3D printing
3D Printing Guides for Functional Parts
These guides focus on 3D printing as a shop tool: parts with metal hardware in them, jigs that make other tools more accurate, filament choices that hold up, and prints that earn bench space. If you want articulated dragons, the rest of the internet has you covered.
All 3d printing guides
3D printing hardwareHeat-Set InsertsHow to use brass heat-set inserts in 3D prints: hole sizing that works, boss design rules, iron technique, and the mistakes that crack parts.
3D printing hardwareThreaded vs Heat-Set InsertsHeat-set, press-in, screw-in inserts, and embedded nuts compared for 3D printed parts — which fastening method fits which load, plastic, and geometry.
3D printing materialsPLA vs PETG vs ABSA part-first filament guide: when PLA's stiffness wins, when PETG's toughness matters, when ABS/ASA earn their enclosure — with a property table and shop examples.
3D printing skillsDesigning 3D Printed JigsA repeatable method for designing 3D printed jigs and fixtures: reference one surface, design the clamp first, print settings for accuracy, and five starter jigs.
Top 10 · June 2026Top 10 Useful 3D PrintsTen 3D prints that earn bench space: Gridfinity bins, insert test blocks, jigs, swatches, and other prints that make the rest of the shop work better.
3D printer comparisonBambu A1 vs Ender-3 V3Bambu Lab A1 vs Creality Ender-3 V3 compared: speed, reliability, multi-color AMS lite, ecosystem lock-in, tinkerability, and which beginner each machine actually suits.
3D printingFilament Drying & StorageHow wet filament ruins prints, which materials care most (PETG, nylon, TPU), dryer vs dry box vs oven, drying times and temperatures, and a storage system that scales.
3D printingBest Printer UpgradesThe upgrade list rewritten for modern printers: hardened nozzles, textured PEI plates, filament dryers, and camera monitoring — and the classic mods that fast printers made obsolete.
ComparisonResin vs FDMMSLA resin vs FDM filament printing compared: detail, part strength, mess and safety, real per-print workflow, running costs, and which projects demand which machine.
3D printingFinishing 3D PrintsThe realistic pipeline for finishing FDM prints: supports and cleanup, wet sanding grits, filler primer, smoothing options by material, and paint systems that stick to plastic.