Notes from the workbench
Short, honest guides to ordering a 3D print: what it costs, which material, which file, and what to expect when you unwrap it.
Personalised gifts: name signs, figurines and desk pieces printed to order
A gift with the right name on it beats a gift with the right price on it. What we can print from a name, a photo or a model, what to send us, what it costs, and when to order so it arrives on time.
Read: Personalised gifts: name signs, figurines and desk pieces printed to orderWhat a 3D print really looks like: layer lines, tolerances and fits
A print is not an injection-moulded part and it is not trying to be. What the surface looks like up close, how exact the dimensions are, how to get a snug fit or a working thread, and how strong it is.
Read: What a 3D print really looks like: layer lines, tolerances and fitsSTL, 3MF, OBJ or STEP: which file to send, and how to check it first
Four file types reach our inbox. All of them print, but each tells us something different. What they are, which to pick when you have a choice, and a five-minute check that saves a day.
Read: STL, 3MF, OBJ or STEP: which file to send, and how to check it firstReplacement parts: printing the clip, knob or bracket nobody sells any more
A broken 2-gram piece of plastic should not retire a working appliance. What kinds of parts print well, which ones do not, how we make them stronger than the original, and how to order one.
Read: Replacement parts: printing the clip, knob or bracket nobody sells any moreNo 3D model? How to order a print from a photo and a few measurements
Most people who need a part have never opened a 3D program, and they do not have to. Here is what to photograph, what to measure, where free models hide, and what happens after you press send.
Read: No 3D model? How to order a print from a photo and a few measurementsPLA or PETG? How to pick the material for your part
Two plastics cover almost everything we print. PLA is crisp and cheap, PETG is tough and takes heat and sun. Tell us what the part has to survive and the choice makes itself.
Read: PLA or PETG? How to pick the material for your partHow much does 3D printing cost in North Macedonia?
A print is priced by the plastic it uses and the time it takes, never below the material's minimum. Here is the formula, a worked example with real numbers, and what moves the price up or down.
Read: How much does 3D printing cost in North Macedonia?