part

of maintaining a well calibrated 3D Printer! Here's just
a few I use on a regular basis for 3D Design, printing,
troubleshooting and calibrating.

• Digital Caliper
• Metal Rulers (15cm/6" and 30cm'12" types)
• Set Square / Machinist Square
• Infrared Thermometer (good for diagnosing bed
and extruder temperature issues).

12
 Print Better

Let’s be honest, 3D Printing is not perfect. OK let’s be

more honest, 3D Printing is FAR from perfect, at least at a
hobbyist level!

While the last few years have seen incredible advances in

the accessibility of 3D Printing, there’s still a very steep
learning curve. Figuring out how to get that perfect print
took me years of trial and error - and even now sometimes
one of my machines creates a finished print that would be
more at home in a modern art museum rather than what I
was actually trying to create.

Print Better contains tips designed to get your 3D Printing

working as best as it can, so you can spend less time
troubleshooting and more time 3D Printing what you actual
want to create.

13
TIP 11
Room Temperature

Unless you’re 3D Printing in a perfectly climate controlled chamber

like the Stratasys UPrint, your machine will be at the mercy of the
elements. These temperature variations play a huge role in the quality
of your printing.

For ABS printing, you need a high ambient temperature to stop warping
in larger parts. This means it can become trickier printing in the winter
months or in a chilly air-conditioned office. PLA is almost the opposite
with extrusion problems, stringing and excessive part droop occuring
if the ambient temperatures are too high (as you can see in this video!)

Your machine can suffer too. Stepper motors, electronics and extruders
can overheat and fail, especially in the height of summer!

DIY enclosure
A cheap and effective solution is to put your printer in a cardboard
or wooden box! The box will insulate against the cold, allowing your
printer to warm up nicely and keep your ABS prints looking good all
year round.

14
TIP 12
Dust and Grime

Nothing is more disappointing than a blocked nozzle – and dust is the

main offender here, accumulating over time till it eventually clogs that
.4mm or finer bore.

Keeping your equipment and open spools in a clean and dust-free

environment is essential to ensure quality prints, so always keep your
3D Printing materials out of dusty spots. Do not put a 3D Printer in
the same room as woodworking tools and expect it to work for long!

Simply storing filament into sealed containers instead of on the shelf

between prints is also a great idea (chuck some desiccant in too to
absorb moisture).

A good safeguard for your extruder is a simple dust/oil filter. There are
multiple 3D Printable designs available online. I like this model from
Thingiverse user Sneakypoo (awesome name). Link here!

15
02
TIP 13
No More Tape

This isn't 2012. Kapton and painters tape as print surfaces

are delicate and a pain to use. They are difficult to lay down
without bubbles or wrinkles which will translate into the
first layer of your 3D Print (usually resulting in you tearing
the surface as you remove the print)! In short, a huge pain.

Instead, many custom designed print surfaces now exist for

3D Printers such as the incredibly popular Buildtak, among
many purpose made adhesive print surfaces.

You can even print directly on heated glass so long as it's

clean, or cold glass with an adhesive layer. New printing
surfaces are being released all the time, so be sure to check
often! PEI is one of the new favourites, providing a durable,
effective printing surface for the Prusa i3 MK2.

16
TIP 14
Ventilation

While the exact safety concerns surrounding 3D Printing fumes are

still unknown, it’s best to have some moving airflow in the room you’re
printing in.

PLA has a sweet smell while printing and isn’t too unpleasant, however
other plastics such as ABS can be quite nasty (I have come across bad
quality ABS that has smelt so acrid I had to evacuate the room!).

IMPORTANT: Some experimental engineering plastics such as POM

and PC will release trace amounts of dangerous compounds if heated
to and above their melting temperatures and absolutely require an
effective ventilation system to be printed with safely. If there is a strong
chemical smell or you feel ill in any way, you should stop printing with
that filament immediately and contact the supplier.

The rate at which new 3D Printing materials come to the market

far outpaces our knowledge of the dangers. Thankfully many
manufacturers now provide MSDS documents for their filaments.

I recommend against working in the same room as an active 3D

Printer.

Although 3D Printing isn’t BURNING plastic, it will still give off some
fumes and odours as filament stuck to the hot end will char over time.

A portable air filter with HEPA and activated charcoal does wonders
to reduce fumes and smells from 3D Printing. Highly recommended!

17
 Filament Safety
This is general advice to assist in your planning and Maker's Muse is
not to be held responsible for any result of following this advice.

PLA

Sweet smell during printing, generally considered safe indoors but

ventilation recommended.

Filled PLA

Such as Wood, Metal or other materials mixed with PLA. These can
have a strong odour which may or may not be dangerous and active
ventilation is recommended.

