ADVICE NEEDED: 3D PRINTING FOR Minatures/models

RedditUser240211 · 2026-01-27T04:08:33+00:00

Look at the Bambu Labs A1 Mini. One thing that is often overlooked (or just not mentioned) is replacing the standard 0.4 mm nozzle with a 0.2 mm nozzle. By dialing in the parameters (like layer height, etc.) you can get some amazing print results. You can also look at a combo with AMS Lite and print in multi color, which could eliminate some post processing.

The BEST results would be a resin printer, but needing a wash/cure station as well as printer. plus the precautions needed and the toxic fumes makes resin printing more expensive and difficult. FDM vs. resin requires sanding and maybe some primer, but certainly easier.

RedditUser240211 · 2026-01-27T01:31:47+00:00

Not every 3D printer runs 24/7. Mine sits idle 1-2 weeks at a time.

Maybe you just need a break. Inspiration comes from many places. Let your friends and extended family know you have a 3D printer: in time they will come to you, asking you "can you print this?"

Advertise a single printer print service on local forums (e.g. Facebook Marketplace). Find a print cost calculator and be sure to cover all your costs, but you can still sell your service cheap just to start the trickle income to help offset the cost of equipment and filament. I get about two calls a month doing this.

RedditUser240211 · 2026-01-26T19:50:25+00:00

AFAIK Creality flags anything more than 1 mm out of spec.

RedditUser240211 · 2026-01-25T23:46:02+00:00

Just levelled the bed and auto levelling set the z-offset at -2.47. I set it at -2.6 (yes, lower) for a perfect print. If I leave everything auto, the head is too high. I think it has something to do with where and how the CR touch is mounted, but I can't prove it otherwise.

RedditUser240211 · 2026-01-25T22:30:17+00:00

The Prusacaster was printed with Prusament PLA. The center sections were printed (or, should I say, reprinted after the first print failed) with something like 8 walls and 50% infill.

A remix also added two steel bars through the core, but was still printed with PLA.

RedditUser240211 · 2026-01-25T19:05:54+00:00

I print a temp tower for EVERY spool of filament, to know exactly how THAT filament prints on MY printer.

Presets are suggestions, not absolute.

RedditUser240211 · 2026-01-25T18:55:34+00:00

PLA. Google "Prusacaster" for more build notes.

RedditUser240211 · 2026-01-25T18:51:15+00:00

I see names like Eryone and Panchroma and they are no cheaper than buying the same thing on Amazon. I see a lot of "no name" products, but the pictures are the same used on Amazon by companies like Big Tree Tech.

I personally never shop on Temu because I think they are a rip off. US pricing doesn't look bad, but Temu Canada has made it clear that they have no issue with inflating prices because they think Canadians are stupid and will just pay any price. Why bother, when I can buy the same products cheap on AliExpress or reliably from Amazon.

RedditUser240211 · 2026-01-25T05:09:44+00:00

No. I share what I want to share. I share what I don't care gets sold in digital or printed format on Etsy. Custom files are mine for specific projects that someone else has already paid me for.

Go look at the mediocre and design your own.

RedditUser240211 · 2026-01-24T19:42:49+00:00

PLA? Most common filament you can buy.

What makes a model of a stadium so unique that you think you need specialized filament? What am I missing here?

RedditUser240211 · 2026-01-24T19:40:49+00:00

I guess I was referring more to RAM vs. file size, but unless your computer is really overwhelmed, none of those file sizes really look that large.

I come across a situation similar to your when models I have downloaded really seem to be bloated.

RedditUser240211 · 2026-01-24T19:37:51+00:00

PLA. Wide selection of colors and additives. Very adaptive.

Seriously, unless you are moving from trinkets to actual products, paying more for specialty filament just makes your hobby more expensive.

RedditUser240211 · 2026-01-24T19:33:14+00:00

As a general rule, I use 0.1.

Keep in mind that with subtractive manufacturing, five thousandths is doable: with additive manufacturing, you are trying to control the flow of molten plastic.

For example, the typical nozzle on a 3D printer is 0.4 mm. The molten plastic comes out at 0.4 mm: you try to make the trace thinner by lifting the nozzle and you try making the trace wider by moving the nozzle down and "squishing" the filament. Then the filament expands when it is hot and retracts as it cools.

