UPS System
An Uninterruptable power supply (UPS) allows a 3D printer to continue in the event of a power cut.
Screwdriver Set
A precision screwdriver set is one of the most useful and inexpensive tools a 3D printer can have.
3D Printer's Card
Take the frustration out of 3D printing by using our multitool full of gauges and checks to use on your printer.
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Table of Contents
Best Material Gifts for 3D Printers
One of the most important items for a 3D printer owner is the material they choose to print with.
The material used can have a massive impact on the quality, strength, and appearance of the printed model.
It’s also important to find out what type of printer they have so you know what type of material they can use.
If they have a filament printer (that looks something like the Ender 3) then they will be able to print filament material such as PLA or ABS.
Look out for a spool of filament like below:
If they have a resin printer (for example this Anycubic resin printer) then they will need a UV resin.
Resin printers do not have a spool of filament – instead they have a vat of resin.
If you’re not sure then just ask them! They will be flattered if they are asked for a picture of their setup – as self-professed 3D printer nerds we know this is true!
If in doubt just say that you have someone who is interested in learning about 3D printing and wanted to show them.
Wood PLA filament makes a great change from using traditional PLA material.
The filament contains wood fibres to give prints the look and feel of wood – it even smells like it too!
eSun PLA+ filament uses PLA+ which is less prone to warping than ordinary PLA and leads to better quality prints.
This filament is also several times stronger stronger than ordinary PLA.
Silk PLA gives an outstanding finish to 3D prints.
One of the annoying tasks for a 3D printer owner is to polish the model to give a smooth appearance.
Silk PLA gives a metallic finish so there is no need for polishing.
This is one of the coolest 3D printer gifts going.
The filament is made of a special material that makes prints glow in the dark – giving a great spooky glow to models.
Resin is required for owners of a resin 3D printer.
This style of printing uses UV light to harden the resin to create the 3D model.
This ELEGOO is highly rated and gives a stunning appearance.
Best Upgrade Gifts for 3D Printers
A 3D printer owner is constantly looking at ways to improve their prints.
One way to do this is to upgrade their setup for 3D printing.
These gift ideas below will take their printing to the next level.
Octoprint
Octoprint is a way of setting up a camera to watch 3D printer whilst it is printing.
This is great for safety as it allows the 3D printer to check upon their print from anywhere – in another room or away from home.
Having a camera watch the print also allows you to create cool time-lapse videos from the print.
To set up Octoprint you will need a camera and a computer such as the Raspberry Pi, we recommend the following:
Camera
We recommend the Wyze Cam – it has great visual and is perfect for watching models being 3D printed.
To run Octoprint we recommend you use a Raspberry Pi to run the OctoPi software on it.
We strongly recommend getting at least the Raspberry Pi 3B or Raspberry Pi 4B.
A smart plug is great for safety – it allows you to turn off the printer from anywhere.
Imagine if you were watching the print away from home using Octoprint and something goes wrong with the printer. You could easily make the printer safe by turning off the smart plug connected to it.
One of the 3D printer owner’s biggest fears is that the power will cut out in the middle of a print.
It takes a long time to 3D print – many hours or even days – and losing power means this time is wasted and the model is scrapped.
Having an uninterruptable power supply gives backup power in case of a power outage and can save lots of time and frustration.
Sometimes the best upgrade is another printer!
Having another printer allows more prints to be done at the same time.
It could also be an upgrade from a basic printer. The Ender 3 is a highly rated filament printer that produces outstanding results for its price.
A resin printer will take 3D printing to another level.
Resin printers have unparalleled quality compared to filament printers. They are perfect for creating models with lots of fine details such as miniatures and cosplay items.
Best Tool Gifts for 3D Printers
To quote Maslow’s hammer – “If all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail”.
Tools make using 3D printers much easier and more enjoyable – knowing the correct tools to use can make all the difference.
Here are some of our favourite tool gifts for 3D printers:
Achieve the perfect print using our 3D Printer’s Card – a wallet-sized multitool full of rulers, gauges and 3D printing information.
The rear of the card contains common issues and ways of solving them to help take the frustration out of 3D printing.
A precision screwdriver set such as the ORIA precision screwdriver set is one of the best tools a 3D printer can have.
When tweaking or upgrading the 3D printer this will be their go to tool for the job – and cost per use will be pennies.
A good work light is essential when working up close with 3D prints.
Lots of time is spent looking at the finished model and cleaning up the print – a light with a magnifying glass is perfect for polishing or painting a model.
3D printing can lead to “stringing” which is where the print looks hairy or has whiskers of plastic.
The best way of clearing this up is by using a deburring tool.
Removing a 3D print from a print bed can be very difficult if not using a tool and can lead to damaging the part.
Using a scraper designed for the task can remove the headache of removing the seemingly-superglued model from the bed.
A heat gun is a very versatile tool for 3D printing.
It can lead to better print quality – gently heating up a print can reduce the stringing and give a smoother finish.
A heat gun can also be used to create metal threads in prints. A threaded nut can be heated up and pressed into the 3D print. When it sets the nut will stay in place and screws can not be added.
Other uses include solder reflow, using heat shrink, and print reshaping.
Wrap-Up: Which Gift for a 3D Printer Did You Choose?
All of these gifts for 3D printers listed above are great in their own right.
The gift that you choose will depend upon your budget, the experience level of who you are giving the present to, and what type of 3D printer they have.
So, which gift did you choose for the 3D printer lover in your life?
Let us know by leaving a comment below right now