Learn 3D Printing: Free Lessons, in Order
Learn 3D printing here with free, step-by-step lessons in the order you need them: set up and calibrate your printer, choose materials, fix print problems and keep the machine running. Each lesson stands alone, answers one job, and links to the next.
Lessons are written from slicer documentation, maker manuals and owner experience, with sources on every page. We don't own or test printers; how we research.
Where should a beginner start?
New to all of it? Start with Lesson 0, getting started with 3D printing, then work through the lessons in order. If you already print and something is going wrong, jump straight to the troubleshooting guide.
Lessons
Choose your first printer, set it up and make your first print, start to finish.
The eight steps in order, from bed leveling and E-steps to flow rate, pressure advance and retraction.
Before you buy: the basics
Build size, speed, materials and budget, weighed for what you want to make.
When owning one pays off, and when a print service is the better call.
Once you are printing
Ready to pick a printer?
Our 3D printer reviews cover machines you can buy today. For a first printer on a budget, start with the Creality Ender-3 V3 SE review or the best 3D printers under $300.
Learn 3D printing FAQ
Is 3D printing hard to learn?
The basics take an afternoon on a modern printer with auto leveling. Getting consistently clean prints takes a few weeks of calibration and small fixes, which these lessons walk through in order.
Are these lessons free?
Yes. Every lesson is free to read with no account or sign-up.
Do I need my own printer to follow along?
Not for the basics. The setup and calibration lessons assume you have a filament (FDM) printer in front of you.
Lessons researched and written by Ric Ruben.