10 MUST HAVE 3D Printing Tools

10 MUST HAVE 3D Printing Tools

I’ve put together 10 MUST HAVE 3D printing tools that every novice or expert should have in their 3D printer tool kit!

Having the right tools at the right time in any hobby is important. 3D printers and filament can be expensive, and succeeding as much as possible is important so we don’t waste these precious resources. These tips, tricks, hacks and tools will help you get the most out of your 3D printing passion, and help keep it fun and maybe even profitable!

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1: Dremel Butane Torch
$54.11
https://amzn.to/3Lrgxe0

2: Glass IPA Spray Bottle – 2 pack
$19.98
https://amzn.to/3Lt8Bsv

3: Micro fiber cloths – 50 pack
$12.99
https://amzn.to/3sUQ7e5

4: Deburring tool – 30 blades – 3 different blade styles
$29.95
https://amzn.to/3LtiFSx

5: Purple Glue Stick – 60 count
$13.57
https://amzn.to/48bh51c

6: 8 piece plier set
$32.99
https://amzn.to/3rqBwGR

7: 17 piece file set
$23.39
https://amzn.to/44VGn0s

8: Super Lube Silicone Grease – 3 ounce
$13.92
https://amzn.to/450dPTw

9: 0.4mm nozzle needle kit
$12.99
https://amzn.to/469WHeY

10: 4 piece Hex screwdrivers in 1.5, 2, 2.5 and 3mm
$16.50
https://amzn.to/3EEO0xM

Timestamps
00:00 Intro
00:17 Butane Torch
01:34 IPA Bottle
02:23 Microfiber Cloth
03:18 Deburring Tool
04:11 Glue Stick
06:05 Plier Set
06:53 File Set
08:08 Super Lube
09:08 Nozzle Cleaning Kit
10:13 Hex Screwdrivers

Thank you to AdditiveRecreation for the beautiful 3D print of Red, our Red Fox lab that passed recently. 💜

#3DPrinting #tools #3DPrinter

50 Comments

  1. Then there me that just washes my build plate at the basin with a sponge.

    I would just ad a precision craft knife to the list.

  2. I use glue stick all the time but only on a smooth build plate. If I use it on a textured build plate, can you clean it off or does glue get trapped in the texture? Thanks.

  3. Butane Torch (No need if you have a gas stove. Candle or lighter is also good and cheaper)
    IPA Bottle (Optional. Quality of life upgrade)
    Microfiber Cloth (Yes)
    Deburring Tool (Definitely yes)
    Glue Stick (Definitely yes. Air spray is OK but glue stick lasts way longer)
    Plier Set (Yes)
    File Set (Yes)
    Super Lube (Yes. Any Silicone or Mineral oil work great. For the love of god DO NOT USE WD40)
    Nozzle Cleaning Kit (Definitely yes)
    Hex Screwdrivers (Definitely yes, for printer maintenance)

  4. With the greatest of respect – How the f*** can you have a "bunch of isopropyl alcohol" ? It’s a liquid. Do Americans think that "bunch" is the collective noun/plural for absolutely everything?

  5. I use paper towels for cleaning beds, but I don’t throw them away immediately. I keep it folded into a pad, and don’t change it unless I see visible contamination. The small amount of grease from fingers can be cleaned off dozens of times with a single towel, and for deep cleaning beds coated in glue stick or something else, a wash in the sink also only uses one paper towel.

  6. I’ve got a 4 sided nail emery block that has different levels of abrasion, handy for taking little bits off without damaging the rest of the print, I find myself reaching for that rather than the files

  7. I live in the Netherlands an cannot order some of the stuff from there. I’m wondering what the Purple Glue Stick is in Europe.

  8. Silica desiccant packets. Get a box of them and shove them in a sealed bag with your filament. Cheap way to keep the filament dry.

  9. Is that weird that i havent cleaned my build plates once in 9 months. No issues with sticking or residue either. Being careful not to touch the plates other than sides.

