Guides & Checklists

From a first FDM printer to a full resin and finishing setup. Each one curates the best picks across our guides for a specific situation.

First FDM Printer Starter Kit

A complete first FDM setup: pick a beginner printer, load easy PLA, grab a solid build plate, and the hand tools you need day one.

Start resin printing the right way: choose an SLA machine, pick beginner-friendly resin, and add the tweezers and knives for safe handling.

Fix poor bed adhesion for good: better build plates, the right adhesive, painters tape, and a proper leveling sensor for a perfect first layer.

Upgrade your hotend hardware: hardened nozzles for abrasives, a full nozzle kit, a stronger hotend, and the cleaning tools to keep flow steady.

Beat moisture ruining your prints: a filament dry box, sealed storage containers, and the moisture-sensitive filaments that need this care most.

Routine printer care made simple: fresh PTFE tubing, spare thermistors and heater cartridges, and a healthy extruder gear for steady feeding.

Precision calibration essentials: digital calipers for measuring, tweezers and cutters for cleanup, plus reliable PLA for repeatable test prints.

Finish prints like a pro: deburring tools, a sharp hobby knife, precise removal tools, and silk filament that looks great with minimal post-work.

Build for speed: a CoreXY frame, fast-printer picks, linear rails and strong part cooling, plus PLA Plus that holds detail at high flow.

Get into multicolor printing: a multicolor-ready printer, a runout sensor for long jobs, and vivid PLA and silk filaments that pop between swaps.

Great first prints for less: a budget printer, affordable PLA, a value build plate, and a small essential tool that saves failed prints.

Upgrade the brains and muscle: a new control board, quieter stepper motors, a solid power supply, and a runout sensor to protect long prints.