Working calculators
Filament Cost Per GramTrue cost per gram of filament ā what your prints actually cost. Layer Height Quality/Time TradeoffHow much time you actually save going coarser, and what visible quality you lose.Honest articles
First 3D printer: the honest 2026 sub-$400 listBambu A1 Mini vs Creality K1 vs Prusa Mini. The honest comparison on out-of-box quality and failure recovery. Filament types decoded: when to use PLA, PETG, ABS, ASA, TPUPLA is right 80% of the time. The honest decision tree by application: outdoor, mechanical, flexible, food-safe. Your first 10 prints: what to print to actually learnSkip the Benchy after the first one. The 10-print progression that teaches you support, orientation, tolerance. Bambu Lab: what its pages say and what they skipThe maker's box lists, return rule and warranty banner, read 2026-11-01, and what they leave out. Bambu Lab printer lineup side by sideNine printer lines in two tables, as the maker states them, with blanks where it says nothing. Bambu Lab filament, AMS and drying: what the maker saysWhich AMS unit fits which printer, and what the wiki says about moisture and storage. Bambu Lab first-week problems: what the maker's own pages sayFirst layer, bed and nozzle guides on the maker's wiki, set beside ours.Plain note about money: Some product links are affiliate (eBay Partner Network). Small commission on purchases. Doesn't change your price. The math comes from real hands-on time, not marketing.
Gear actually worth buying
Smart eBay searches we'd start with ourselves. We earn a small commission on qualifying sales through these links, and 90% of it goes to charity (you can pick which); the price you pay is the same whether you use them or go direct to eBay. Full disclosure.
FDM desktop printerEntry-level FDM printers (Bambu, Prusa, Creality) vary enormously in out-of-box reliability. Pay for auto-leveling.
PLA & PETG filament 1kg1kg spools from reputable brands. PLA for most prints; PETG when you need heat resistance or flexibility.
Resin (MSLA) printerResin beats FDM for small detail. Elegoo Saturn and Anycubic Photon lines are the volume picks.
Digital calipersIndispensable for measuring tolerances and fit. $15 Harbor Freight calipers work fine for hobby use.
Bed adhesion + build surfacesPEI spring-steel sheets replaced glue stick for most people. Magnetic attachment makes part removal trivial.