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Master the Craft of 3D Printing

Our practical advice, backed by real world experience. From first prints to advanced materials, we’re here to help every step of the way.
The Ultimate Beginner's Supply Checklist for Australian Makers - OzFDM
The Ultimate Beginner's Supply Checklist for Australian Makers
Getting into 3D printing can feel overwhelming when every accessory online seems "essential". This beginner focused guide breaks down what actually matters when starting out: the tools worth buying on... Read more...
Your First Print: Bed Levelling Made Easy - OzFDM
Your First Print: Bed Levelling Made Easy
Bed levelling is the foundation of reliable 3D printing, directly affecting first layer adhesion, print consistency, and overall success rates. This guide explains manual bed levelling using the paper method,... Read more...
PLA vs PETG vs ABS: Which Filament Should You Actually Use? - OzFDM
PLA vs PETG vs ABS: Which Filament Should You Actually Use?
PLA, PETG, and ABS are the three most commonly used 3D printing filaments, but choosing between them is not always straightforward. Each material offers different strengths when it comes to... Read more...
Environmental Impact of 3D Printing: Making Sustainable Choices - OzFDM
Environmental Impact of 3D Printing: Making Sustainable Choices
The environmental impact of 3D printing is more nuanced than many people expect. This guide explores the sustainability benefits and challenges of FDM printing, including repair part production, waste reduction... Read more...
Colour Theory for 3D Printing: Choosing Palettes That Work - OzFDM
Colour Theory for 3D Printing: Choosing Palettes That Work
Choosing the right filament colour can completely change how a 3D print looks and feels. This guide breaks down practical colour theory principles for 3D printing, including complementary colours, analogous... Read more...
Creality Ender 3 V3 SE: Still the Best Budget Printer in Australia? - OzFDM
Creality Ender 3 V3 SE: Still the Best Budget Printer in Australia?
The Creality Ender 3 V3 SE modernises one of the most popular beginner 3D printers ever made with a direct drive extruder, automatic bed levelling, and improved out of box... Read more...
Multicolour Prints Without an AMS: The Manual Method - OzFDM
Multicolour Prints Without an AMS: The Manual Method
You do not need an expensive AMS or MMU system to create impressive multicolour 3D prints. This guide explores practical techniques like filament swaps, paint on model tools, and post... Read more...
Maker Spaces and FabLabs in Australia: Your Community Hub - OzFDM
Maker Spaces and FabLabs in Australia: Your Community Hub
Makerspaces are one of the most valuable resources in the Australian maker community, giving members access to shared tools, fabrication equipment, and experienced people who enjoy teaching and collaborating. This... Read more...
Elephant's Foot: Fixing That Base Bulge - OzFDM
Elephant's Foot: Fixing That Base Bulge
Elephant’s foot is a common 3D printing defect where the base of a print flares outward, affecting dimensional accuracy and part fitment. This guide explains what causes elephant’s foot, how... Read more...
G-code Basics: Understanding What Your Printer Actually Does - OzFDM
G-code Basics: Understanding What Your Printer Actually Does
G-code is the language every 3D printer uses to control movement, temperatures, extrusion, and cooling. This guide breaks down the most important G-code commands, explains how start and end scripts... Read more...
The Bambu Lab Ecosystem: A Comprehensive Overview - OzFDM
The Bambu Lab Ecosystem: A Comprehensive Overview
Bambu Lab reshaped the consumer 3D printing market by combining high speed CoreXY printing, automatic calibration, multicolour capability, and beginner friendly usability into a polished ecosystem. This guide explores the... Read more...
Buying Filament on a Budget: What to Look for in Australia - OzFDM
Buying Filament on a Budget: What to Look for in Australia
Filament pricing in Australia varies enormously, but the cheapest spool is not always the best value. This guide explores what actually defines filament quality, why diameter consistency matters, the hidden... Read more...
The Best Beginner Prints to Test Your New Printer - OzFDM
The Best Beginner Prints to Test Your New Printer
Calibration prints are one of the fastest ways to understand how your 3D printer is actually performing. This guide covers the five most important beginner test prints, including the calibration... Read more...
Making 3D Printed Moulds for Casting - OzFDM
Making 3D Printed Moulds for Casting
3D printing and mould making unlock true small scale production. Learn how to create master patterns, silicone moulds, and repeatable parts with better materials, lower cost, and consistent results. Read more...
Printing Replacement Parts: Saving Money the Maker Way - OzFDM
Printing Replacement Parts: Saving Money the Maker Way
3D printing replacement parts is one of the most practical and rewarding uses for a desktop printer. This guide explores how to repair broken household items with custom printed parts,... Read more...
