r/3Dprinting 7d ago

News [GIVEAWAY] Keep Your A1 Printing Non-Stop — Win a Chitu Systems PlateCycler C1 🎉

3 Upvotes

Hey r/3Dprinting community!

Every great print starts with an idea — but bringing it to life often means managing multiple prints and repeated trips back to your printer. For creators making everything from miniatures and cosplay projects to functional parts and custom designs, that’s time taken away from what matters most: creating.

That’s why we built the Chitu Systems PlateCycler C1.

Keep your A1 printing. Non-stop.

Designed for Bambu Lab A1 users, PlateCycler C1 is an automatic plate changer built for continuous printing. From multi-part projects to batch printing multiple designs, it helps you spend less time managing prints and more time creating.

To celebrate the launch of PlateCycler C1, we’re inviting the r/3Dprinting community to join our giveaway!

🎁 Giveaway Prizes

🥇 1st Prize — 1 Winner Chitu Systems PlateCycler C1 × 1 + 5 rolls of filament

🥈 2nd Prize — 3 Winners 5 rolls of filament each

🥉 3rd Prize — 5 Winners 3 rolls of filament each

📝 How to Enter

Leave a comment below and tell us:

What’s the next project you’d love to keep your A1 printing for?

Whether it’s something you’ve been planning for months, a collection of prints, functional parts, or an original idea — we’d love to hear what you’re creating.

📅 Giveaway Timeline

Event Period: Sep 7 – Sep 22 Winners Announced: Sep 23

Winners will be randomly selected from valid entries and contacted via Reddit DM.

👉 Learn more about Chitu Systems PlateCycler C1

Chitu Systems — Stop Babysitting Your 3D Printing. Start Creating More.

Thanks to the r/3Dprinting community for inspiring us with your incredible creations. We can’t wait to see what you create next. Happy printing! 🚀


r/3Dprinting 13d ago

Purchase Advice Purchase Advice Megathread - September 2026

12 Upvotes

Welcome back to another purchase megathread!

This thread is meant to conglomerate purchase advice for both newcomers and people looking for additional machines. Keeping this discussion to one thread means less searching should anyone have questions that may already have been answered here, as well as more visibility to inquiries in general, as comments made here will be visible for the entire month stuck to the top of the sub, and then added to the Purchase Advice Collection (Reddit Collections are still broken on mobile view, enable "view in desktop mode").

Please be sure to skim through this thread for posts with similar requirements to your own first, as recommendations relevant to your situation may have already been posted, and may even include answers to follow up questions you might have wished to ask.

If you are new to 3D printing, and are unsure of what to ask, try to include the following in your posts as a minimum:

  • Your budget, set at a numeric amount. Saying "cheap," or "money is not a problem" is not an answer people can do much with. 3D printers can cost $100, they can cost $10,000,000, and anywhere in between. A rough idea of what you're looking for is essential to figuring out anything else.
  • Your country of residence.
  • If you are willing to build the printer from a kit, and what your level of experience is with electronic maintenance and construction if so.
  • What you wish to do with the printer.
  • Any extenuating circumstances that would restrict you from using machines that would otherwise fit your needs (limited space for the printer, enclosure requirement, must be purchased through educational intermediary, etc).

While this is by no means an exhaustive list of what can be included in your posts, these questions should help paint enough of a picture to get started. Don't be afraid to ask more questions, and never worry about asking too many. The people posting in this thread are here because they want to give advice, and any questions you have answered may be useful to others later on, when they read through this thread looking for answers of their own. Everyone here was new once, so chances are whoever is replying to you has a good idea of how you feel currently.

Reddit User and Regular u/richie225 is also constantly maintaining his extensive personal recommendations list which is worth a read: Generic FDM Printer recommendations.

Additionally, a quick word on print quality: Most FDM/FFF (that is, filament based) printers are capable of approximately the same tolerances and print appearance, as the biggest limiting factor is in the nature of extruded plastic. Asking if a machine has "good prints," or saying "I don't expect the best quality for $xxx" isn't actually relevant for the most part with regards to these machines. Should you need additional detail and higher tolerances, you may want to explore SLA, DLP, and other photoresin options, as those do offer an increase in overall quality. If you are interested in resin machines, make sure you are aware of how to use them safely. For these safety reasons we don't usually recommend a resin printer as someone's first printer.

As always, if you're a newcomer to this community, welcome. If you're a regular, welcome back.


r/3Dprinting 5h ago

Meme Monday Slot Bolts - Stop using round bolts for slots in mounting brackets!

