Quarantine has gotten us bored out of our minds, and many of us have decided to revisit old hobbies. I myself broke out my 3D printer, basically a device that can create objects with melted plastic. While it looks simple from an outside point of view, a lot of things go into the process.
Where Do I Start?
Before you get printing, you need a printer! They come in all shapes and sizes, at a wide variety of prices. For a small, lightweight printer, I recommend the Monoprice Mini Delta printer, and for a larger scale, the Ender 3 can prove to be a great option, along with the other printers in its line.
3D printers don’t use ink, rather they use spools of plastic filament. Various types exist, each with different properties. Nearly all types of filament come in a ton of colors.
How Do I Prepare?
I know you’re probably excited to start making a ton of stuff with this new device, but you’ll need to do a bit of preparation first. Make sure to level the bed by tweaking the height of each corner. If the bed isn’t level, the print will warp, causing some of the bottom to look weird.
Most printers these days use microSD chips, which look like tiny plastic rectangles with a bit of metal on them. You will need to find an adapter that will let it fit inside a SD card slot. Place the card into the adapter, and into a computer.
Once your printer is all set, find a “slicer” program that can convert 3D files into the language most printers use to take commands, gcode. Some good examples are Slic3r and Cura.
Load filament into the hotend, by finding a small hole in the carriage. Feed it until it wont go in any further.
Go onto thingiverse.com, a database with user-made files that you can make with your printer. Search the item you want to print (if it exists) and voila! You can select one to print for yourself.
What Do I Do With This File?
Once you have the file downloaded, go into your slicer, and tweak your settings to what suits your printer and the model. Once your settings are how you want them to be, hit “slice.” A .gcode file will be created. Move it into the microSD card, and eject the card. Place the card in your printer. Navigate to the file using the LCD screen on the printer, and hit print. Your printer will begin to heat up. This is supposed to happen. Soon enough, your model will be real!
One Last Note
These are just the basics. some more in-depth steps in the process were not included in this list. Be sure to consult your printer’s manual first if an issue arises.
