3D printing guides

Straight answers, with the math, an example and a table, for people who print at home and people who sell prints.

Pricing and selling

Bambu Studio cost estimate vs the real cost of a printWhere to set the filament price in Bambu Studio and OrcaSlicer, what the slicer's cost leaves out, and a worked example with the full cost of the part.3D printing in batches: how to work out the cost per partWhy printing several parts on one plate lowers the cost per part, when it raises the risk, the math for 1 part vs 10 and a practical rule for building batches.10 Best STL File Sites and What You Can Legally SellMakerWorld, Printables, Cults3D and seven more STL sites: where to download, each site's rule for selling prints, and how to check a model's license.3D printing cost per gram: the math, an example and a tableHow to work out the cost per gram of filament: spool price ÷ net weight. Step-by-step math, a ready table by spool price and what not to count twice.3D printer cost per hour: electricity, wear and depreciationWork out what your 3D printer costs per hour: electricity, wear and maintenance, with step-by-step math and a table of wear cost by hours printed per year.3D printer electricity cost per hour: the math and a tableHow much electricity a 3D printer uses per hour: published average draw by model and material, the heat-up peak, how to measure it and what it costs.3D printing failure rate: how to price in failed printsHow to build failed 3D prints into your price: the two ways to do the math, how to measure your own failure rate and what a mid-print failure costs.How to price 3D print finishing, packaging and shippingHow to price support removal, sanding, painting and packing time, the cost of the box and shipping, with a minutes-per-step table and a full worked example.How much to charge for 3D printing: from cost to priceHow to price a 3D printed part: material, electricity, machine time, labor, failures, profit and fees, with an example worked out line by line.How much to charge for 3D printed keychains: minimum priceWhat one 3D printed keychain costs printed alone and on a full plate, the hidden costs (rings, purge, fixed fees) and the minimum price on each sales channel.AMS multicolor printing cost: how much goes to purge wasteHow much filament an AMS throws away on every color change, how to read flushed and tower grams in Bambu Studio, and what actually cuts multicolor print cost.3D printing profit margin vs markup, with a conversion tableMargin vs markup for 3D printing: the formulas, a conversion table, the mistake that eats your profit and what marketplace fees do to your margin.How to Publish and Sell 3D Models: Licenses and PricingWhere to publish your 3D models, what's left on each platform, which license to choose, how to sell a commercial license and how many sales pay for the modeling.Resin 3D printing cost per print: the math and an exampleHow to work out the cost of a resin print: resin by mL, IPA, gloves, FEP film, LCD screen wear and electricity, with a large part and a miniature batch.How to price 3D prints on Etsy and eBay after feesEtsy and eBay seller fees for 2026, the formula that keeps your margin after fees, and one 3D printed part priced for each marketplace, step by step.Where to Sell 3D Prints: Etsy, eBay, or Direct Sales?The same 3D printed part sold directly, on Etsy and on eBay: price, fees and profit on each channel, with the official US fees as of November 2026.

Printers and materials

How to choose a 3D printer: quick quiz and comparisonOpen-frame, enclosed or resin? A six-question quiz and a side-by-side comparison of the three types of 3D printer: strengths, downsides and what to buy with it.How much filament is left on a spool? 4 ways to tellWeigh it and subtract the empty spool, measure the diameter, read the AMS estimate, and check whether your next print fits on the filament that is left.PLA vs PETG for outdoor 3D prints: which handles heat and sun?PLA vs PETG for parts that see sun or sit in a car: where each one softens per manufacturer datasheets, UV, moisture, printing, cost and when to switch to ASA.Resin vs filament 3D printer: which one should you get?Resin vs filament 3D printers compared: detail, size, strength, noise, smell, mess, safety and cost per part, plus what each one asks of you after the print.

Slicer settings

3D printing supports: when to use them, settings and removalA complete guide to 3D printing supports: the angle that needs them, how to avoid them, every slicer setting, materials, clean removal and what they cost.15% vs 30% infill: strength, print time and filament15% vs 30% infill: how much filament and time each percentage uses on an example part, which infill pattern to pick and when to add walls instead.Bambu Studio ironing settings for PLA: values and print timeHow to set up ironing in Bambu Studio and OrcaSlicer for PLA: starting values, how much time it adds, when it is worth it and how to fix common defects.0.12 vs 0.20 layer height: print time, quality and strength0.12 vs 0.20 mm layer height: the print time math, a table from 0.08 to 0.28 mm on an example part, the nozzle rule and when fine layers are a waste of time.Tree vs normal supports: filament, print time and finishTree vs normal supports in Bambu Studio and OrcaSlicer: filament and time on example parts, which leaves the better surface and how to make supports peel off.Which 3D printer nozzle size to use: 0.2, 0.4, 0.6 or 0.8 mmWhich nozzle to pick: what fits in each line, how much time and filament really change in the slicer, and when you need hardened steel. Simulated on a Bambu A1.

Troubleshooting

3D printing beginner mistakes that cost money, with the math12 beginner 3D printing mistakes, what each one costs in a worked example with the math shown, and how to avoid it, from wet filament to pricing below cost.How to dry wet PETG filament: temperature, time and methodHow to dry PETG, PLA, TPU, ABS, nylon and PC: the signs of moisture, the manufacturers' temperature and time table, safe methods and how to store spools.First layer not sticking or stuck too hard? Causes and fixesFirst layer that won't stick or won't come off smooth or textured PEI: how to confirm the cause and fix it with cleaning, Z offset, bed temperature and brim.PETG stringing: how to fix it, step by stepHow to stop PETG stringing: dry the filament, lower the temperature, tune retraction for direct drive or Bowden, travel and wipe, and the test towers to print.Rough tops on letters and keychains: find the cause and get it smoothRough top on a name keychain or small letters: how to confirm each cause in the slicer preview and with short tests, before swapping the nozzle or changing speed.PLA warping: how to fix corners lifting off the bedWhy 3D prints warp and corners lift off the bed in PLA, PETG and ABS, and what to fix first: the sheet, bed temperature, fan, brim, mouse ears and drafts.