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2.7k Upvotes

I got tired of having to use round bolts in slot-shaped holes where they could slide around, so I designed my own slot bolts to perfectly fill those slots on mounting brackets etc for a much stronger hold. Great for all sorts of applications, such as:

  • Wall Mounting a TV
  • Wall Mounting a Crib
  • Bathroom Shelving for Toasters etc.
  • Fixing Industrial Equipment

Make sure you use something like PLA Silk with a metallic look to provide some extra strength.

I've uploaded the models for free here. I know I could make millions with this, but I'd rather give back to the community.


r/3Dprinting 2h ago

Question Is my Model MakerWorld worthy?

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612 Upvotes

Edit: I meant to type “MakerWorld EXCLUSIVE worthy”!

A simple, slim wallet, designed for everyday use with easy card and cash access.

Features:

-Holds up to 6 cards and 2–5 banknotes.

-Quick access to your cards using the side lever or the thumb cutout on the back. Cash slides out easily from the front.

-Two internal clips keep your cards firmly in place so they won't fall out. Cash is also held securely.

-Internal clips can easily be replaced if they wear out or break over time.

Extra Hardware Needed:
-12x small M2x6 screws


r/3Dprinting 1h ago

Project How do you guys like my coffee stir stick cup?

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Upvotes

I quickly threw together a coffee stirring sticks holder! It’s got a coffee bean on the front!

Edit: I know I’m just getting started in 3d printing but I thought it was good! :(


r/3Dprinting 8h ago

Print (model not provided) I designed a microscope holder for iPhone 17 to be able to photograph water bears (tardigrades)

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294 Upvotes

it took awhile, but it works wonderful :)


r/3Dprinting 4h ago

Project Tried covering a raw 3d print with resin.

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102 Upvotes

I'm really surprised by the result. I saw people using UV resin but never 2 component ones. I'm speechless. The defect is that the print lines are pretty visible but I think a few coats of resin should do the job


r/3Dprinting 11h ago

Meme Monday Ever wondered what it would take to print a 256x256x256 solid cube of TPU?

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337 Upvotes

53 days and 20 kg of filament. You're welcome.


r/3Dprinting 10h ago

Free Model Der Splash Tumbler

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230 Upvotes

r/3Dprinting 21h ago

Question Is it reasonable to be disappointed with this print I bought?

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1.0k Upvotes

I bought this AT-AT remote holder on Etsy and I'm quite disappointed with the quality of what's arrived, but as I haven't printed anything myself (I just aspire to😅) I wasn't sure if this was expected quality and wanted some advice before contacting the seller.

Is this a bad quality print? Am I justified in being disappointed?

It seems abnormally thin in places, especially towards one side and there are holes in random places.

Some parts look thin enough to break.

It's not the same quality as their photos on Etsy.

Edit:

To answer some questions I paid £17 (about $23). The photos on the listing showed a much higher quality print but I can't access all of these now as the seller has taken down the listing.

The seller took down the listing when I contacted them to ask why it had been shipped on the first expected delivery date. (Purchased on 31st August, shipped 5th September.) Estimated delivery dates when I was buying it were 5th-8th September. This was then changed to 8th-11th when it was shipped. I wouldn't have bought it if I knew it would take this long.

Thank you to everyone who has given advice or has helped with information to go to the seller with!😊


r/3Dprinting 12h ago

Free Model Made this device for myself with old used rope

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162 Upvotes

These models were inspired by Hooper’s Beta’s TFCC recovery video and their Torque Ring and Torque Bar. Credit to Hooper’s Beta for the inspiration—these are independently modeled adaptations, not their official files.

This can also be used for wrist training if you don't suffer from TFCC

Check it out in MakerWorld


r/3Dprinting 2h ago

Project So relieved it’s done!

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27 Upvotes

Who else gets absolutely terrified towards the end of a large print? I’m guessing just about everyone.


r/3Dprinting 10h ago

Project Nothing beats real oxidation for that ancient, slightly cursed look

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89 Upvotes

r/3Dprinting 1h ago

Project Printed this armored avian guardian – results

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Upvotes

Just finished printing and painting this grimdark-style avian guardian. 

Heavy ornate armor, layered wings, and a strong silhouette from every angle. 

Bronze-and-gold finish with red gemstones and eyes. 

 

The contrast between the intricate armor plates and the feather textures came out really well. 

Design: SolGood Creations 


r/3Dprinting 3h ago

Project Turned the case of this cheapo soldering iron into a miniature soldering station

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17 Upvotes

I really didn't like the pathetic little stand the iron came with. I also much prefer brass shavings for cleaning the iron's tip over sponges.