ABS

Acrid smell, ranging from faint to overpowering. Do not print in an

enclosed space and avoid working in the same room if possible.
Active ventilation recommended, or an air filter with HEPA filter and
activated carbon filter.

PC

Produces fumes which are considered dangerous. Treat similar to

ABS, however ventilation can be tricky as drafts can result in print
warping. Fumes may not be as acrid as ABS but should still be
treated with respect. Sensitive to moisture.

Nylon/PA

Treat same as PC. Very sensitive to moisture. Store sealed with

dessicant.

POM

Ventilation critical. Can produce trace amounts of dangerous

compounds. Difficult to print with and can often stick to the extruder
and burn.

If in doubt, use ventilation. Never work in the same room as a 3D

Printer if you can avoid it, and use active air flow.

18
TIP 15
Slice and Assemble

Sometimes you just have to go BIG, but then you run into problems
(such as the bed being too small for a print or perhaps it has delicate
features that would really benefit from printing separately). It’s time to
break down that large print into smaller, manageable pieces.

It’s super easy to slice your parts in Meshmixer using the Plane Cut
command – simply move and rotate to the location you want and
change cut to ‘slice’ to preserve both halves. Once you’re happy,
separate your shells and export them out for printing! Watch our
video about how to do this here.

Once you have printed your parts, you can join them together. Acetone
is great for solvent welding ABS prints together, and for PLA and other
plastics I recommend 5 minute epoxy for a strong, durable join. You
can also design in pins and sockets to make assembly even easier. A
little automotive filler and sanding goes a long way to finishing the
look!

19
TIP 16
Smooth 3D Prints

Vapour-smoothing can create glossy ABS prints, but you can make
PLA prints shiny with slow cure 2 part resins such as XTC-3D from
Smooth-on.

Vapour-smoothing with Acetone is a tried and true method of

finishing ABS Parts, however won't work on other plastics. You can
use any number of thick clear varnishes to help hide the lines of your
print, like XTC-3D. You could also check out the new Polysher and
Polysmooth filaments available from Polymaker if you desire smooth
3D Prints.

Watch our video on this technique here.

WARNING: Acetone is highly flammable! Attempt this process

at your own risk and always in a well ventilated area with safety
glasses. This process is only for ABS, Acetone won’t affect PLA. To
smooth PLA you can use products such as XTC-3D to add a thick clear
varnish. ATTEMPT AT YOUR OWN RISK.

20
10
TIP 17
Hot Stepper Motors

Most 3D Printers are driven using stepper motors. Stepper motors

are constant current devices, meaning they will get hotter and hotter
without proper heat dissipation during operation. This can cause
direct drive extruders to in turn overheat the feeder gear, softening
filament too early and leading to serious jams and failed prints. Severe
overheating can also cause stepper motors to seize up entirely!

Most extruder designs have a cooling fan directed at the heat break
and stepper motor, however often movement axis’ motors are just left
to cook if driven with constant current in a heated chamber.

you can never have enough fans

The UP Plus 2’s were
notorious for this problem,
so I created an additional
fan shroud which forced
additional air over the
extruder motor.
This prevented overheating
and allowed for jam-free
printing of nylon and other

21
difficult to print materials.
TIP 18
Always Preheat

Preheating before commencing a 3D Print allows temperatures

to stabilise in the extruder assembly and on your print surface. By
preheating, you minimises the chance that your print bed or nozzle
isn't actually at the correct temperature when the machine launches
into the print from a cold start. This is because while the thermistor may
be at temperature, it takes a short while due to thermal conductivity
for the heat to saturate the printing surface or hot end.

Considering the first layer of your 3D Print is the most critical, it's
advisable to give the system a few minutes to stabalise at printing
temperature, and goes a long way to reliable printing!

IMPORTANT: Don't forget that you preheated the machine then go

to bed!!!

Most machines on the market lack a time out for preheating and will
continue to maintain the set temperature indefinitely. Also, be sure
to have a purge routine before your print commences as the hot end
may ooze some plastic while warming up.

22
TIP 19
Print Fast

Printing slow may feel like a safe bet - but in fact it can be beneficial to
go faster. 3D Printing fast means the layers of the part can cool more
consistently which results in less warping forces and a stronger layer
bond. It also means the print is completed in less time!

Obviously every machine has limits, however usually the limitation

is flow rate on the hot end rather than any mechanical limitations.
Experiment to find the best speed your machine runs at, you may be
surprised just how fast you can go!

EXCEPTIONS: One exception to this would be 3D Printing thin vertical

details, which can get knocked down due to fast machine movement.
PLA also needs sufficient airflow to cool between layers to avoid part
droop, so less speed may be required to resolve these delicate features.
Most slicers will also automatically slow down once layer cross sections
get smaller to allow the previous layer to cool sufficiently.

