Tools for 3D Printing: the Basic Kit for Beginners
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A 3D printer does not just print, it also wants looking after, and the finished parts often need some finishing. A small toolbox is enough for that. Most of it costs little and may already be in your drawer.
What usually comes in the box
Many printers come with a small accessory pack. A current entry-level machine from Bambu Lab, for example, comes with a scraper, a filament cutter, a cleaning needle, two hex keys, and oil and grease for the axes. It is similar with other manufacturers: hex keys in the right sizes, sometimes side cutters, a nozzle needle and a spatula.
Look in the box before you buy anything. The hex keys supplied fit your printer’s screws exactly. You add the rest as needed.
The basic kit
| Tool | What for | Approx. price |
|---|---|---|
| Side cutters | Cutting filament at an angle, removing support remnants and brim | €5 to €15 |
| Spatula or scraper | Releasing prints from the bed, removing residue | €5 to €15 |
| Deburring tool | Cleaning up edges and holes, removing elephant’s foot | €5 to €10 |
| Tweezers | Removing strings and residue at the nozzle, gripping small parts | €5 to €10 (set) |
| Digital calipers | Re-measuring parts, checking filament diameter, calibrating | €15 to €30 |
| Hex and Torx keys | Tightening screws on the printer, swapping parts | €10 to €25 (set) |
| Isopropanol, at least 90 % | Cleaning the build plate and axes | €8 to €15 per litre |
| Glue stick | Adhesion promoter or release layer on the plate | €1 to €3 |
| Cleaning needles | Clearing the nozzle from below | €3 to €10 (set) |
| Sandpaper, grit 120 to 1000 | Smoothing surfaces, reducing layer lines | €5 to €10 (set) |
| Needle files | Reworking holes and tight spots | €10 to €20 (set) |
With everything together you come to about €70 to €150, depending on what you already have.
Side cutters
The tool you will have in your hand most often. You cut the filament at an angle before loading it so that it finds its way into the extruder more easily. Support structures and brim can be snipped off cleanly with them. A model with a flat cut (flush cutting) leaves smoother edges.
Spatula or scraper
With magnetic spring steel plates you rarely need it, because most prints come off with a slight flex. For glass or rigid plates it is a must. On PEI plates use only a plastic spatula, as metal leaves scratches. How to release stuck parts safely is explained in Print will not come off.
Deburring tool
A handle with a rotating, curved blade. You pull it along an edge and take off a fine shaving. Ideal for the bottom edge, for holes and for small burrs at the Z seam.
Tweezers
Long, curved tweezers reach strings at the hot nozzle without your fingers getting close. They should be heat-resistant, so made of metal, not plastic.
Calipers
Digital calipers are the most important measuring tool. You use them to check whether a part has been printed to size, whether a hole fits or whether the filament diameter is right. A simple model with a 150 mm measuring range is enough for 3D printing. With very cheap units, it is worth looking at the reading accuracy, and a resolution of 0.01 mm is usual.
Hex and Torx
Many printers use hex screws in 1.5, 2, 2.5 and 3 mm, some also Torx. A set with ball ends makes working in tight corners easier. Only tighten screws hand-tight, otherwise plastic parts crack.
Isopropanol and glue stick
Isopropanol degreases the build plate and removes fingerprints. Use a concentration of at least 90 %, as diluted versions are more likely to leave streaks. Warm water with washing-up liquid cleans more thoroughly. A glue stick helps as an adhesion promoter with nylon and PC and as a release layer with PETG on smooth PEI. An ordinary washable glue stick from the stationery shop is usually enough.
Cleaning needles
Very thin needles with which you poke a partly clogged nozzle clear from below. Important: the needle must be thinner than the nozzle opening, so for a 0.4 mm nozzle, for example, 0.35 mm. Acupuncture needles also work and are cheap. How to go about it is explained in Clogged nozzle.
Sandpaper and files
For finishing visible surfaces. Start coarse, for example with grit 120 or 240, and work up in finer steps. Wet sanding prevents PLA from smearing due to frictional heat. You need needle files for holes, slots and fits.
Nice to have
You do not need these things straight away. Over time, though, they show whether they are worth it for you.
- Heat-resistant gloves: For work on the hot hotend, for example when changing the nozzle.
- Torque wrench for nozzles: Prevents you from overtightening the nozzle. Worthwhile mainly on printers with screw-in nozzles.
- Compressed air or a blower: Removing dust from fans and from the extruder.
- Small soldering iron with tips: For threaded inserts, see Threaded inserts.
- Heat gun: Melting away fine strings. Be careful, PLA deforms even at low heat.
- Precision scale: Determining the remaining amount on the spool or checking filament consumption.
- Brass brushes: Removing residue on the outside of the nozzle. Only with a cold or slightly warm nozzle and with little pressure.
- Organisation system: Small-parts box for spare nozzles, screws and needles.
The tools for sanding, filling and painting are covered in more detail in Post-processing.
Continue with: Maintaining your printer, where you can see when you need which tool.