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Tips and Tricks

The Top Ten Tips For Getting Started With 3D Printing

The Top Ten Tips For Getting Started With 3D Printing

  • Alec Richter
  • Dec 6, 2017
We were all noobs at one point! Here the ten best tips for getting started with 3D printing - whether it's your first time 3D printing or you need to brush up on the basics, this guide will help you out!
When I bought my first 3D printer, I didn’t have any clue what I was doing. The best example of that is I couldn’t get my nozzle to fit over the PTFE tube in the hotend, so I beat it with a wrench to get it to fit, and in doing so flattened the end of the nozzle and blocked the opening. Oops. Common sense would say that was a dumb idea, but having no clue how any of it works, my resour... (More)
Troubleshooting for MatterControl Print Leveling

Troubleshooting for MatterControl Print Leveling

  • Taylor Landry
  • Dec 16, 2015
Interested in using MatterControl's 7 and 13 point print leveling? Although, this system is easy to use, there might be some hardware or firmware settings you'll need to fix first. Here's how!
MatterControl recently introduced 7 and 13 point software print leveling. These are great options for delta 3D printers, as well as Cartesian printers with large print beds. (More)
How to Print in Multi-Color with a Single Extruder

How to Print in Multi-Color with a Single Extruder

  • Erica Derrico
  • Jan 14, 2016
Want to print in multi-color but only have one extruder? Fear not! With just a simple trick using MatterControl, you can print with all the colors of the rainbow.
When I first started working at MatterHackers all of my friends were so intrigued by the concept of 3D printing, I would often get the question, "What does something 3D printed look like?". So I decided to make myself a key chain I could put on my car keys; something I could easily grab out of my bag when people asked me. The trouble was, I am a very colorful person. I did not want my key chain to... (More)
How To Calibrate Your 3D Printer's Extruder

How To Calibrate Your 3D Printer's Extruder

  • Taylor Landry
  • Mar 3, 2015
This quick and informative guide will help you calibrate your extruder perfectly, resulting in accurate, quality prints.
Your 3D printer extrudes and retracts precise amounts of filaments in order to create your printed masterpieces. Well, it does if it’s properly calibrated. Calibrating your extruder is one of the most important, as well as one of the most overlooked, things you can do to your machine. If you’ve been unhappy with your printing results or have noticed either under or over-extrusion, thi... (More)
3D Printing 101 Web Series

3D Printing 101 Web Series

  • Erica Derrico
  • Mar 31, 2016
We know what challenges come your way when you first start printing. Get a head start and solid guidance with MatterHackers' new web series, 3D Printing 101 hosted by YouTube's 3D Printing Nerd, Joel Telling.
MatterHackers and YouTube's 3D Printing Nerd, Joel Telling, have teamed up to bring an exciting new web series, 3D Printing 101. 3D Printing 101 is a great resource to get new 3D printing users up and running quickly and efficiently. Whether you are new to the 3D printing club or you simply need to brush up on the basics, we are here to help. ... (More)
How To Clear and Prevent Jams on Your 3D Printer

How To Clear and Prevent Jams on Your 3D Printer

  • Dave Gaylord
  • Feb 13, 2014
At some point you may encounter a filament jam or a clogged nozzle where your 3D printer is not extruding. This guide is intended to help you prevent such jams, or fix with them as painlessly as possible.
If you arrived at this article, I have to assume you’re either a seeker of knowledge, or an unfortunate soul with a 3D printer that is not extruding. In either case, we are here to enlighten you with some techniques for making your 3D printer run like a dream. (More)
Bed Surfaces: Applying Kapton Tape

Bed Surfaces: Applying Kapton Tape

  • MatterHackers
  • Apr 12, 2016
Certain filaments call for certain bed surfaces. Kapton Tape is a key choice for ABS, but it can get tricky when it comes to application. Learn how to apply this sticky tape flawlessly with our helpful tutorial.
Kapton tape is the recommended bed surface for 3D printing ABS filament. The tape protects the bed surface and acts a base layer, while the hair spray or juice provides the adhesion.  Kapton tape (a registered trademark of DuPont) is a polyimide film. Created for the aerospace industry in the 1960s, Kapton tape as a flexible adhesive tape that is stable over a wide range of temperature, from ... (More)
How To: Build Large Parts That Exceed the Build Volume of Your Printer

How To: Build Large Parts That Exceed the Build Volume of Your Printer

  • Scott Cahoon
  • May 30, 2016
If you have ever found a model you wanted to print, but your build space wasn't large enough, fear not - we've got you covered. Print what you want in any size with part segmentation.
It has happened to all 3D printing practitioners at one time, and if not already will happen to you sooner or later. You have designed the perfect part that you know will fit nicely into your new assembly. Or you have a model that is exactly the size that you want and you are ready to print your masterpiece.  Suddenly you realize….."Oh no!”. The model is too large for your printe... (More)
How To: Vapor Polishing ABS 3D Printer Filament

How To: Vapor Polishing ABS 3D Printer Filament

  • MatterHackers
  • May 25, 2016
Vapor polishing is the process of smoothing the surface of 3D printed ABS parts. The results give your models the look of professionally made injection molded parts. If you want to achieve this look, read on.
Acetone is a powerful solvent that quickly dissolves ABS. However, the ABS reconstitutes itself once the acetone has evaporated. This phenomenon is used for welding ABS drain pipes (ABS glue contains acetone). It also allows us to use 'ABS juice' to apply a thin film of ABS to the print bed to help with adhesion. (More)
Four Awesome Finishing Touches to Make Realistic Movie Models

Four Awesome Finishing Touches to Make Realistic Movie Models

  • Rhonda Grandy
  • May 18, 2016
Saroj Manandhar, MatterHackers' June Hacker of the Month, shares his secrets to achieving the sleek, detailed prints we all crave.
Saroj Manandhar, an Engineering Manager at The Toro Company, first learned about 3D printing when he attended a tradeshow in 1999, where he set his eyes on a Stratasys FDM 3000. Right then and there, he knew he had to have one. (More)
Beat Moisture Before It Kills Your Filament

Beat Moisture Before It Kills Your Filament

  • Taylor Landry
  • Jul 27, 2016
Don't let moisture in the air affect your filament or your 3D prints. Take an in-depth look at the science behind your filament and how water in the air affects it. 
All plastics, including 3D printing thermoplastic filaments, are polymers. Polymer science is a vast and complex field, but it’s fairly easy to understand what a polymer is. A polymer is a material made up of multiple repeating monomers. That probably sounds like another language, so let’s put it in terms of a material you are likely familiar with – PVC. ... (More)
How To: Bring Game Characters to Life

How To: Bring Game Characters to Life

  • Alec Richter
  • Jul 24, 2016
3D printing has been a game changer in the cosplay world. Learn techniques from our resident cosplayer to turn digital models into physical costumes.
In the past, creating an object based on a video game was difficult, time intensive, and generally accomplished by hand. My background in 3D printing comes from cosplay, and the most common question I am asked is "how do you make your costumes?" (More)
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