When you first gain access to a 3D printer, you might be tempted to print everything and anything you can. This urge can be amplified by the number of models available online and the passion of the 3D printing community.
Here are 10 things you should avoid 3D printing where possible.
Cable clips
Cable clips are available in almost any color and design at a better price than you can print at home. You can find clips with adhesive strips already attached or pins that are ready to tap in. You can get them in packs of 60, 100, 400, or more (and the more you buy, the cheaper they get).
If you need something a little sturdier, they’re still only a dollar or so each if you look in the right place. The time and material cost means that printing your own usually isn’t worth it, unless you have some very unique use case in mind.
Some tools can absolutely benefit from a 3D printer, like battery mounts for power tools and router jigs for getting the perfect cut. That said, 3D printed tools that are going to be under pressure, like wrenches or handles for hammers, probably aren’t worth it.
A tool is only as strong as the material it is printed with, and the tougher the filament, the more the tool is going to cost you. Since tools that need to be reliable will consume more filament, you’re probably better off heading down to the hardware store and buying something more affordable that’s made from wood, metal, or injection-molded plastic instead.
Rebar chairs
Rebar chairs sit beneath a length of rebar so that when you pour concrete on top of them, the rebar sits in the middle of the layer. You’ll find models for these in many 3D printer marketplaces, but in order to withstand the weight of the rebar, they have to be pretty sturdy.
Considering you can buy these chairs for under a dollar each at hardware stores (with the price dropping dramatically as you buy in bulk), it’s best to avoid wasting your time or filament on them.
Storage containers
3D-printed storage solutions could be some of the most useful things you ever print. Gridfinity, for example, is a modular and open-source storage system that allows you to design custom bins and baseplates to keep items organized regardless of the drawer size.
But 3D-printing simple storage containers that you can pick up for a few cents at a dollar store, or anything that’s designed to be “rugged” and thus requires a more substantial filament commitment, probably isn’t worth it. Pelican brand cases are renowned for being tough and water-resistant, with a price tag to match, but you can find many similar products at lower prices in hardware stores that will outlast any 3D-printed model.
Trinkets that only collect dust
This one might be a little controversial, and I’ll be the first to say that you should print things you like, that make you happy, and that you want to look at. But it’s no secret that 3D printing has a plastic junk problem. For me, nothing is more egregious than those multi-colored articulated dragons that appear everywhere from shopping malls to market stalls.
The problem with many 3D printed items is that they can look cheap, especially unfinished, straight out of the printer. It’s one thing to design, prime, and paint miniatures for a specific purpose, but it’s another to dedicate reels of filament to items that do little but collect dust that you’ll quickly grow tired of looking at.
A few considered items from your favorite movies and games? Great. A fidget toy that sits on your desk to curb your doomscrolling? Fantastic. An articulated octopus that shatters into a hundred pieces the first time you drop it? Pass.
Fasteners
Screws, bolts, nuts, washers, and any type of threaded fastener probably aren’t worth the time or effort of 3D printing. Not only are these cheap, but they’re usually made of metal that is far more durable than any 3D printer filament. The threads are also well-defined, something that can be hard to achieve with a 3D printer.
Instead, 3D print yourself some sort of Gridfinity organizer to sort and store any fasteners you buy or salvage from other items for use in your projects.
Anything that touches food
There are so many reasons to avoid 3D printing objects that are to be used around food, but model repositories are littered with items regardless. Some will point to the fact that PLA and PETG filaments are generally regarded as food safe, but there’s more to it than that.
Filament itself can come with all manner of impurities, which is one of the reasons it might not be a good idea to share your poorly-ventilated living space with a 3D printer. Since 3D printers work by adding filament layer by layer, it’s possible that moisture and bacteria can penetrate these layers, making them hard to clean, causing bacterial growth over time.
Even 3D printer nozzles can be a source of concern, given that many include non-stick coatings that help prevent blockages. Over time, this coating can wear away and be deposited within the prints. Some recommend the use of a food-grade sealer on any item that will be around food, which further adds to the cost and effort involved.
For safety’s sake, you’re better off just buying something that’s already food-safe instead.
Large items you can buy for a few dollars
There are some good arguments for printing small, bespoke items that would be hard to find in a shop. The material cost is often worth it in order to get something that does the job perfectly. You could pay for postage and wait a few days for an item to arrive, or you could 3D print and put the item to use within an hour.
Larger items have a far greater material cost associated with them, and they take much longer to print. I’m talking about waste baskets, decorative plant pots, vases, and other items that can typically be found for less money in more durable forms.
Solutions where wood is a better choice
The great thing about 3D printing is that you can design entirely bespoke items to fix problems you might have. Sometimes, this is absolutely worth it. Other times, the allure of a wasteful model that fits just right can cloud your judgement.
For example, I recall a post where someone had extended the legs on their sofa by designing a print that fit perfectly and achieved the desired height. While impressive, the amount of filament required and potential durability issues had many commenters asking why they hadn’t just used wood instead.
The same is often true for thin solutions, like a riser that can be cut out of a thin sheet of plywood.
Benchies
A Benchy is a small boat, thusly named as it’s designed as a method of benchmarking your 3D printer. While this type of model certainly has its place, for most users, it has little practical use and only ends up wasting time and filament. Unless you test 3D printers for a living, you probably don’t ever need to print a Benchy.
Resist the urge to make this your first 3D print and pick something with utility instead.
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