If you notice these issues, try increasing your cooling with a more
powerful fan or better duct.

An artifact known as ‘ringing’ can also occur due to excessive printer

vibrations, which can be induced by high print speed and fast infills.

23
TIP 20
Save Plastic

If you use the preset settings your 3D Printer came with,

you're probably wasting plastic!

Infill percentage does not need to be nearly as high as

you might think! Always print with a minimal infill unless
absolutely necessary for finish or strength reasons. 10-15%
is a good base line, and it can be more beneficial to increase
the perimeter number or thickness instead of simply
increasing fill. It's important to note that infill percentages
are not uniform across different slicers! Experiment to see
how low you can go and increase it from there.

As an added benefit, lower infill parts warp less, print faster

and use less material. Unless you 'really' need as much
strength as possible it's a win win!

For some 3D Prints you don't even need infill at all! Simply
set the percentage to 0% and ensure you have enough
perimeters, 3 or more to ensure part integrity. Less material
wasted and your prints will complete faster.

You can also employ 0 infill printing for funky lighting

projects like this LED bunny lamp I printed for Easter 2016.

24
BONUS
3D Infill

This is a relatively new idea, but you can now produce infill
with a 3D pattern instead of a simple cross section!

Both the latest versions of Slic3r and Cura 2.5 allow an infill
pattern known as 'cubic'. This produces a part uniformly
strong across its form in a way that wasn't previously
possible! This is because the infill lines slowly overlap
eachother to produce a 3D cube matrix within the part.

The really cool thing about cubic infill is it doesn't take

much longer to print than regular rectangular infill, nor
does it use more material. If you haven't given it a try yet I
recommend it!

25
 Slice Better

Keeping your 3D Printer in peak condition is only half the

story! You could have the best machine in the world still
producing subpar models if your slicing settings aren’t
correct.

A slicer is the software that converts your 3D Model into

G-code that your 3D Printer can understand.

There are now MANY 3D Printer slicers on the market,

ranging from the free and open source to high end, paid
solutions.

I suggest starting with a community favourite such as

Cura or Slic3r, however on Maker’s Muse we often use the
paid solution Simplify3D which gives manual control over
support material.

26
TIP 21
Repairing Bad Files

There's no easier way to ruin your printing experience than with a

bad 3D model or a broken .stl file. This is a common problem with
architectural, animation and 3D scan data converted for 3D Printing.
Often these errors can be corrected in the original design software
for easy 3D Printing.

A 3D Printable mesh needs to be what's known as manifold or water

tight. This allows your slicer to know where it should create a solid
part and where it shouldn't. Mesh files which are not manifold can
result in very annoying errors and failed prints.

Always check your files for errors using free software such as
Meshmixer, 3DBuilder on Windows 10 and Netfabb's Cloud Repair
Service. If your slicer is showing red or strange errors, don’t risk it!
Repair it.

27
TIP 22
Tessellating Triangles

One thing to keep in mind with .stl files is that they are made up of
tessellated triangles and export quality has a huge impact on your
final print. More triangles means a bigger file and better detail in your
prints. There is no such thing as a ‘true circle’ with a .stl file!

.stl files are very difficult to manipulate because of this, and I recommend
making design changes within your original design software if at all
possible. Changing several hole sizes in a .stl file might take longer
than redrawing the entire design from scratch!

impossible geometries
It’s important to note that just because a file is a .stl it does NOT mean
it is 3D Printable!

It is very easy to make impossible geometries in an .stl, such as 0

thickness surfaces, intersecting bodies and free floating objects that
would all be impossible to physically produce. Always keep 3D Print-
ability in the back of your mind as you design your model. If you're
experiencing issues, see tip 21 on repairing .stl files.

28
TIP 23
Don't use SketchUp!

While some may disagree, this is my advice after years in

the 3D Printing field... SketchUp is for Architects, not for
3D Printing.

While you CAN use it, SketchUp is notorious for

producing terrible files for 3D Printing, with bad 3D
Printing practice such as intersecting mesh details and
holes being very easy to create.

If you are getting started with 3D Design, I highly

recommend instead to try Tinkercad first. It's designed
to be easy to use, runs in your browser and exports error
free .stl files for 3D Printing.

If you require a more advanced 3D Modelling package I

recommend Autodesk Fusion 360. Both these programs
are designed with 3D Printing in mind and you can find
our tutorial series CAD for Newbies here.

29
TIP 24
Want Colour? Read This

Always keep in mind that .stl files do not preserve colour, texture or
material properties. In fact they won't even preserve what units they
were exported in - so you could end up with a very tiny model if you
exported in inch units and imported into your slicing software in mm
units!

