Mastering the Art of 3D Printing: Exploring Essential Accessories

The 3D printing business has grown very quickly over the past few years. While the first 3D printers were huge and cost a lot of money, nowadays models are smaller, cheaper, and easier to use. Nevertheless, the 3D printer itself is not the only thing that makes 3D printing work. A lot of different 3D printer accessories are very important to the quality of the end product. You can make a regular 3D printer into a great machine with the right add-ons, and you can be sure that your creations will turn out just the way you want them to.

So here are some of the most essential 3D Printing Accessories that will help you get the most out of your printer. They are used for everything – from removing support material to making the bed plate stick better.

Filament Storage Container

filament storage container
Source: pinterest.com

A good filament storage case is one of the most important things a 3D printer owner needs to have. Most people who own 3D printers don’t do that, and it can cause a lot of problems, such as clogging, bad layer adhesion, breaking, and more. Because of this, it is very important to keep your strands in a dry place. 

A filament box is the first choice. It keeps your filament dry and free of dust, and it also gives you filament. It has a monitor for temperature and humidity, and you can print right from the box. Vacuum-sealed storage cases are another great choice. There are five of them in a pack, which is pretty convenient.

Masking Tape 

One of the most common 3D printer add-ons is masking tape. It is used to help each print stick to the print bed better, and you should get some. It’s also much easier to take the finished picture off the bed and keep it from getting scratched. Pick sealing tape that is at least 5 cm wide. If the tape is bigger, you’ll only need a few strips to cover the print bed. This will make the results better.

PVA Glue Stick 

PVA glue stick
Source: matterhackers.com

Your print must stick well to the build plate when you’re 3D printing. Putting a washable glue stick over your print bed is another way to make the plates stick better. You can put glue on your build plate directly, and water makes it easy to remove. This is one of the best ways to stick things to a bed, and it works well with most materials. The only ones that don’t work well are ABS and polycarbonate, which tend to bend a lot. There are a lot of shops that sell it, and the price is pretty fair. It works pretty well.

3D Print Removal Tool 

Your 3D print might stick to your build plate sometimes. This is easy to fix with a 3D print cleanup tool, also known as a spatula. Step one is to carefully place it under the picture and then carefully lift it. This tool can also be used to scrape off small pieces of filament. 

The spatula that came with your 3D printer is probably not very good and doesn’t always work right. With this set of different spatulas, you’ll always have the right tool to remove anything you print. They are as thin as a knife blade but don’t have a sharp tip. Most of the time, they’re also curved so that you can hold the handle straight out from the bed. It will keep you from hurting the part or scratching the tray. I think this set is an important addition to any 3D printer.

Pilers

Pilers
Source: thangs.com

You can get into tight spots on your 3D printer and print with needle-nose pliers because they give you a good, strong grip. Always look for a good pair of pliers with a rubbery grip that won’t slip. They can be used to clear out your 3D printer of jams, cut filaments, or put new filaments in. The print beds can also be used to get rid of prints that get stuck on them.

Tweezers 

To do the more difficult things with 3D printing, you need a full set of tweezers in different sizes and types. You can use them to make very small, precise changes to your 3D printer or make parts for a very low price. They make it easy to remove the oozing filament from the printer nozzle without getting your fingers burned. They can also be used to finish your pictures after they have been made.

Sandpaper

sandpaper
Source: cgtrader.com

A set of sandpapers with different sizes can be very helpful when you are done with the printing process. A good sandpaper will help you make the print’s features stand out and smooth out any rough spots. Buy a set of high-quality sandpaper from a well-known brand. The sandpaper should range from rough (120 grit) to smooth (1000 grit or more). Sandpaper of good quality doesn’t wear out quickly. This means it will last longer and save you money in the long run.

Digital Caliper 

A digital calliper is an important tool for 3D printers who care about accuracy. There may be a lot of measurements to take when 3D printing, so this tool will help you get better both quickly and correctly, which is very important.

It lets you take very accurate measurements of a part you want to print in 3D, check the sizes of a calibration print, or see how well the measurements on your prints match up with the dimensions in the source CAD model. You can also use callipers to make sure that your 3D printing filaments are accurate since the real diameters of filaments don’t always match what is advertised. This will help you make the change you need to make.