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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.
Printing for Agriculture: Australian Farm Applications - OzFDM
Printing for Agriculture: Australian Farm Applications
3D printing is changing Australian agriculture, allowing farms to produce replacement parts, custom fittings, and repair tools on demand. From the Wheatbelt to the Murray Darling Basin, this guide explores... Read more...
Over Extrusion and Blobs: Diagnosis and Fix - OzFDM
Over Extrusion and Blobs: Diagnosis and Fix
Over extrusion causes blobs, poor surface finish, and inaccurate dimensions. This guide breaks down the real causes and how to fix them through flow rate, e steps, and pressure advance... Read more...
Multi-Colour Miniature Painting with 3D Printed Guides - OzFDM
Multi-Colour Miniature Painting with 3D Printed Guides
3D printing is becoming a powerful tool for miniature painters, from custom masking templates to colour reference boards. Learn how to improve consistency, speed up batch painting, and achieve cleaner... Read more...
Calibrating a New Printer from Scratch: The Complete Checklist - OzFDM
Calibrating a New Printer from Scratch: The Complete Checklist
Take your printer from acceptable to excellent with a complete calibration workflow. This step by step guide covers mechanical checks, firmware tuning, and per filament calibration for consistently high quality... Read more...
Miniature and Figurine Printing: A Complete Guide - OzFDM
Miniature and Figurine Printing: A Complete Guide
FDM miniature printing pushes your printer to its limits. This guide covers hardware upgrades, optimal settings, and material choices to improve detail, surface quality, and paint ready results for tabletop... Read more...
Bambu Lab P1S vs X1C: Which One Should You Buy? - OzFDM
Bambu Lab P1S vs X1C: Which One Should You Buy?
Choosing between the Bambu Lab X1 Carbon and Bambu Lab P1S? This guide breaks down what actually matters, from enclosure performance to real world print quality, and whether the X1C... Read more...
Bambu Lab X1 Carbon: The Complete Australian Review - OzFDM
Bambu Lab X1 Carbon: The Complete Australian Review
The Bambu Lab X1 Carbon changed expectations for speed, automation, and ease of use. This real world review covers what it is actually like to own in Australia, from setup... Read more...
Printing with Metal Fill Filaments - OzFDM
Printing with Metal Fill Filaments
Metal fill filaments bring real metallic weight, texture, and finishing potential to FDM printing. Learn how to print, post process, and achieve convincing bronze, copper, and iron effects with standard... Read more...
Firmware Updates: Keeping Marlin and Klipper Current - OzFDM
Firmware Updates: Keeping Marlin and Klipper Current
Firmware updates improve safety, fix bugs, and enhance print performance. This guide explains when to update and how to manage Marlin and Klipper updates without breaking your printer setup. Read more...
Dealing with Stringing in PETG: Advanced Techniques - OzFDM
Dealing with Stringing in PETG: Advanced Techniques
PETG is strong and heat resistant, but stringing can be frustrating. This guide covers advanced tuning techniques like temperature balancing, wipe settings, and travel optimisation to reduce stringing and improve... Read more...
Print Profiles: Managing Multiple Materials Efficiently - OzFDM
Print Profiles: Managing Multiple Materials Efficiently
A well organised profile system turns calibration work into long term results. Learn how to store, name, and manage filament profiles so every test improves future prints instead of being... Read more...
Adaptive Infill: Smarter Internal Structure - OzFDM
Adaptive Infill: Smarter Internal Structure
Adaptive infill creates stronger, more efficient prints by placing material where it is actually needed. Learn how tools like Adaptive Cubic improve strength, reduce print time, and optimise material use... Read more...
Layer Separation and Delamination: Causes and Fixes - OzFDM
Layer Separation and Delamination: Causes and Fixes
Layer separation can ruin an otherwise perfect print. This guide explains the real causes of delamination and how to fix them through temperature, cooling, speed, and material control. Read more...
Klipper Timelapse: Setting Up Beautiful Print Videos - OzFDM
Klipper Timelapse: Setting Up Beautiful Print Videos
Timelapse videos turn your prints into engaging visual content. Learn how to capture clean, professional footage using Klipper, consistent toolhead parking, and simple camera setup. Read more...
Printing Functional Kitchen Items: Food Safety Considerations - OzFDM
Printing Functional Kitchen Items: Food Safety Considerations
FDM prints are not automatically food safe. This guide explains what actually matters, from material choice to nozzle type and surface sealing, so you can safely use 3D printing for... Read more...