To print in full colour you need software which can export into a full
colour mesh format such as .ply, .vrml, or the newer universal .3MF
format. When sending your files for colour 3D Printing keep in mind
that and different 3D Printing bureaus have different and often very
specific requirements when it comes to full colour printing.

3D Printing technologies capable of full colour include Z Corp (now

known as ProJet under 3D Systems), Mcor and full colour resin jetting.

30
TIP 25
Rounded Edges

No Smoothing! Disable!
Some software will display mesh files such as .stl files rendered with
‘rounding’ or ‘smoothing’, which makes files appear pretty and smooth
- but it’s a lie! When you send these same files to your 3D Printer,
the facets will be revealed. Always disable visual smoothing effects if
you’re working with 3D Printing models!

more triangles

If you have found you need more smoothness in your mesh, you can
use what’s known as remeshing or subdividing to give an entire mesh
or just part of it more triangles, and thus a ‘smoother’ overall look.
There is many ways to do this using free software such as Meshmixer
or Meshlabs - click here to learn more about this process.

31
TIP 26
No Gaps

Be careful of disconnected details which may fall away during or

after printing, even if they may appear attached in your 3D File.

Sometimes a gap of 0.3mm or even less may be hard to detect but

is enough to cause separation. Similarly, details like the dot on an 'i'
won't stay magically floating in air like it does in your file! It seems
simple, but is an easy mistake to make.

This handle from a downloaded file was not even connected to the
main body and fell off after 3D Printing.

32
TIP 27
How Thin can you Go?

The thinnest you can realistically reproduce on a single

section in a hobby FDM 3D print is the thickness of a single
extrusion width, which with a 0.4mm diameter nozzle will
be about 0.48mm wide. However in practice, these thin
details will be VERY weak, as 3D Printing does not carry the
same level of strength as injection or blow molded plastic.

In practice, I would recommend the thinnest you go in your

model is around 1.5mm, and any stand alone detail such as
vertical columns should be at least 2.5mm thick to avoid
breaking and bending during the print.

If you want to test your 3D Printer's capability in reproducing

thin details check out our video covering how using the
Maker's Muse thin wall test file here.

33
TIP 28
Multibody 3D Prints

In tip 26 I warned you of gaps between parts, but you can

use this same principle to your advantage!

A .stl file can be made up of multiple parts (known as shells

or bodies) and printed at the same time. If you're careful,
these files can be designed with gaps between each part to
create moving, interlocking prints!

Just be sure that the parts do not 'intersect' which is an

error and will most likely need repairing.

Want to know your 3D Printer's tolerances for parts? Check

out the Maker's Muse Tolerance Guage to see what your
3D Printer is capable of! You can download the file here
and enter 50tips for free download.

For most FDM 3D Printers, a gap of 0.3mm or more should

allow parts to move independently.

34
TIP 29
Support Material

Be mindful of how supports will be generated. Can you

get to them easily after printing? Will they damage your
model?

Sometimes you can adjust your print orientation to minimise

support material, or print in parts.

For some cases, you may wish to design in your own

supports and turn support off in your slicing software
completely. This is especially the case for SLA 3D Printing,
where 'tree like' supports must be created and integrated
into the .stl file before you slice the model for 3D Printing.

35
TIP 30
Print Orientation

Correct 3D Print orientation is critical to ensure the best part strength

and finish possible. Keep in mind where support material will be
required as well as ensuring the print has enough contact area on the
bed to avoid it detaching during the printing process. If your slicer
has G-code preview, take advantage of it!

The layer lines of a 3D Print are much like a wood grain and always the
weakest point of the object. This headphones holder was printed on
its side for the best strength and minimum support material. Check
out our video on this topic here!

36
BONUS
Note. It. Down.

If you're using sophisticated slicers such as Slic3r , Simplify3D,

or CURA you have access to a LOT of parameters. Too many
to remember, or keep track of.

Sometimes you'll tweak things to print a certain type of

shape (tricky, small overhangs for example) and then go on
to print other shapes and have to change those settings.
It's very easy to accidently save over good profiles if you're
not careful.

Always, and I mean always, remember to NOTE THEM

DOWN, either by saving profiles with names that make
sense, or just on some grid paper.

You'll thank yourself later when you're struggling to

remember what you changed. Learn from my mistakes! I
have lost many incredible profiles because I forgot to save
defaults, or note down my changes.

37
 Maintenance

Consider this; your 3D Printer produces models tirelessly,

day in and day out. Each print can take a day or more to
complete, with your machine moving that entire time.

At one stage there was a running competition for the most

collected hours on a reprap, I forget who won, but many
had over 5 thousand hours of collective 3D Printing. That's
an awful lot!

Just like you should service your car after a certain amount
of milage, so should you service your 3D Printer after so
many hours of 3D Printing! This section outlines ways you
can maintain your 3D Printer and keep it in peak operating
condition.

