Hi, all. So my first ever 3D printer is on its way to me. I went with an Elegoo Centauri Carbon, partially for the option of using OpenCentauri firmware. I have been looking at various models on printables.com and Thingiverse, getting excited for the possibilities. I would just like to ask if there are any big pitfalls I should look out for as I’m starting my 3D printing adventure. What mistakes did you make when you were just starting out? What resources do you wish you were aware of earlier? What general advice can you give me?

Thanks in advance, and have a lovely day.

  • LastYearsIrritant@sopuli.xyzEnglish
    6·
    2 days ago

    Pick a (small, simple) project you think will be fun, and design a solution yourself.

    The more projects you can design, the more useful your 3d printer will be. Yes, downloading and using models online can help solve some problems, but the real magic of 3d printing is creating a completely custom solution that only you need. Most of the time, even when I download a model someone else made, I use it as a starting point to design one myself that meets my specific needs.

    Check out Zack Freedman. He is amazing at 3d printing solutions, and he genuinely wants to make you amazing as well. This is a great tutorial about how to THINK about designing prints, and then how to make it happen. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcMvTfUfNXo

    FreeCAD is great, but has a big learning curve. OnShape is browser based and I find it works best for me. Tinkercad is a great starting off point.

    But play around and figure out what works best for you.

    • Maerman@lemmy.worldOPEnglish
      1·
      2 days ago

      Awesome, thanks for the advice. I’ll definitely check out his channel. Designing stuff myself still intimidates me a little, but I suppose the best way to get over that is to just do it.