3D Printing for Gardeners: Tools and Plant Accessories - OzFDM
3D Printing for Gardeners: Tools and Plant Accessories
Australian gardens can be harsh on plastic, but 3D printing offers a practical way to create durable custom tools, irrigation components, and outdoor hardware designed specifically for local conditions. This... Read more...
Teaching 3D Printing in Australian Schools - OzFDM
Teaching 3D Printing in Australian Schools
3D printers are becoming increasingly common in Australian schools, offering students hands on experience with design, engineering, and problem solving. This guide explores how to safely and effectively integrate 3D... Read more...
ASA vs ABS: The Smarter Choice for Outdoor Prints - OzFDM
ASA vs ABS: The Smarter Choice for Outdoor Prints
ASA offers the strength and printability of ABS while adding the UV resistance needed for harsh Australian outdoor conditions. This guide compares ASA and ABS, explains why ASA performs so... Read more...
Resin vs FDM: Which Technology Is Right for You? - OzFDM
Resin vs FDM: Which Technology Is Right for You?
FDM and resin printers produce very different results and are suited to completely different types of projects. This guide compares the strengths, limitations, safety considerations, and ideal use cases for... Read more...
What is OctoPrint and Should You Use It? - OzFDM
What is OctoPrint and Should You Use It?
OctoPrint transforms a standard 3D printer into a network connected machine with remote uploads, live monitoring, webcam controls, and powerful automation features. This guide explains what OctoPrint does, how it... Read more...
How to Use Cura Slicer: A Beginner's Guide - OzFDM
How to Use Cura Slicer: A Beginner's Guide
Ultimaker Cura is one of the most widely used free slicers in 3D printing, offering powerful tools, extensive printer support, and a huge plugin ecosystem. This guide covers Cura setup,... Read more...
Bed Adhesion: Glue Stick, Hairspray, and When to Use What - OzFDM
Bed Adhesion: Glue Stick, Hairspray, and When to Use What
Struggling with prints not sticking to the bed? This guide explains when and how to use adhesives like glue stick, hairspray, and specialised products to improve adhesion or prevent over... Read more...
Direct Drive vs Bowden Extruder: Which Is Right for You? - OzFDM
Direct Drive vs Bowden Extruder: Which Is Right for You?
Choosing between direct drive and Bowden extrusion has a major impact on print quality, speed, and material compatibility. This guide explains how each system works and helps you decide which... Read more...
Glow-in-the-Dark Filament: What You Need to Know - OzFDM
Glow-in-the-Dark Filament: What You Need to Know
Glow in the dark PLA adds a striking visual effect to 3D prints, but it comes with unique considerations. This guide covers how it works, how to maximise glow performance,... Read more...
Wood PLA: Printing with Real Timber Fibre - OzFDM
Wood PLA: Printing with Real Timber Fibre
Wood PLA combines standard PLA with real wood fibres to create prints that look, feel, and even smell remarkably similar to timber. This guide explores how to print wood PLA... Read more...
Understanding Print Cooling and Why It Matters - OzFDM
Understanding Print Cooling and Why It Matters
Part cooling plays a major role in overhang quality, bridging performance, layer adhesion, and overall print consistency. This guide explains how cooling affects different materials like PLA, PETG, ABS, and... Read more...
Safety Tips for 3D Printing at Home - OzFDM
Safety Tips for 3D Printing at Home
3D printing is generally a safe hobby, but hot components, electrical systems, and material emissions still require sensible precautions. This guide explains how to manage ventilation, fire prevention, electrical safety,... Read more...
First Layer Calibration: Baby Stepping and Live Z - OzFDM
First Layer Calibration: Baby Stepping and Live Z
Learn how to correctly calibrate your printer’s Z offset for reliable first layers, better bed adhesion, and cleaner extrusion. This guide explains live Z adjustment, baby stepping, and how to... Read more...
How to Find and Download Free STL Files - OzFDM
How to Find and Download Free STL Files
Not sure what to print on your new 3D printer? This guide covers the best free STL websites, how to evaluate model quality, and what to look for before downloading... Read more...
Australian 3D Printing Communities: Where to Get Help - OzFDM
Australian 3D Printing Communities: Where to Get Help
Discover the Australian 3D printing community, from Reddit groups and Discord servers to local makerspaces and Facebook communities. Learn where Australian makers share advice, troubleshoot problems, and connect with others... Read more...
