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3D printing is gaining traction quickly, and with the best 3D printers comes the need for accessories. Some accessories make your 3D printing life easier, while some improve the quality of your prints. Most of them will do a combination of those things. All of them will make your time more fun.
What's the best 3D-printing accessory?
It may not be the best, but it should always be the first. Aquanet hairspray is the number one bed adhesive you can buy. It's cheap and works flawlessly on just about any build surface. I use it daily to secure my prints, and it has the added bonus of smelling great.
After that, you should look to get a filament dyer with active heating, like the SunLu 360 dryer. It will keep your filaments in tip-top shape, ready for printing.
After nearly a decade of 3D printing, I've amassed a huge number of helpful accessories and have researched many others. Amazon is a great resource for finding basic 3D-printing accessories, and California-based MatterHackers has everything you need for more advanced upgrades and gear.
Best 3D-printer accessories
Photo Gallery 1/1 Best 3D printing bed adhesive Aquanet Hairspray No, this isn't a best list for hair products. This water-based hairspray creates a thin adhesive layer that helps your prints stay stuck to your build plate. It's easily washable and very cheap, making it one of the best accessories you can get. I always have a stockpile of Aquanet and use it on almost every print. Simply spray a light dusting on your plate before you print -- preferably outside the printer so you don't get it on the mechanisms -- and let it dry. From there, it'll help keep the corners of your print from curling up. ... Show more Get it now $12 at Amazon
Photo Gallery 1/1 The best 3D printing accessory for single filament rolls SunLu filament box While most filaments don't really need warming up before you use them, some popular ones, like TPU, will print better if they are warm and dry. The Sunlu filament dryer is a great way to take the roll of material you're using and keep it warm and dry as you print with it. It can keep an even temperature all around the roll, keeping the moisture level even across the length. ... Show more Get it now $45 at Amazon
James Bricknell / CNET Photo Gallery 1/1 James Bricknell / CNET Best 3D-printing accessory for fusing parts together 3D Gloop! 3D-printing adhesive 3D Gloop is the best way to fuse models that you've printed in pieces into one giant print. The chemical composition doesn't just stick to the plastic; it chemically fuses them together, and the resulting piece is so strong that it's almost impossible to break. Note: 3D Gloop is not for sticking prints to the build plate; that's what Aquanet is for. It's uses specifically to bond plastic together. I fought a robot at tug-of-war to see if we could break the 3D Gloop bond, and it wasn't possible. In fact, the plastic in the layers of the 3D print gives way before the Gloop does. This stuff is amazing. ... Show more Get it now $25 at 3DGloop
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