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TIP 31
Stop the Squeaks

Not enough people do this! You wouldn’t drive your car without oil
right? All kinds of movement systems in 3D Printers (V Rails, Linear Rods
and Acme screws) will benefit from oil or grease, ideally something
sticky and not too thin. This will lubricate those mechanisms and
promote smoother movement, reducing friction and keeping your
machine functional for longer.

This will also reduce the amount of squeaks and noises created by
your 3D Printer during a print. However, be careful not to spill it on
your 3D Printing surface!

what i use:

I use an automotive grease with P.T.F.E made by Nulon. I find it to

be nice and sticky for long lasting lubrication of linear movements.
Added bonus - it’s also blood red! I buy it from Super Cheap Auto.

WARNING: An increasing trend from manufacturers is to ship 3D

Printers completely DRY with no lubrication at all - this will greatly

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reduce the lifespan of your machine. Always check!!!
TIP 32
Loose Belts

remove backlash
Loose belts are the number one cause for layer and print inaccuracies,
and fortunately it is an easy fix! One way to diagnose if your belt is
loose is to print a circle and see if it’s round or oval. If your machine
cannot print a circle it needs a tune up!

Make sure belts are as tight as possible and, if you can, have some
kind of tensioner such as spring clips or ideally an adjustable idler
pulley. Cheaper kevlar braid timing belts will stretch over time and
need replacing or re-tensioning. A loose set screw can also introduce
major backlash as it slips on the stepper motor shaft.

Keeping your belts and setscrews tight helps remove backlash (also
known as slop) and results in overall better print quality. Use nyloc
nuts where possible and I advise the use of a semi-permanent locktite
for all screws. The cheap stuff is fine, even a tiny amount of superglue
is better than nothing! 3D Printers vibrate a lot and fasteners can
loosen over time.

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TIP 33
Clear Nozzle Blockages

If your nozzle is blocked or not flowing correctly, you can help clear
burnt debris using an acupuncture needle or small drill bit. You want
to choose the size your nozzle has been drilled to - most 3D Printer
nozzles are 0.4mm but always check first!

Simply heat your extruder as normal and when at temperature, gently

insert the drill bit or needle while turning by hand to help clear the
debris. Be very careful not to snap the drill bit! Turn the tool while
gently removing it and then try to extrude, hopefully it should be
clear! If not there may be filament stuck between your feeder gear
and melt tube.

Acupuncture needles and 10 packs of 0.4mm drill bits are really cheap
on ebay or amazon direct from China but take a long time to arrive
(see tip 5). If you're short on time you can also try thin piano wire from
a hardware store or guitar wire from a music store, but these don't
work as well.

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TIP 34
Nozzle Steam Clean

Nozzle still full of burnt plastic? Give it a steam clean using Nylon
filament!

Nylon filaments will absorb moisture when exposed to the air, and
when extruded this moisture turns into steam and creates pressure
which helps pick up and clear out all those burnt bits of material from
inside your nozzle, a great follow up to the drill bit for clearing blocked
extruders! You can also quickly withdraw the filament after it’s slightly
hardened to help grab larger burnt debris from inside the nozzle,
called a ‘cold pull’.

cleaning sticks
This technique works so well that some companies now produce ‘nozzle
cleaning’ sticks! They’re basically the same thing (in my opinion!) and
are designed specifically for cleaning nozzles. Honestly though, it's
best to just prevent future jams, have you 3D Printed an oiler/dust
filter yet?

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TIP 35
Remove your Nozzle
(without breaking it)

ALWAYS preheat for a long time before attempting to remove the

printer nozzle, or you may damage the assembly.

Although the sensor may say the nozzle is at temperature, the heat
needs time to travel up the melt tube – never try to force remove a
nozzle it will only end in tears!

Also remember, righty tighty lefty loosy! Molten plastic caught

between the nozzle and hot end threads needs time to soften
completely so the mechanism can be removed correctly.

Be careful if you're using a machine with a mk10 style extruder such

as Makerbot 2X, Flashforge or Wanhao as the heat block will want to
rotate as you remove the extruder and requires a wrench to hold it
stationary.

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WARNING: Hot ends reach temperatures of over 200°C and will
burn you instantly. Take care when changing nozzles!
TIP 36
Clean your Print Bed

Been 3D Printing for a while? Your print surface probably needs a

clean.

Over time oils, dirt and the remains of failed prints adhere to your
printing surface reducing its effectiveness. The presence of dirt or
oil on your printing surface can prevent your 3D Print from sticking
correctly and lead to many print failures - this can be very frustrating!

Depending on the surface type, a spray with surface cleaner and a

paper towel through to using a solvent to remove debris will remove
these and restore your print surface to its former glory.

