My brother recently got me into 3D printing. It’s so much better than I expected. More often than not you throw something together in CAD, put it through the slicer and somewhere between 4 h and 48 h later you have it. It is unreal!

I’m printing on a stock Prusa i3 MK3S+ which I built from a kit.

This is me starting off the build.

Making progress and a mess!

A few nights later.

A few prints done!

Since getting the printer, I’ve built a lot of custom stands, brackets, and furnishings that look super polished.

Being able to quickly create something physical that is 100% fit for purpose (as long as it’s parts fit in the build volume), is like a super power! It’s changing the way I look at the world. I’m always wondering, could I print it? And, for a knowledge worker who spends a lot of my time using computers to create virtual stuff, it’s very rewarding to use the computer to create real stuff!

A paper towel holder.

A custom key, wallet, hair tie, coin organizer by the front door.

I can’t thank my brother enough for getting me into it. I totally recommend 3D printing to anyone looking for a maker hobby. 

- Andrew