  10. I never would have thought of using a deburring tool to clean up the edges. That’s a great idea.
    My feelings on the glue stick – when in doubt, whip it out. Can’t hurt and it’s easy clean up. I use warm soapy water on my flex plate for cleanup.
    You have such a positive attitude that I assumed you would say the Super Lube was half full.😉
    And what’s wrong with your dog? He hasn’t moved during the whole video.
    Again, thanks for the helpful tips.

  11. I used the AFA Deburring tool, initially I didn’t like it as the deburring blade/insert would change positions as I moved around the print. I remedied this by super gluing the insert into the handle. Now it works great!

  12. It’s funny, I saw your username and thought about my old yellow lab I had named Moses (mom named him that so if we got lost he would lead us out of the wilderness).
    Anyways thinking about that then I see you have a status that looks like my old loyal pupper Moses. ….

  13. Perfect, man. Right down to hating allen keys, I agree with your list all the way. My usual tools include an unwrapped paper clip, i.e., a chromed wire, to help with filament on its way down the extruder, in cleaning or changing filaments. The deburring tool replaced a much more dangerous x-acto knife set, I have some nice tweezers, some feeler gauges for calibrating, and I alternate the butane torch with a soldering station hot air tool. I though I had too much stuff, since my printer is home-made, so thanks for the list.

    BTW, my deburring tool looks just like yours (the blue one), and I got it from China via Ali Express for $2.30, including 10 replacement blades.

  14. Got 20+ printers, and thousands of hours printed on each. Only thing I’ve used out of these "must have tools" is a gluestick.

  15. I always thought cigarette lighter was the name for the thing that goes/went into the 12v plug in your car. You kept saying that and I kept thinking, who is using a cigarette lighter on 3D prints. I understand that people who smoke light cigarettes with a lighter, and therefore one may think that thing would be called a cigarette lighter, but I’m pretty sure cigarette lighter is exclusive to the hot coil plug that was used to light them in a car. Maybe this is also just a US thing?

  16. The first tip. It has to be a blue flame (clean) not a yellow flame. A yellow flame is gonna blacken stuff and leave soot behind. You can use a lighter but it has to be a ‘turbo’ flame, like a ‘jet’ lighter.

  17. Glue stick is useful for problem prints and to stop lifting but I found it way too messy so I switched to 3DLAC adhesive spray instead. It leaves less mess you can print multiple times after just a few sprays and it’s easier to clean. Definitely a game-changer. 🙂

  18. For cleaning the bed, a bit of water can help, vs pure alcohol. Alcohol helps with finger grease, etc, but does a poor job with a lot of water soluble stuff like glue stick or hairspray.
    Also, I’d second the bit about wasting blue shop towels. It’s worth noting that those aren’t pure paper towels, but contain plastic fibres as well. I burned one once and was surprised to see it melting.

  19. I just use old ripped Socks for cleaning my build plates and my printer nozzles lol…and that de-burring tool is also a reamer for plumbing.

  20. To extend on the super lube, get a standard syringe to use for narrow parts of the printer. It helps prevent excess oil that can mess up the print and gives precision. Or better yet a bottle top that can fit the nozzle of the grease like those condiment bottles.

  21. Don’t heat your files because you’re making the metal to be a soft metal instead of a hard metal to be a file.
    Use instead a screw driver or a set with different sizes and lengths.

  22. Can you use any type of glue stick or does it have to be purple like can I use the normal glue stick from Elmer’s?

  23. Something that I have and use for a variety of things is a dental pick. It is great for digging stray pieces or support material out of tight places. Also, I replaced all of the orange pieces of my Prusa Mini with red and it was indispensable for removing and inserting the embedded square nuts.

  24. Instead of using liters of isopropyl alcohol, I just take the PEI plate out and wash it with water and soap. Does the job really well.

  25. Any suggestions for pick set. Something long enough to clear an axle channel in a 3D printed car, that may have gotten clogged with support?

  26. I just wanted to mention that in my experience cleaning glue off with warm water is SOOO much easier than alcohol.

  27. Heating files will ruin their temper. Don’t do it 😛 Use nails or drill holes, whatever you can find.

  28. Great video!! I’d also add in getting a small cordless Dustbuster. They’re great for cleaning up all the little pieces of broken-off support, resin (if you’re using a resin printer), trimmed material, etc.

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