NOTE: Be cautious of buildtak and similar surfaces, as solvents may

damage them and these surfaces can absorb oils over time, limiting
their lifespan. If unsure, consult your supplier.

05 44
TIP 37
Transport With Care

3D Printers don’t like being moved, it's as simple as that.

As someone who played the roll of travelling salesman for 2 years I

know this first hand. Vibrations in a car can severely affect 3D Printer
accuracy over time, changing bed level and even throwing axes out of
skew if you're not cautious enough.

Always LOCK anything that can move (gantry, extruder and spool
holder to name a few) in position with zip ties, tape or foam and
ensure the machine can't slide around during corners, acceleration
or sudden braking. Coming to a hard stop to the sound of your 3D
Printer smashing in the back is not a fun experience.

Bottom line – don't move it unless you have to.

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TIP 38
STOP! Think first.

3D Printers are complex, fragile beasts. If something breaks it's

tempting to dive right in and try and fix the problem, but if you don't
know what you're looking for you could easily cause even more
damage.

Depending on where your 3D Printer came from, you have a few

options:

If the machine is sourced from a reseller - call or email their support

line. If they sell the machine they should know what to look for. It
might even be covered under warranty.

If the machine is bought from a department store or online, you're

unlikely to find useful support, depending on the company.
Instead, I highly recommend finding the corresponding Facebook
user group. Every major 3D Printer has one and the users there will
be happy to help troubleshoot your machine.

Lastly, and this one is very important. For some 3D Printers,

attempted repair will void your warranty - such as with the
Makerbot 5th Gen 'smart extruder'. In this case, you may have to
return the component or even entire machine 'back to base' for
repairs, refund or replacement.

In summary, only attempt repairs if you know what you're doing!

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TIP 39
Tune your Currents

While not all machines on the market allow this, most allow you to
tweak the current supplied to the stepper motors. So why would you
want to do this?

If you find your 3D Printer motors are getting very hot, you may be
supplying them with too much current which will waste power and
shorten their life spans through overheating.

On the flip side, if your machine loses position easily (skipped steps
and layer shifting are caused by this), you may need to increase current
to the motors.

The trim pots on the motor drivers are very tiny and fragile, only turn a
quarter of a turn at a time till the desired result is achieved. It is HIGHLY
recommended to use a nonconducting ceramic trimpot screwdriver
for this to avoid causing short circuits on the delicate driver boards,
and it can be tuned while power is applied.

The Hobbyking Fabrikator Mini was one notorious example of a 3D

Printer shipped with motor currents turned way too high – see how
Chuck Hellebuck of CHEP 3D Printing fixed his here.

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TIP 40
Keep Spares on Hand

It's not if, it's when you'll need them. I always keep spares for the
machines I depend on, so I can get them up and running again as
fast as possible!

Here's just a few items you should consider purchasing in the event
something breaks on your 3D Printer.

• Nozzles (nozzles come in many different forms, make sure you

source the correct one for your 3D Printer).

• Heater Cartridge (12v or 24v, make sure you buy the correct one
for your 3D Printer).

• PTFE Tube (if applicable, this is a consumable in a PTFE lined

extruder and must be replaced every few hundred hours of
printing).

• Cooling Fans (they die faster than you might think!).

Check out tip 50 for a (possibly not the best) source for these spare
parts, cheap!

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3D Printing Hacks

The word 'hack' is definitely overused these days, but this

list covers a range of tips, tricks and methods of achieving
outcomes which might not conventional... but have saved
many a project!

You never know when one of these might come in handy.

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16
TIP 41
Anything to STL

Almost any 3D format can be converted into .stl for printing, even if an
intermediate format is needed.

You can even 3D print from games by converting in-game models into a mesh
format such as .obj, and then converting this into .stl. I've demonstrated how to
do this within games such as Chivalry Medieval Warfare, Skyrim and Fallout 4.

These meshes often need significant repair before they're printable but the
results are worth it! What better source of cosplay weapons than from the actual
game?

IMPORTANT: The legalities of doing this are still a grey area, but don't even
THINK of selling these models, unless you want to get sued.

You can check out my video on converting files from Fallout 4 here!

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TIP 42
You Wouldn't Steal a Gear
(Would You?)

Need a mechanical component like a timing pulley or gear? You can

usually download files direct from manufacturers and simply print
them out instead of buying the component!

The profiles or part strength might not be perfect, but it's free and
perfect for testing designs. You can also take these profiles and
modify them further in CAD software (such as Fusion 360) to suit
your design.

Some places to find 3D Models of engineering parts include:

• McMaster-Carr
• SDP/SI
• GrabCAD
• TraceParts

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TIP 43
Multicoloured Prints

You can print multiple colours even if you only have one extruder,
simply pause the print and change your coloured filament and then
continue (keep within the same temperature range though!). Different
machines handle this differently and some are easier to pause and
change filament mid-print than others, so make sure your printer can
handle the change-over before you go into any serious printing.