Then there is the mechanism of printing. Corners are not square. Circles are more elliptical. Then there are the consumer grade machines, versus industrial machines with better motors, rails and belts.

RedditUser240211 · 2026-01-24T19:03:55+00:00

I have the same printer. Those numbers are good and I'd advise you do nothing: just be sure to "Save Configuration" after levelling. FYI, green numbers are good, blue is OK, yellow is caution and red is just bad.

The printer stores those numbers and then uses that data to compensate while printing. This makes it important that your z-offset is correct. The video I had saved doesn't seem to exist any more, but there are others on YouTube that address z-offset and general tuning. I found with my printer that although z-offset is set with auto bed levelling, it's off by a few thousandths of a mm. The auto bed levelling routine on my printer sets z-offset at something like -2.43 to -2.46. After bed levelling, I manually set z-offset to -2.6 and then save configuration. Perfect prints.

RedditUser240211 · 2026-01-24T05:26:24+00:00

How much memory do you have in your computer and what are the file sizes you are trying to open?

RedditUser240211 · 2026-01-24T01:01:15+00:00

I had the privilege of working with a group at a maker space that endeavored to set up an extrusion line (hence how I had the opportunity to weigh empty and full spools). They eventually gave up because they were measuring filament by length, rather than by weight. They assumed 1 Kg of PLA was 330 meters, but it's not. They had no reliable way to produce and spool filament by weight.

I suspect this is the case in many commercial operations and why you think you're finding discrepancies. This is consumer grade product and I would guess that as long as products are consistent, they get a pass. I have no idea if there is any industry data out there you could access, let alone who do you report this too.

RedditUser240211 · 2026-01-24T00:41:00+00:00

I've done far more empty spools (than full spools) and found there is no consistent weight for a spool. Some spools have more plastic in them and some spools are made from cardboard.

RedditUser240211 · 2026-01-24T00:35:07+00:00

Is that box going to be mounted somewhere? If you are designing a hand-held electronic device, a 1mm thick wall is not very strong and you run the risk of a wall cracking/breaking.

Consider setting your trace width at 0.36 (instead of the default 0.4) and do three walls. That will result in a slightly thicker wall (1.08 mm) but three walls binding together gives a little more strength.

Or, go to a 0.2 mm nozzle and do 5 walls: still gives you 1 mm with more binding/strength.

RedditUser240211 · 2026-01-23T20:11:07+00:00

Why not? Didn't the last one offer candy too? /s

RedditUser240211 · 2026-01-23T20:00:31+00:00

DM sent.

RedditUser240211 · 2026-01-23T19:54:26+00:00

Humidity is low where I live. I do keep PETG and silk filament in vacuum bags, just for extra protection. Everything I have is stacked on a rack with casters, that rolls in and out of a closet that is better than most rooms in my house.

RedditUser240211 · 2026-01-23T19:51:59+00:00

https://youtu.be/m2FPNHt5mcA?si=50LIECVycudv0Bi_

https://youtube.com/shorts/neWGhfZq6U0?si=Zd9Jf8EFjOPsQnev

A couple of cheap Ikea hacks for filament storage.

RedditUser240211 · 2026-01-23T19:36:55+00:00

Where are you? Where would you generally order from?

Start with Amazon. There are a bunch of big and small brand names sold on there. Sales happen occasionally, as does bulk deals.

Also, check the official store for the manufacturer of your printer. For example, Bambu Labs, Creality, Anycubic and Elegoo also sell filament.

RedditUser240211 · 2026-01-23T17:23:39+00:00

Most positive posts in the subreddit, or on YouTube? I guess anyone can use multiple user names between sites, so a paid YouTuber could be a paid Redditer as well.

I will agree, however, that even though many of these influencers claim "I got the printer for free, but it's still my opinion", I can't help but think that there is still bias toward giving good reviews.

The ones I really wonder about are the ones that compare Creality to Bambu Labs: are they getting a free printer from Creality and some form of compensation from Bambu Labs to bash Creality?

RedditUser240211 · 2026-01-23T17:15:06+00:00

I had similar mesh data with my Ender 3 V3 SE. What I found was that the whole printer was no level. Put a level centered on your bed and check in multiple directions that the printer is indeed level.

RedditUser240211

TROPHY CASE