- My name is Tom, this is the Enthusiasm Project,
and today, I want to cover the basic tools that you need
if you want to 3D print.
So whether you're just starting into the hobby,
or you've been doing it for awhile,
these are tools I recommend.
I think probably most people who are into 3D printing
would recommend as your essentials,
the things you really need to get started.
So no matter which printer you have,
you need to have certain tools
to help you not only maintain the printer,
but also just to deal with your prints
and to help it print as effectively as possible.
And some of those tools are simple things
that you have probably lying around your house right now.
Others are more specific things that you probably don't.
Just to get started, this is basically all of the tools
that I use regularly when I 3D print.
You probably recognize some of these
if you're into the hobby.
First and foremost, simple stuff,
pair of needle nose pliers.
These, of course, already had,
and most people already have these
lying around in their house.
Good pair of needle nose pliers, pretty much essential.
A glue stick, if you're printing on glass beds,
you really need a glue stick.
This is nothing crazy, it's just an Elmer's glue stick
from the craft department at any store.
A putty knife for getting prints off of the print surface.
A set of Allen wrenches for maintaining the printer.
Depending on which printer you have will determine
which Allen wrenches you need.
I always just like to have a kit that has a little bit
of everything, and that way, no matter what,
you know that you're good to go.
Now, those four things were all things that I already had,
and all things that most of us probably already have.
The other tools were things I had
to buy specifically for 3D printing.
For example, I wanted to finish my prints
so I wanted to get a file so that way,
I could sand them down.
I really wanted this small, like precise file,
but it came in a three pack
so I had to buy two other files with it.
I bought another skinnier pliers
just to kinda get into small places
and pull out filament and pull out parts
and prints and things.
I bought a small cutter to help really clip filament
so it has that nice angle as it's going into the printer
and that way, it loads properly.
I also have the high E string off a guitar,
which is the exact right size for cleaning out
a clogged nozzle, and then my favorite tool,
which is basically a piece of magic, which I had never used
or heard of before I got into 3D printing
is a deburring tool.
It's a small tool that has a blade on the top
that you basically just slide along
and smooth out your prints once they're done.
So if you have sort of rough spots or edges or things,
you can just smooth 'em out, cut 'em off really,
really easily and really safely
because even though it has a blade that's sharp enough
to cut that, it's not sharp enough to cut you.
This is such a cool thing.
If nothing else, at least get yourself a deburring tool
just because it's so useful, it's so neat.
Now, the reason that I'm making this video specifically
is because I've been using these tools
for the last couple years
and some of them served dual purpose
as my 3D printing tools, but also as like, you know,
a putty knife for when you need to patch a hole in the wall.
And I move my printers around a lot from home to work,
work to home, different locations around the house,
and sometimes, I move my tools,
or I forget to take tools with me.
And it's always been kind
of a problem I didn't realize was as annoying as it was.
That is until a solution was given to me.
A couple weeks back, I made a video about these glass beds
for the Monoprice Delta and Mini 3D printers.
Those were sent to me by Pat from Dog River Tools,
and I really liked 'em because he made them specifically
for those printers.
They solved a lot of the issues I had when I was trying
to make my own glass beds.
Pat also got in touch with me and sent me out this tool kit,
which he said he put together as sort of the essentials
that you probably don't already have.
So if you wanted to get into 3D printing,
these are the tools you would need
that you probably don't already have
lying around your house.
And this is a cool kit, it's about 23 dollars on Amazon.
I'll put an affiLiate link down below
so if you wanna go check it out, feel free.
Pat was also kind enough to give us some promo codes
so if you're watching this video, there's promo codes
down in the description below.
One of them is for 35 percent off,
which expires at the end of August 2018,
and the other one is for 15 percent off,
which is just kind of an ongoing promo code.
The reason that I like this kit, it's very, very simple.
It comes in a little pouch, which is actually really handy.
