3D Printing: A new dimension of pain

We do a lot of printing here at Caldwell Public Library! So much, in fact, that we just added another Mobile Printer that allows patrons to print documents directly from their own devices. Pretty cool, huh? But that’s not the only kind of printing we do on the daily. Tucked away in the deepest bowels of the library (near my cubicle), another type of printing happens—the 3D kind.

*Put on your 3D glasses*

Yes, 3D printing was a pretty big deal when it became commercially viable for the general public. For years, only hobbyists with the know-how and drive to tinker were printing in the third dimension at home. Then came easy-to-assemble kits, followed by complete pre-built units, further lowering the barrier to entry so that anyone with a modest budget could get up and printing on their own. As 3D printing became more reliable and accessible, libraries became early adopters—introducing and educating the public on the new and wonderful possibilities of this amazing technology.

The first RepRap machine at the Science Museum in London.

For years now, we’ve offered 3D printing services to the public. Patrons can submit a file through our website, and we’ll print it in PLA plastic for the low price of $0.05 per gram of material used. If there are structural, size, or other design issues that may affect the print, we follow up to get clarification or explain why the print might not work. We also offer consultation appointments where we can go over how our machines work, file and design considerations, or the overall feasibility of a project and how it will print. For instance, we exclusively use FDM machines which are not the greatest if you want really small and highly detailed prints. Game miniatures as an example, are much better suited for printing on Resin printers.

It's just melted plastic, nothing magical. But it feels like magic watching something form layer by layer, brought forth from the computer world into ours by a little whirring machine. Much like their 2D counterparts, however, 3D printers come with their own technical hassles—which is precisely what inspired this post.

The machine, the myth, the legend that is the Ender 3.

Over the weekend, I added a few upgrades to my humble Ender 3 printer, a process that took many hours and resulted in a great deal of frustration. In the end, though, I printed the best test file I’ve ever seen my machine produce. When I returned to work on Monday, I needed to replace the hotend on one of our Prusa MK3 machines. A straightforward task—until a multimeter revealed the thermistor wiring was toast. You win some, you lose some.

The average home printer.

While 3D printing may be more refined, user friendly, and more hassle free than it's

ever been, it can still be a major pain. And while many newer brands are advertising that they make the process so simple that it "just works", 3D printing can still require a large time commitment, some technical expertise, and a bit of tinkering. Much like regular document printing, if you’re just interested in the final result and don’t want to deal with the printer itself, we’re here for your 3D printing needs as well.

Below are a few of my favorite websites for finding free 3D models for printing.

Thingiverse - Digital Designs for Physical Objects

Cults・Download free 3D printer models・STL, OBJ, 3MF, CAD

3D models database | Printables.com

To submit a print simply click here to review our 3D printing policy and upload a file.