Common Print Failures and How to Fix Them - OzFDM
Common Print Failures and How to Fix Them
3D prints don’t always go to plan, but most failures have simple, fixable causes. This guide covers common issues like warping, stringing, and layer separation, with practical solutions to help... Read more...
Bed Surfaces: Glass, PEI, and BuildTak Compared - OzFDM
Bed Surfaces: Glass, PEI, and BuildTak Compared
Choosing the right 3D printer bed surface has a major impact on print reliability, first layer adhesion, and part removal. This guide breaks down the strengths and limitations of popular... Read more...
What is Infill? A Visual Guide - OzFDM
What is Infill? A Visual Guide
3D printing infill controls the internal structure hidden inside every print, balancing strength, weight, material usage, and print time. This guide explains how infill percentage and pattern choice affect real... Read more...
A Beginner's Tour of PrusaSlicer - OzFDM
A Beginner's Tour of PrusaSlicer
PrusaSlicer is one of the most powerful and beginner friendly 3D printing slicers available, transforming STL and 3MF models into printable G-code for your printer. This guide covers installation, printer... Read more...
Cleaning a Clogged Nozzle: The Complete Guide - OzFDM
Cleaning a Clogged Nozzle: The Complete Guide
Nozzle clogs are one of the most common problems in FDM 3D printing, but most can be cleared quickly without replacing the nozzle. This guide explains the differences between soft,... Read more...
Matte PLA: The Secret to Hiding Layer Lines - OzFDM
Matte PLA: The Secret to Hiding Layer Lines
Matte PLA is one of the easiest ways to achieve cleaner, more professional looking 3D prints with minimal post processing. By diffusing light rather than reflecting it, matte PLA dramatically... Read more...
Silk PLA: What It Is and How to Print It - OzFDM
Silk PLA: What It Is and How to Print It
Silk PLA creates some of the most visually impressive finishes possible in FDM 3D printing, producing glossy, metallic looking surfaces straight off the printer with no post processing required. This... Read more...
What is PLA+? Is It Worth the Extra Cost? - OzFDM
What is PLA+? Is It Worth the Extra Cost?
PLA+ builds on standard PLA by improving toughness, impact resistance, and layer adhesion whilst maintaining the easy printability that makes PLA so popular. This guide explains how PLA+ differs from... Read more...
Choosing Your First 3D Printer - OzFDM
Choosing Your First 3D Printer
Choosing a 3D printer in 2025 can feel overwhelming, with everything from budget bedslingers to high speed CoreXY machines competing for attention. This guide breaks down the key printer architectures,... Read more...
Understanding Layer Height and Print Speed - OzFDM
Understanding Layer Height and Print Speed
Layer height and print speed control the balance between detail, strength, and efficiency in FDM 3D printing. This guide explains how nozzle size affects usable layer heights, why lower layers... Read more...
High Speed Printing with Input Shaping - OzFDM
High Speed Printing with Input Shaping
Learn how Klipper input shaping eliminates ringing and unlocks high speed 3D printing. This guide explains resonance, ADXL345 calibration, and how to achieve faster prints without sacrificing surface quality using... Read more...
Getting Started with 3D Printing in Australia - OzFDM
Getting Started with 3D Printing in Australia
New to 3D printing? This beginner friendly guide covers everything you need to get started in Australia, from choosing your first printer and filament to understanding the basics of printing,... Read more...
How to Store Filament in Australia's Humidity - OzFDM
How to Store Filament in Australia's Humidity
Filament moisture is one of the most common causes of poor 3D print quality, especially in Australia’s humid coastal climates. This guide explains how moisture affects different filament types, why... Read more...
Introducing Recycl3D: Recycle Your Empty Spools & Failed Prints for OzFDM Store Credit - OzFDM
Introducing Recycl3D: Recycle Your Empty Spools & Failed Prints for OzFDM Store Credit
Recycl3D is a new local recycling initiative from OzFDM and Global3D that allows makers to return empty filament spools and failed prints in exchange for OzFDM store credit. The program... Read more...
Sanding and Painting 3D Prints: A Complete Guide - OzFDM
Sanding and Painting 3D Prints: A Complete Guide
Post processing transforms a raw FDM print into a smooth, professional looking finished product. This guide covers the complete 3D print finishing workflow, including sanding techniques, wet sanding progression, filler... Read more...
Dialling In Your Temperature Settings - OzFDM
Dialling In Your Temperature Settings
Not all filaments print the same, even within the same material. This guide explains how temperature affects print quality and how to use a temperature tower to find the optimal... Read more...