A totally free index of Internet resources for the K-12 Community.
Once you have a 3D printer, “dialing in” and maintaining it can make all the difference. Nothing is more frustrating than a 3D printer that is not correctly adjusted.
As you may have guessed, we like the Ender 3 from Creality. Our webmaster got one for about $225 from Amazon. The print quality is amazing and you can’t beat the price. Highly recommended.
While some 3D printers come fully assembled, most 3D printers require some final assembly before you can start printing. Here's an example of what you're looking at. If you already have a printer, you can also use this video as a tune-up guide. Are all the members squared up? Is there any binding or wobble… learn more
Updated annually, this troubleshooting guide from All3DP magazine describes just about every problem you might have with your printer and how to solve it. Covers everything from print nozzle and filament issues to prints that won't stick, warping, gaps and fine detail not printing correctly. learn more
Sort of a "what not to do" video. Thomas Sanladerer goes thru five things not to do with your 3D printer filament. You want to avoid: Tangling the spool, High temperatures & moisture, Pets and small kids, Printer feed issues, and Cooked filament. All the issues are easy to address and will make for better… learn more
The stepper motor(s) that control your Z axis (height) has a magic number. Figuring out that magic number and specifying a layer height that's a multiple of this magic number will make your prints a lot more uniform. If your Z stepper motor magic number is 0.04 mm and you print 0.1mm layers (a default… learn more
Chuck shows you an easy way to level your bed. He uses two G-Code files: the first to position the nozzle above the adjustment screws and the second is a test print for live adjusting of the bed. When this is completed your printer is ready to print. You can download the two G-Code files… learn more
Never underestimate the difference your filament can make. We've use both CCTREE and AMZ3D PLA filament with our Ender 3 printer. Both cost about $20 for a 1 kg spool. But they are very different when printing. With the CCTREE PLA filament, we leave the print bed heat off as the filament sticks nicely to the textured build surface as-is. Turn on the print bed heater and the PLA sticks too well – it's almost impossible to pry off. The AMZ3D filament is not as "sticky" and requires the bed to… learn more
As some have noted, 3D printing is as much an art as a science. "Dialing in" – correctly adjusting your printer values – will make a huge difference. Here's a video that shows you ways you can take your slicer profile and tweak it for better results. This video covers extruder calibration, flow rate/extrusion multiplier… learn more