The fundamental knowledge every 3D printer should know. These essentials are pulled from topic pages across the site, giving you quick access to the most important information. Links have more in-depth info on each topic.
Getting Started #
Filament #
Filament Drying #
- New filament is not normally dry filament.
- If your new filament came in a metallic bag, it might be dry.
- Clear vacuum-sealed bags are not moisture-proof1. Add desiccant to them.
- Desiccant doesn’t dry filament. Drying filament well requires heat.
- You can use your printer’s heatbed to dry filament.
- Some filaments can be dried with a temp less than their target drying temp; you have to dry longer though.
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Water Vapor Permeation in Plastics by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory ↩︎
Filament Materials #
- “PLA+” and other modifiers just means “we added some weird stuff we think makes this better”.
- PLA is the easiest filament to print, but weakest against heat and UV.
- Carbon/Glass fiber filaments need hardened nozzles.
- Fiber-filled filaments may reduce warping, but usually weaken layer adhesion.
- Exotic filaments often require an enclosure and high-temp hardware.
Equipment #
Build Plates #
- Build Plates are consumables. They have a long life, but they do wear out.
- KEEP YOUR PLATE CLEAN.
- Clean your plate with Dawn or similar dish soap; something with no moisturizers.
- IPA is not cleaning your plate. IPA wipes are like dusting vs mopping.
- Use a plastic scraper to remove prints if needed.
- Metal scrapers take skill to use well. Don’t scratch your plate.
This page aggregates essentials from topic pages across the site. Each section links to the full topic for detailed information.