3D Printing Ideas for Beginners

What’s more exciting than seeing your imagination come to life? With 3D printers, you can turn your digital designs into physical creations. 

If you’re new to FDM 3D printing, the possibilities can seem endless yet daunting. We have curated this blog to explore the best 3D printing ideas for beginners, allowing you to kickstart your 3D printing journey.

In this blog:

• How to Find Your 3D Printer Ideas as a Beginner
• Getting Started with These 3D Printer Projects
  • Simple Projects to Begin
  • Best Practical Projects
  • Cool Things to 3D Print
• Where You Can Find Abundant Models

How to Find Your 3D Printer Ideas as a Beginner

If you are new to 3D printing, you may hesitate a bit before trying a new project. You must carefully choose your first 3D printer project as it forms the foundation for your printing skills and helps build your confidence. 

• Easy: First and foremost, you must start with easy and uncomplicated designs. Choose simple models that are easier to print. This will help you understand the basics of 3D printing. 
• Fun: You must also choose fun and interesting prints, may they be action figures or your favorite characters. Exciting prints keep you hooked to 3D printing.
• Functional: In addition to choosing fun and simple models, you must also consider functional projects such as mobile phone stands or household items as they are more practical. 
• Free: These days, you can easily find tons of free 3D printer projects online, allowing you to practice your printing skills and create new and unique projects. 

Getting Started with These 3D Printer Projects

Now that you have learned about 3D printing, let’s explore the best 3D printer ideas that are easy, functional, and rewarding. By practicing these projects, you can get more comfortable with your printer and ultimately improve your skills. 

Simple Projects to Begin

3D Benchy: It is a popular calibration torture-test model designed to test the capabilities of your 3D printer. Benchy comes from benchmark as this test signifies how well your 3D printer works.

• Difficulty: Moderate
• Print Time: ~1–2 hours
• Recommended Material: PLA
• Where to get it: You can get 3D benchy from https://www.3dbenchy.com/

Cali Cat: It is a simple benchmark model that tests your printer’s accuracy, overhangs, detail, bridging, extrusion, etc. under an hour.

• Difficulty: Easy
• Print Time: ~45 minutes
• Recommended Material: PLA
• Where to get it: You can get this model from https://www.thingiverse.com

Recommended reading: You might benefit from an overview of calibration.

Best Practical Projects

Smartphone Stand: It is the most practical 3D printer project you can do at home. It’s not only functional but also allows you to practice settings like adhesion and overhangs.

• Difficulty: Easy
• Print Time: ~2–3 hours
• Recommended Material: PLA (durable and beginner-friendly)
• Where to get it: You can get it from https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1587568

Cable Guards: A cable guard is a highly practical gadget that protects your phone’s cables from damage. Since cables are prone to kinks and bends, a cable guard can protect them from breakage. 

• Difficulty: Easy
• Print Time: ~1 hour per guard
• Recommended Material: TPU (for flexibility) or PLA (for sturdiness)
• Where to get it: You can get a cable guard model from https://www.myminifactory.com/object/3d-print-icableguards-21235

Cool Things to 3D Print

Pen Holder: A pen holder is a great addition to your desk, and you can easily 3D print it.

• Difficulty: Easy
• Print Time: ~1–2 hours
• Recommended Material: PLA (lightweight and durable) or PETG (for a more robust finish)
• Where to get it: You can get a pen holder model from https://cults3d.com/en/3d-model/art/pen-and-pencil-holder

Fidget Spinner: If you are looking for cool things to 3D print, then a fidget spinner is the best. It’s a fun and simple toy that allows you to practice basic printing mechanics.

• Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
• Print Time: ~1 hour
• Recommended Material: PLA (add bearings for functionality)
• Where to get it: You can get it from https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1998577

 Flexi Rex: Flexi Rex is a T-Rex that is one of the most popular 3D printer models on Thingiverse. It is popular as it can be printed as a single printed item, with no need for assembly. 

• Difficulty: Easy
• Print Time: ~1–2 hours
• Recommended Material: PLA or PETG (for added flexibility)
• Where to get it: You can get this cute model from https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2738211

Where You Can Find Abundant Models

If you are looking for multiple 3D printer projects from beginner to advanced, you are at the right place. Following are some of the best platforms to search for diverse models. 

• YouMagine is full of free-to-download projects – perfect when you’re starting out and don’t want to pay for your print files!
• PinShape has both free and paid designs available to download. Projects on PinShape are usually high-quality, with technical information included so you can print them quickly.
• Thingiverse is one of the biggest 3D printing communities and has over a million items to print – with designs free to download and use.
• MyMiniFactory has both free and paid designs available that were created by community users and encourage users to earn on their store.
• Cults3D is a marketplace with a mix of free and paid models featuring unique designs. 

Related reading: Feed Your 3D Printer 17 Awesome Websites. The article from Snapmaker highlights 17 excellent websites for downloading 3D models suitable for various printing projects.

Conclusion

3D printing has limitless potential, especially for beginners, as they can use their imagination to create unique and innovative designs. With practice and patience, beginners can explore more complex designs as their skills grow over time.

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