Your first 3D prints: what to print on a new printer
A new printer is exciting, and it’s tempting to start with the biggest, most detailed model you can find. A few small prints first will save you hours of failed ones. Here’s a simple order: test, then useful, then fun.
Before you start
- Use PLA. It’s the easiest filament to print, doesn’t need a heated enclosure, and forgives small mistakes.
- Start with your slicer’s ready-made profile for your printer and filament. Change settings later, one at a time, once you know what a good print looks like.
- Keep the bed clean. Fingerprints stop the first layer sticking. Wipe the bed as the printer’s maker recommends.
Step 1: a few quick tests
These print fast and tell you whether your printer is set up well.
- A first-layer test: a single thin layer across the bed. It shows whether the bed is level and the nozzle the right height, which is behind most failed prints. Search for bed level test.
- A calibration cube: a 20 mm cube with X, Y and Z on its sides. Measure it: if it’s close to 20 mm each way and the sides are smooth, you’re in good shape. Search for calibration cube.
- 3DBenchy: the little boat everyone prints. Its overhangs, arches and small details show at a glance what your printer does well and badly. Search for benchy.
- A temperature tower, if prints look stringy or weak: one tower printed at several temperatures, so you can see which suits your filament. Search for temperature tower.
Step 2: something useful
Small, practical prints that are easy to get right:
- Cable clips for your desk.
- Filament clips, to stop the end of a spool from tangling.
- Bag clips for the kitchen.
- A phone stand.
- Hooks for keys or headphones.
- Gridfinity bins, to organize a drawer.
Step 3: something fun
Once the tests look good, try a print-in-place model, like an articulated dragon or a flexi animal. They’re a crowd-pleaser, and a good check that your printer is tuned well.
For more ideas, scroll down Yigo’s home page: the gallery shows popular models by topic, and the most popular ones are usually designs that print well.
When a print fails
Everyone’s first prints fail sometimes. Most problems come from the first layer, so check that before anything else. Change one setting at a time, and keep your failed prints for a while: comparing them shows what each change did.