This technique is especially handy to print a logo in a different colour

on the top of a print. You can also use this trick to embed hardware,
such as nuts and electronics - just be sure to disable support in that
area! For the Original Prusa i3 mk2, the G-code command M600
works great as a filament pause between colours.

dual extruders
One of the few with a multiple extruder machine? You can print
multiple colours or materials at once! It’s still very experimental but
can be great fun to play with - for example using soluble PVA filament
to support a complex PLA print or even full colour blending from a
single nozzle!

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TIP 44
Colour from a Can

Need a certain colour of filament fast and don't have it on hand? You
can create any colour you like by spray painting filament and then
printing with it.

Why spray paint the filament and not the part? By doing this the
paint mixes in with the plastic and as such won't ever rub off. It may
affect strength slightly, so don't use this technique for structurally
important 3D Prints! You can also do some cool colour transitions by
painting only some of the filament.

Yes I know, not the smartest idea in the long term but it's tested and
works! Video here.

WARNING: While I have had no issues doing this, I am not

responsible for any damage to your 3D Printer as a result of trying
this colouring technique! Don't do it if you can't handle having to
possibly do some repairs.

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TIP 45
Shrink File Sizes

You can archive big or many .stl files together before sending (for
example as an email attachment) in a .zip or .rar container, it shrinks
them down in size by a significant amount!

try .3mf
An even better option is to use the newer .3mf file format which is
significantly lighter and can contain more information (including
colour) than a .stl alone. The only disadvantage of .3mf is it’s currently
less commonly accepted in software compared to the .stl format.
You can always convert between the two easily using free software if
needed - learn how here.

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TIP 46
3D Print Remotely
Got an old tablet or laptop
lying around? Did you know
you can make any 3D Printer
remotely operated (with webcam
monitoring!).

You can use free remote software

(such as Chrome remote desktop)
to control your 3D Printer from
anywhere in the world and monitor
the print via webcam.

You can also take advantage of

applications such as Octoprint,
Astroprint and Repetier Server to
3D Print remotely using something
as small and low cost as a
Raspberry Pi.

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TIP 47
Decimate your 3D Scans

Mesh files can be huge, sometimes over 1gb in size and contain
millions of triangles.

Save yourself the pain and don't try to 3D Print these files!!! They can
take ages to slice, make big G-code which tries to account for every
facet of the mesh and can introduce strange errors.

3D Scan data is usually the cause of very high polygon count meshes,
and it's advisable to reduce these before 3D Printing (you'll probably
have to do some mesh repairs too!).

You can use free software such as Meshmixer or Meshlab to greatly

reduce the triangle count to a more reasonable amount while still
preserving enough detail for 3D Printing, using remeshing or
simplification filters. The slicing and transfer will be FAR faster and
less likely to fail.

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TIP 48
Tweak on the Fly

Think you dialled your print speed or temps a little too

high or too low? Many printers based off marlin/sprinter
firmware or similar can have their speeds, temperatures
and other settings tweaked mid print.

The settings for temperature (extruder and bed), print

speed and extrusion multiplier (sometimes known as flow
rate) can all be accessed and changed while the 3D Print is
in progress.

I often do this with a new 3D Printer or filament instead

of reslicing the file every time. Just be sure to note down
your changes.

Very handy for working out optimum printing parameters

with a lot less trial and error!

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TIP 49
Save a Failed Print

Printer stopped extruding and you didn’t catch it in time?

Some slicing engines let you define the starting height – so
you can use calipers to measure up to the failure point and
create new G-code to restart the print where it left off.

IMPORTANT: For this to work, your machine must be

capable of homing X, Y and Z WITHOUT colliding into the
print already on the bed, so this is a hit and miss technique
but certainly worth trying. If your machine runs an auto bed
calibration sequence before each print, such as the Prusa
i3 mk2, you won't be able to save a print that has stopped
midway through.

However, if you're unable to do this technique you can

simply plane cut your existing model at the point of failure
and glue the two parts together. check out this video to
learn how to use plane cut.

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TIP 50
Express from China

Components for 3D Printers are cheaper and more

available than ever before.

Long gone are the days of relying on a single supplier

for an overpriced 3D Printer component! Thanks to
the wonders of China you can now buy almost any 3D
Printing part direct for a fraction of the cost. Not just basic
parts either, you can get literally anything if you search
hard enough.

Obviously, there are risks. Some parts will be inferior in

quality or complete junk and the lead time in shipping
is usually 3 to 4 weeks. Finding the parts can also be
a challenge, as often the sellers don't even know what
they're selling as seen in this photo below...!

