How about a thread for the 3D Printer folks? What do have, what do you make, what problems are you facing?

March 23, 2026, 07:28 PM

Ronin101

ok 911Boss has a Bambu P2S. what is everyone else using and what doo you wish you had>?

March 24, 2026, 09:21 AM

P250UA5

Mine is a P1S with AMS
It's my first, so I don't have any comparison to other printers.
It's fun, but I've only dabbled with pre-made files.
Haven't ventured into CAD, but it's on the horizon, when I can find the time.

March 24, 2026, 02:50 PM

SigJacket

Flashforge Advenurer 5M Pro. A decent starter, I think.

March 24, 2026, 05:57 PM

cslinger

P1S with AMS although I haven’t done anything multi color. I have done some pretty heavy modifications of stuff but nothing ground up.

All in all I am happy with the P1S but like others it’s my only experience.

March 26, 2026, 07:36 PM

RogueJSK

Figured this might be an appropriate place for this question...

What are your thoughts on 3D printed firearms parts? I've seen an uptick in things like 3D printed magwells and magazine floorplates. And even recently stuff like trigger group housings for Glocks/RXMs/etc. and plus capacity magazine extensions.

In my (admittedly very limited) experience with a few 3D printed items, they seemed very brittle. Is that an issue inherent to 3D printing in general, or just to certain printer materials?

Could these 3D printed firearm parts be expected to hold up as well as more traditionally manufactured plastic parts? Or is it just a matter of "good enough for the cheap cost and ease of manufacturing", but they're going to be subpar in durability?

March 28, 2026, 08:16 AM

Anubismp

quote:
Originally posted by RogueJSK:
Figured this might be an appropriate place for this question...
What are your thoughts on 3D printed firearms parts? I've seen an uptick in things like 3D printed magwells and magazine floorplates. And even recently stuff like trigger group housings for Glocks/RXMs/etc. and plus capacity magazine extensions. Certainly not as good for certain high-wear parts, but they are fine for magwells, baseplates, jigs, grips, and holders, and such. In fact, since I've been printing, it's easier to see what is printed in the industry as few sand down the lines. I have seen a few chassis frames, so it's possible with better materials, maybe. Admittedly, I am far from a serious student or authority on FDM. I will say you can solve some cool issues, i.e., I made a stripper clip feeder for my Roth-Steyr, and that would have cost hundreds, but I shot it out in a few minutes, and it works like a champ.

In my (admittedly very limited) experience with a few 3D printed items, they seemed very brittle. Is that an issue inherent to 3D printing in general, or just to certain printer materials? Certain materials. PLA is super easy to print with, whereas, for example, ABS or some of the glass impregnated nylon seem very stout. Just depends on what you need it for. Just watch the tox. I have no issue doing pla in the house next to a filter. I don't print anything else without putting it in the garage or outside if it's dry.

Could these 3D printed firearm parts be expected to hold up as well as more traditionally manufactured plastic parts? Or is it just a matter of "good enough for the cheap cost and ease of manufacturing", but they're going to be subpar in durability? I always see it as a trade-off for high-wear stuff. Could a frame last for a bit, sure, probably, but it's not glock we have at home. Also, you have to add width to equal the strength of certain things, so no, I don't think it's there yet. It's cool as you can mock some stuff up, and I'm strongly considering using it to make holster dummies and pick which gun I want based on sizes, since I can hold them, prototyping, drawing practice, etc., but I'm not trusting my life to it. Could you take a couple of shots and get away with it? Yeah, that's been proven with a recent example of that luigi douchebag.

March 28, 2026, 08:28 AM

Anubismp

I have a Bambu P1s and typically run PLA. I've done TPU on my creality K1 and I've run petg on the bambu but I put it outside for that.

For printing issues, I had lots with my Crealitys, both Ender3 and then K1, but it got way better with the Bambu, like night and day different. I will say that I learned a lot about working on printers, both physically and code-wise, from the K1, but that's not a good thing otherwise. I've found swapping filament makers helps sometimes. Since their spools are reusable in AMS, I switched to Sunlu, and I've been quite happy with the results. Some of the cheaper stuff is pretty unstable.

March 28, 2026, 09:08 AM

vthoky

We've got a couple of very old Fusion 3D printers at work.

Last week we put a 0.8 nozzle on one instead of the usual 0.4 and printed up a couple of gadgets for the manufacturing crew. Watching the filament pour out of the nozzle on startup was funny -- it was like watching the 3D-printing concrete pumps by comparison!

March 29, 2026, 04:11 PM

vthoky

Today’s email brought an item from Instructables — a 3D printable Hot Wheels F1 car display.

Combine your 3D printing skill with some small electronics skill, and have fun!

https://www.instructables.com/...heels-Display-Stand/

March 30, 2026, 11:25 AM

cslinger

This is my first attempt at doing something 100% all me. I created an image using ChatGPT of an MRAP. I used some software to convert it to a 3D image and then I got to work on it in Bambu and TinkerCad. Sizing, Cutting, Hollowing out, making some access points for figures, building a turret tunnel for the turret to rotate etc.

It sucks a bit but #learning

. This is just my first prototype print to see what is working what is not etc.

March 30, 2026, 11:59 AM

P250UA5

Not bad, CS, especially for a first attempt.

I haven't had the time to delve into making/editing my own stuff.

April 08, 2026, 10:45 PM

cslinger

An update on the MRAP. I've done some iterations and still have plenty of learning/issues but all in all I don't hate it.

On this iteration I made the roof removable and did a little work on the interior to make the inside useable so to speak.

With the roof on I did a rotating/removable turret.

I am still messing around with my V1 in black so as not to waste it. Doing a different turret for it.

I've learned a little bit about the design portion I just need to figure out the printing nuances.

April 09, 2026, 02:37 PM

cslinger

Well I didn't want to waste my first attempt so being a child of the 70s and 80s......Say it with me now... COBRA!!!!!!!!

I made a different turret with missile launchers and made individual red missiles. Sort of a Cobra Stinger Mark 2 if you will. Its rough but it has that 80s Cobra vehicle look/feel to it.

April 09, 2026, 02:41 PM

cslinger

....and now for something completely boring and adult.....

I like to keep batteries in my car for flashlights etc. if needed as well as a little bit of cash/quarters so I threw this together for my truck. Two sides of the coin if you will. I'll see myself out.

. I made this out of PETG in hopes it will hold up in the car.

April 09, 2026, 02:57 PM

P250UA5

That's pretty neat. You design yourself, or find a preexisting file?

April 09, 2026, 03:31 PM

cslinger

quote:
Originally posted by P250UA5:
That's pretty neat. You design yourself, or find a preexisting file?

Little column a little column b. I modified a file to. Create the battery one and I sized up and made some changes to another one and I fused them together.

April 11, 2026, 10:20 PM

mcrimm

Here’s a Christmas ornament printed in black PLA and highlighted with Rub N Buff. This is good stuff and there are YouTube videos explaining how apply.

Here’s my favorite wake-up drink on a lighted sign.

April 12, 2026, 10:47 AM

cslinger

I like the ornament.

April 23, 2026, 09:02 PM

cslinger

OK I am calling these done for now.

I am currently trying to figure out print in place joints and what not. Ball joints, hinges etc.

April 30, 2026, 08:37 AM

P250UA5

Finally signed up with Tinkercad to start dabbling a bit.

We replaced our pantry door [sliding barn door] and the inside handle interfered with the doorframe.
Was about to start looking for a cover plate to go on the inside & decided to just print my own.
Just a simple 2.5x.25 disc. May revise it later to add the screw holes & countersink them, just to learn more.