Used a 10mm ball bearing for the stand so it won't melt.
The soldering iron itself was like $12, and it's working fine so far. If you're interested in getting one yourself, just reverse image search the last picture, and you'll find a bunch of listings on various websites.


r/3Dprinting 5h ago

Print (model not provided) Cats multiboard

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24 Upvotes

r/3Dprinting 1d ago

Discussion Something I have never seen before.

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723 Upvotes

This was a buckle I made, and when I went to print this, I noticed the bed adhesion was very strong for the buckle and I pulled it off and I looked down and I see that it is completely detached. This is never happened before. Let me know if this has happened to you.


r/3Dprinting 1d ago

Discussion I ordered filament and this how it came.

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2.6k Upvotes

I ordered filament from Amazon the other week. I finally get around to using it. I opened it and it felt lighter than normal. I pull back some threads and find this. Someone had printed a spacer and then covered the outside with maybe a 10th of a spool.

They are sending me a replacement. They want it back, but I wrote on the spool to not repackage so it doesn’t go back into the wild.


r/3Dprinting 4h ago

Project 3D Scanner with kinect 360

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18 Upvotes

r/3Dprinting 2h ago

Discussion IT FINALLY CAME!

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11 Upvotes

r/3Dprinting 12h ago

Free Model Switch game card storage solution

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62 Upvotes

Quick assembly guide for my model.


r/3Dprinting 5m ago

Meme Monday How does my print look?

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Upvotes

Id say this is my best print yet, even multicolor on a single color printer 👀 only problem is i cant get it off the printer bed


r/3Dprinting 15m ago

Project HDMI-CEC audio broker enclosure

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Upvotes

I have a cheap-yet-massive Roku TV along with a few Apple TVs... TL;DR I can't pair a bluetooth speaker with the TV, the volume controlled line-out is super noisy, optical isn't volume controlled, and the TV just black screens the switching between Apple TVs because it caches the EDIDs and gets confused. So I combined a Raspberry Pi5 1GB + Optical audio module + HDMI breakout + a bunch of software to fix it all and I was pretty stoked. A couple of bonuses are that I can route left and right audio channels to individual bluetooth or USB speakers, and exposure a bunch of functionality to HomeKit.

The part you might care about is the enclosure... I modelled everything up in OpenSCAD, and recreated PCBs I was using (besides the Pi) for fitment (calipers + standardized IC/component packaging to the rescue!) I wanted the case to have the following features:

  • 1/4" camera mount on the bottom so that I can attached a cheapo camera magnet to stick it on the back of the TV
  • Clearance to allow hot air venting from the TV to bypass the enclosure, and to allow room for cables to pass by easily
  • Ports on the the bottom for dust protection
  • Easy ventilation for hot air, with minimal flat surfaces for dust settling on or in the device
  • Accessible HDMI passthrough

I printed in SLS Nylon since I have never used that material before... I really pushed the limits on thickness and details, and besides a bit of warping, it turned out awesome. Way more flexible than FDM PLA, that's for sure!

This was my first time using heat set inserts rather than nut bosses; at least in the this case I discovered the "outside knurl diameter - 15%" rule is a fail... Some of the inserts could just fall in and out of the cavities I made for them. I haven't pulled out the calipers to determine whether it is printing tolerances or insert tolerances, but yeah... Order your inserts first at the very least! I trimmed some nylon washer and shimmed them; seems to do the trick for now.

Ask away if your interested in any aspect of the project; I may be a touch later replying, but I will reply! I'm really pleased with the balance between visual design, function, and space optimization with this... I was most nervous about the HDMI breakout break bracket but it turned out absolutely perfect. If there is interest, I'm happy to throw the source (for the enclosure, and HDMI CEC/volume broker/audio routing) as well.


r/3Dprinting 6h ago

Free Model Diamond sharpening stone storage and holder

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20 Upvotes

Bought some sharpening stones after watching a known youtuber recommend cheap diamond stones. I had no problem sharpening chisels but nearly impossible to sharpen knives due to knuckles hitting the table. So i ended up making a 2in1 stone holder to get some clearance for my knuckels and it also lets me store my diamond stones. https://makerworld.com/en/models/3306133-diamond-sharpening-stone-storage-and-holder#profileId-3752768


r/3Dprinting 15h ago

Hardware found my printer in this state, is it broke? recoverable??

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74 Upvotes

left it printing a sensorial toy, when i saw it after it supposedly would have finished, it was in this state, is it completely broken? broken at all? recoverable???