Filament Runout Sensors: Setup and Why You Need One - OzFDM
Filament Runout Sensors: Setup and Why You Need One
Filament runout can ruin long prints. This guide explains how runout sensors work, the difference between switch and motion sensors, and how to protect prints from failed spools. 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...
Fuzzy Skin and Texture Effects in Slicers - OzFDM
Fuzzy Skin and Texture Effects in Slicers
Fuzzy skin turns surface texture into a design feature. Learn how to use controlled texture to improve grip, add visual depth, and create finishes that feel intentional rather than printed. Read more...
Marine and Boat Printing: Saltwater Resistant Materials - OzFDM
Marine and Boat Printing: Saltwater Resistant Materials
3D printing can solve real problems on the water, from custom mounts to replacement parts. This guide explains how to choose the right materials for UV, saltwater, and marine wear... Read more...
Drone and RC Parts: Printing for Aerial Applications - OzFDM
Drone and RC Parts: Printing for Aerial Applications
3D printing is transforming drone and RC builds with lightweight, custom components. Learn how to balance strength, weight, and material choice for reliable aerial performance. Read more...
PETG-CF and PLA-CF: Carbon Fibre for the Rest of Us - OzFDM
PETG-CF and PLA-CF: Carbon Fibre for the Rest of Us
Carbon fibre filaments do not have to be difficult. Learn how PLA CF and PETG CF deliver stiffness, strength, and a premium finish using standard 3D printing setups. Read more...
Moisture Resistant Storage: The Ultimate Filament Dryer Review - OzFDM
Moisture Resistant Storage: The Ultimate Filament Dryer Review
Filament moisture is one of the biggest hidden causes of poor print quality in Australia’s humid climate. This guide explains what makes a good filament dryer, why temperature accuracy matters,... Read more...
Printing Architectural Models with FDM - OzFDM
Printing Architectural Models with FDM
Architectural model making has shifted from foam board and manual cutting to overnight FDM printing directly from BIM workflows. Learn how to create professional scale models, topographic studies, and facade... Read more...
HIPS Filament: The Underrated Support Material - OzFDM
HIPS Filament: The Underrated Support Material
HIPS is the go to soluble support material for ABS 3D printing, dissolving cleanly in D-limonene while leaving supported surfaces untouched. Learn how HIPS works alongside ABS, why it excels... Read more...
3D Printing for Cosplay: Materials, Finishing, and Scale - OzFDM
3D Printing for Cosplay: Materials, Finishing, and Scale
3D printing has transformed modern cosplay, making screen accurate armour, props, and costume components more accessible than ever. Learn how Australian cosplayers use PLA+, TPU, PETG, and ASA to create... Read more...
Tolerances and Fit: Printing Parts That Click Together - OzFDM
Tolerances and Fit: Printing Parts That Click Together
Successful functional 3D printing depends on understanding tolerances, clearances, and the dimensional realities of FDM printing. Learn how to compensate for hole undersizing, thermal contraction, and elephant’s foot while designing... Read more...
Building a DIY Printer Enclosure - OzFDM
Building a DIY Printer Enclosure
A printer enclosure is one of the most effective upgrades for reliable engineering material printing. Learn how enclosures improve thermal stability, reduce warping, manage fumes, and enable successful ABS, ASA,... Read more...
BLTouch and CRTouch: Automatic Bed Levelling Setup - OzFDM
BLTouch and CRTouch: Automatic Bed Levelling Setup
Automatic bed levelling transforms one of the most repetitive parts of FDM printing into an automated process. Learn how BLTouch and CRTouch probes improve first layer consistency, compensate for uneven... Read more...
PVA Soluble Supports: Clean Overhangs Every Time - OzFDM
PVA Soluble Supports: Clean Overhangs Every Time
PVA is a water soluble support material that enables exceptionally clean supported surfaces in FDM printing. Learn how multi material setups use PVA with PLA to produce complex geometries, internal... Read more...
Print in Place Designs: Hinges, Joints, and Mechanisms - OzFDM
Print in Place Designs: Hinges, Joints, and Mechanisms
Print in place 3D printing allows fully assembled moving mechanisms to emerge from the printer in a single print. Learn how hinges, articulated dragons, chains, and mechanical joints rely on... Read more...
Ironing: Getting Flat, Glossy Top Surfaces - OzFDM
Ironing: Getting Flat, Glossy Top Surfaces
Learn how ironing in Cura and PrusaSlicer can dramatically smooth top surfaces on FDM prints. This guide explains the best ironing settings, recommended speeds and flow rates, material compatibility, and... Read more...
