Guides

Custom 3D Printed Costume Pieces From a Photo
How to get a custom costume accessory, prop or helmet piece printed from photos, and how much time to leave before Halloween. Read more...
How NFC Tap-to-Review Plaques Work for Local Businesses
What an NFC review plaque does, which phones work with it, where to put it, and the review rules to follow. Read more...
How Fast Can You Get a Custom 3D Printed Part?
Realistic timelines for custom parts from big online print marketplaces, overseas factories and a local US shop. Read more...
The Best Plastics for 3D Printed Marine Parts
Sun, salt and constant moisture: which printed plastics survive on a boat, and which to avoid. Read more...
Can You 3D Print a Replacement Part for a Discontinued Product?
Which discontinued parts can be printed, which can't, and how to get one made without the original drawings. Read more...
Designing 3D Printed Parts That Fit: Tolerances and Clearances
Practical clearance numbers for slip fits, press fits, holes and threads on FDM printed parts. Read more...
How to Prepare a 3D File for Printing (STL, 3MF, STEP)
Units, wall thickness, file formats and the five mistakes that cause most failed quotes. Read more...
3D Printing vs. Injection Molding: When Each One Makes Sense
The break-even math between printing and molding, with a worked example, so you know which process fits your quantity. Read more...
How to Measure a Broken Part So It Can Be Reprinted
What to measure, how to photograph it, and the details that decide whether a reprinted part fits the first time. Read more...
PLA vs PETG vs TPU vs ASA: Which Plastic Should Your Part Be?
A plain comparison of the four plastics we print most, with a quick way to pick the right one for a functional part. Read more...