New to 3D Printing? Start Here

Just got a 3D printer? Feeling like every tutorial assumes you already know what a flow rate is? You're in the right place. This is where I'd start if I were doing it all over again.

1. Understand what you're printing

• 3MF vs STL: what you're actually buying: why some files come out right and others don't
• How to open a 3MF file so the settings actually load
• Why pay for a file when free ones exist?

2. Get your printer dialed in

• Calibrating a new printer without losing a weekend
• First layer problems: the 10-minute fix
• The Bambu Studio settings I actually change
• Orca Slicer for beginners

3. Fix the prints that come out wrong

• Why do my 3D prints keep failing? A checklist
• Why small prints don't come out clean
• Stringing on a Bambu Lab: what fixed it
• Elephant foot: why the first layer squishes out
• Removing supports without wrecking the print

4. Level up small, detailed prints

• 0.2 vs 0.4 nozzle for small prints
• The best layer height for small, detailed prints
• Speed settings for fine detail
• What print-in-place actually means

Want it all in one place?

Before You Press Print is my 22-page beginner guide: a step-by-step workflow for any downloaded file, a pre-print checklist, a troubleshooting guide, a glossary in normal language, and my complete tested 0.4 mm and 0.2 mm profiles.

Ready for your first "it came out right" print?

Every file in the shop comes with a Bambu 3MF that has my tested settings saved in, plus a plain STL. Almost every piece is its own object, so you can print it in one color or give every piece its own. Questions? The FAQ covers the common ones.