Variable Layer Heights: More Detail Where It Matters - OzFDM
Variable Layer Heights: More Detail Where It Matters
Learn how variable layer height and adaptive slicing can dramatically improve print quality while reducing print times. This guide explains how modern slicers automatically apply fine layers to detailed curved... Read more...
OrcaSlicer: Why It's Taking Over - OzFDM
OrcaSlicer: Why It's Taking Over
Discover why OrcaSlicer has become one of the most powerful free slicers for advanced FDM users. Learn how its built in calibration tools, AMS support, multi material features, and profile... Read more...
Cura vs PrusaSlicer: Which Should You Use? - OzFDM
Cura vs PrusaSlicer: Which Should You Use?
Cura and PrusaSlicer are the two leading free slicers for FDM 3D printing, each offering different strengths, workflows, and advanced features. This guide compares their interfaces, support systems, calibration tools,... Read more...
Diagnosing Under Extrusion - OzFDM
Diagnosing Under Extrusion
Learn how to diagnose and fix under extrusion in FDM 3D printing. This guide covers the most common causes of inconsistent extrusion, including partial clogs, wet filament, extruder slipping, incorrect... Read more...
Printing PETG: The Complete Australian Guide - OzFDM
Printing PETG: The Complete Australian Guide
PETG is one of the best all round 3D printing filaments for Australian conditions, offering excellent heat resistance, toughness, UV stability, and outdoor durability without requiring specialised printing equipment. This... Read more...
Supports: When to Use Them and How to Remove Them Cleanly - OzFDM
Supports: When to Use Them and How to Remove Them Cleanly
Support structures are essential for printing overhangs, bridges, and complex geometry in FDM 3D printing. This guide explains support types, overhang angles, bridge testing, tree vs standard supports, and the... Read more...
Multi Material Printing: A Practical Guide - OzFDM
Multi Material Printing: A Practical Guide
Multi colour and multi material 3D printing opens up new possibilities for both functional and decorative prints. This guide explores manual filament swaps, AMS and MMU systems, and advanced IDEX... Read more...
Printing with Flexible Filaments (TPU/TPE) - OzFDM
Printing with Flexible Filaments (TPU/TPE)
TPU and other flexible filaments unlock applications that rigid materials cannot achieve, from phone cases and gaskets to vibration dampeners and flexible hinges. This guide covers Shore hardness, direct drive... Read more...
Designing for 3D Printing: DFM Basics - OzFDM
Designing for 3D Printing: DFM Basics
Design for Manufacturing (DFM) is essential for creating reliable, functional FDM prints. Learn how print orientation, overhang reduction, tolerances, wall thickness, and material choice affect strength, dimensional accuracy, print quality,... Read more...
Printing ABS Without Warping - OzFDM
Printing ABS Without Warping
ABS can be one of the most challenging FDM materials to print successfully, but with the right setup and environment, it becomes far more manageable. This guide covers enclosures, bed... Read more...
Retraction Settings: Finding the Perfect Tune - OzFDM
Retraction Settings: Finding the Perfect Tune
Stringing is one of the most common FDM print quality issues, but it can usually be solved through proper temperature tuning, retraction calibration, and smarter slicer settings. This guide explains... Read more...
Flow Rate Calibration: Dialling In Extrusion Multiplier - OzFDM
Flow Rate Calibration: Dialling In Extrusion Multiplier
Learn how flow rate calibration improves 3D print quality by correcting over and under extrusion. This guide explains extrusion multiplier tuning, the single wall calibration method, material specific flow variations,... Read more...
Pressure Advance / Linear Advance Tuning - OzFDM
Pressure Advance / Linear Advance Tuning
Pressure Advance and linear advance help eliminate blobs, rounded corners, and inconsistent extrusion caused by pressure buildup inside the hotend. This guide explains how filament pressure works, how to tune... Read more...
Prusa MK4 Long-Term Review: Reliability, Repairability, and Results - OzFDM
Prusa MK4 Long-Term Review: Reliability, Repairability, and Results
The Prusa MK4 stands out in a high speed, plug and play market by prioritising repairability, open source design, and long term support. With innovations like the Nextruder, reliable input... Read more...
Klipper vs Marlin: Choosing Your Firmware - OzFDM
Klipper vs Marlin: Choosing Your Firmware
Marlin and Klipper are the two most popular firmware options in FDM 3D printing, each offering different strengths depending on your printer and goals. This guide explains how both systems... Read more...