50-Day Journey of 3D Printing
date
Aug 20, 2025
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50-day-journey-3d-printing
status
Published
tags
Journal
3d printing
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Post
old content?
summary
I recently started my 3D printing journey with the Anycubic Kobra 2 Neo and have spent the last month learning the basics—from finding and slicing models to troubleshooting prints and even designing my own.
I recently bought a 3D printer. Honestly, I got it mostly to print small parts which are customized to my own needs, and because it just seemed cool to see people printing whatever they want. It’s like taking customizability to the next level.
3D Printer Model: Anycubic Kobra 2 Neo
It’s been almost a month since I started playing around with it, and I’ve picked up a few things along the way. I wanted to share some of my learnings here for anyone who’s curious or starting out.
1. Getting Models to Print
The first thing you need is something to print. For that, you can get your models from places like Makerworld and Printables. These sites have a huge collection of 3D models, usually in STL format. Just search for what you want, download the STL files, and you’re good to go.
2. Slicing: Making Models Printable
You can’t just send a 3D file straight to your printer. The printer only understands movements in three axes and how to release heated filament as it moves. This is where a slicer comes in. I use Ultimaker Cura, but there are others too. A slicer converts your 3D model into G-code, which is the language your printer understands.
3. Keep Things Clean and Stable
A small but important tip: always keep your printer clean, stable, and well-ventilated. Dust or unstable surfaces can mess up prints, and good ventilation is a must since melted filament can have fumes.
4. Slicing Is Its Own Skill
Slicing is a whole new world. There’s no one-size-fits-all solution where you just click and print. Every printer, filament, weather condition, and 3D model can require its own set of tweaks in the slicer. So, there’s definitely a learning curve here. Patience is key when you’re starting out in this hobby.
5. Types of 3D Models (By Difficulty)
Not all models are equally easy to print. Based on the STL file, I’ve found three main difficulty levels:
- a. No Support Needed:
- These are the easiest. Just download, slice, and print. No extra steps.
b. Needs Support:
- b. Needs Support:
- Some models have overhangs or tricky parts. You’ll need to generate supports in your slicer. Before printing, check a couple of things—like enabling “generate support” and adjusting the distance between the model and the support, depending on where it’s needed.
c. In-Place Models:
- c. In-Place Models:
- These are the trickiest. I’m still struggling with these myself. These models print with moving parts already assembled, and getting them right can be tough. You’ll need to experiment and tweak settings a lot here.
6. Making Your Own Models
If you want to make your own custom models, you’ll need a 3D modeling tool. I use Shapr3D, mainly because it’s iPad native and has simple navigation. It’s beginner-friendly and lets you design your own stuff from scratch. There’s a course I followed that helped me learn the basics of Shapr3D in a very hands-on way (I’ll link it here if anyone’s interested).