I've just been keeping this next to my printers,
and then everything I need is right there.
And if I move the printer, instead of having
to grab all this stuff, I just grab this and move it
and everything is kind of just there all the time.
And so what this kit includes is a semi flexible putty knife
for removing your prints.
This isn't as sharp as the one I've been using,
which is actually a good thing.
It works really, really well for getting prints
off of print surfaces, but it's not as sharp as this one,
which means you're less likely to damage your print surface,
which I have done quite a few times using this one.
I'm a pretty clumsy person.
It comes with a really small file that has a smooth
and a coarse side, which is great for finishing up prints
and getting into small areas.
It's kind of what I was looking for
when I originally went out to buy this file.
It comes with a few PTFE grease packets
for maintaining your printer.
It comes with a really nice pair of tweezers
that have a really, really strong point,
and they're also angled in a way that makes it very easy
to pick up parts and filament.
These I cannot believe I have been going so long without.
They're much, much more precise than the needle nose pliers,
and they're able to get into tough places much easier
than the skinny pliers that I went out and bought myself.
This kit also comes with five,
these are kind of like acupuncture needles
for cleaning out the nozzles.
So instead of having to keep part
of a broken guitar string around, you just have these here.
They're in a little tube, there's five of 'em.
That's probably more than you'll ever need,
then you can clean out nozzles if they get jammed
or stuck with filament.
And finally, last but not least,
comes with its own deburring tool,
which is so cool because again,
this is one of my favorite tools.
I really, really love this,
and it also comes with a spare tip.
So this is enough to keep you going
for the foreseeable future in 3D printing
all in this one kit.
There's a few things you'll still need
that aren't included in the kit,
like you probably do still need a pair
of needle nose pliers, probably do still need
a set of Allen wrenches.
If you're printing on glass,
definitely do still need a glue stick.
The things like glue stick and pliers,
you can get at almost any store.
Something like these needles or a deburring tool
or a really specific type of tweezers,
much harder to come by.
So that's why this kit is really helpful,
and I do wanna make it clear that even though I am,
you know, advertising someone else's product here,
the reason I'm doing so is because Pat just reached out
to me, said, "I have this thing
"that I think is really useful for people
"who are interested in 3D printing.
"Would you mind checking it out?"
I really like it, I didn't realize
how convenient it would be to have these tools
in one spot all the time.
So regardless if you buy this specific kit or not,
these are the tools that you need
that are really, really helpful
if you're interested in 3D printing.
So if you buy this kit,
if you piece together the kit like this on your own,
or if you already have the stuff lying around your house,
I strongly recommend that you have a dedicated set
of tools specifically for 3D printing
that you always know where they are.
They're always ready to go, and that's going
to save you a lot of time and a lot of frustration.
And for the most part, especially with the promo code,
this kit is actually a bit cheaper than it would be
to just piece all of this stuff together on your own.
So I just think it's something that's pretty useful
that I wanted to share with you guys
because I have been really using it.
I'm gonna continue to, and it's really helped me out.
And again, the Amazon affiliate link to this kit
is down in the description below.
With a few promo codes,
you can save yourself a bit of money.
So I hope that's helpful to you.
When I got into 3D printing, I spent a lot of money
and time and energy on stuff that I didn't really need
to figure out the stuff that I did need
so I think that this is a good way
to make sure you're not wasting your resources,
and you have exactly what you need.
So please let me know in the comments down below.
If you have any specific tool recommendations,
please feel free to share them.
If you're not subscribed, I don't know what you're doing.
You should subscribe right now, and that's it.
I really, really do hope this was helpful.
I really do think this is a great kit
that is something that's gonna save you a lot of time
and frustration so hope that's helpful.
I will see you guys next time.
Also got this little, oh, oh my God, did you see that?
It's stuck in the table, and now there's a hole in my table.
So these are sharp.
Well, now we'll remember, this was the video
that put that hole in the table.