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Beyond 3D Printing

Bonus Section
Take your design to the next level with industrial
manufacturing processes!

While 3D Printing is an incredible technology, it's certainly

not the best for all applications, and it's important to
know the limitations some of these processes have which
3D Print does not.

In this bonus section we'll cover some other

manufacturing processes you might want to consider
instead of 3D Printing for your part, product or design!

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TIP 51
Metal 3D Printing

Yes, you can 3D Print in metal! Just don't expect it to come

cheap...

The core metal 3D Printing technologies are DMLS (Direct

Metal Laser Sintering) SLM (Selective Laser Melting) and
EBM (Electron Beam Melting).

These technologies use a metal powder and turn it into

solid objects. You can in stainless steel, titanium and
aerospace alloys. These machines are huge, filling an
entire room and require a full time technician to maintain
them. They also can cost upwards of 1 million dollars.

Still want something 3D Printed in metal? 3D Printing

companies offering metal rapid manufacturing include
R.A.M. in New Zealand and Shapeways in America.

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TIP 52
Injection Molding

If you want hundreds or thousands (or hundreds of

thousands) of identical plastic parts, you can't look
past injection molding! It's really the only way to mass
produce.

3D Printing is very handy for prototyping injection

molded designs, but as a designer you need to keep some
key limitations in mind.

For example, injection molded parts need draft, and a lack

of overhangs so they can be correctly ejected from the
tool. This isn't the full story, but mold cost will skyrocket if
undercuts or voids are required.

Warping can be a big issue in injection molding as well,

so parts need a uniform wall thickness to help minimise
this. You can't also do infill in injection molded parts like
you would for 3D Prints. Instead, you need to incorperate
strengthening ribs to maintain a strong, uniform thickness
object.

You can also do many clever things such as live hinges

and sprued parts (like you would see in a model kit).
Talk to your injection mold engineer for more info on
translating your design into an injection molded part.

Trust me, finalising your prototype is just the beginning!

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TIP 53
Laser Cutting

Laser and plasma cutting are a fast and inexpensive methods

for creating 2D parts, or a NET for folding. You can laser cut
most wood, plastic and metal sheet.

Plasma cutting is a cheaper method of cutting thicker

ferrous metals but it will impart a lot of heat into the part.

For extremely hard materials, such as tool steels, titanium

or ceramics – waterjet cutting is a good alternative and
won't have a HAZ – Heat Affected Zone.

63
The frame of this robot was plasma cut from mining grade
toughened steel sheet.
TIP 54
Investment Casting

Also known as 'lost wax' casting - Investment casting is

the process of putting a wax 'master' into ceramic, firing
in a kiln to melt the wax away and then pouring metal
into the resulting void.

It's another ancient technique used commonly in

jewellery, and you can now 3D Print wax masters for direct
transfer of your concept into a physical object in precious
metal!

There are many companies who offer the whole package,

from your design to 3D Printed master and then cast in
metal, such as Palloys in Sydney, Australia.

The technique also works with PLA – if you're brave

enough!

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TIP 55
3D Scanning

3D Scanning as a technology is still quite far behind 3D

Printing in terms of accessibility, capability and cost.

While it is possible to 3D Scan many real world objects

using various technologies, the final result almost always
requires intensive post processing and clean up before it is
suitable for use. 3D Scanning is NOT like a 3D Photocopy!

If you want to play around with 3D Scanning you can use your
phone to take photos using Autodesk's free app 123D Catch.

For more serious 3D Scanning of small objects have a look

at the Einscan series of 3D Scanners from Shining 3D, such
as our review of the Einscan S.

For high end 3D Scanning applications, the sky is the limit!

3D Scanners worth hundreds of thousands of dollars are
now being employed by engineering firms for accuracy of
parts as well as reconstruction of artifacts and paintings at
an incredible level of detail.

My advice for 3D Scanning? Watch this space - but maybe

don't rush out and buy one just yet unless you really need
it - and know your application is realistically possible on
the technology selected.

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 About Maker's Muse

I've always been interested in tinkering.

Not satisfied with something working, I want to know how

it works and if I can make it better.

I found highschool fairly dull, instead focusing my efforts on

designing and building combat robots as part of Robowars
Australia. This is where I learnt about electronics, 3D design
and manufacturing processes.

Fascinated with machines, I studied Industrial Design at

the University of Technology, Sydney. During my degree I
finally had access to an incredible workshop and 3D Printing
technologies - it really blew my mind! I had to get one of
my own.

In 2011 I purchased my first ever 3D Printer after months

of saving and have been hooked ever since. It is my goal
to empower creativity through advanced manufacturing
technologies, which drives me to produce content such as
this eBook and the Maker's Muse YouTube channel.

Happy Printing!
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