Guides
3D printing guides
How to get a file printed, and how to make a part fit. Real sizes from real spec sheets, in plain words. When a number is not confirmed, we say so instead of guessing.
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Getting a model printed
You found a file or a model and you want it in your hands.
- How do I print a Thingiverse file if I don't own a printer?Found a design on Thingiverse but no printer at home? Here is how to download the file yourself, read the license, and have it printed and mailed to you.Updated 2026-09-05 · 6 min read
- How do I get a Printables model printed?Found a design on Printables but do not own a 3D printer? Here is how to download it yourself, check the license, and have it printed and shipped to you.Updated 2026-09-05 · 6 min read
- How do I get a MakerWorld model printed?Found a design on MakerWorld but do not own a 3D printer? Here is how to download the real file yourself, understand the project 3MF, and have it printed.Updated 2026-09-05 · 6 min read
- Where can I get an STL printed?You have an STL file and no printer. Here are the real options, what each one costs and takes, and how to upload your file and get an instant price.Updated 2026-09-05 · 5 min read
- Can someone print an STL for me?Yes. Upload your STL file, get an instant price, and we print it in the USA and mail it to you. Here is what happens to your file and who actually prints it.Updated 2026-09-05 · 5 min read
- How much does it cost to have something 3D printed?A worked example using our real pricing formula, priced on 2026-09-05: cost by part weight, the flat shipping charge, and the exact price your own file gets.Updated 2026-09-05 · 5 min read
- How do I get a MyMiniFactory model printed?Found an object on MyMiniFactory but do not own a 3D printer? Here is how to download the real file yourself, read the licence, and have it printed and shipped to you.Updated 2026-09-05 · 6 min read
- How do I get a Cults3D file printed?Found a model on Cults3D but do not own a 3D printer? Here is how to download the real file yourself, read the licence, and have it printed and shipped to you.Updated 2026-09-05 · 6 min read
- How do I get a Thangs model printed?Found a model on Thangs but do not own a 3D printer? Here is how to download the real file yourself, read the licence, and have it printed and shipped to you.Updated 2026-09-05 · 6 min read
Understanding 3D files
What the file types are, what to do with the one you have.
STL vs 3MF: which file should you send?STL and 3MF are the two 3D file types we print from. Here is what each one holds, when to send which, and why a file can print the wrong size.Updated 2026-09-05 · 6 min read- What file type do I need for 3D printing?The file types our upload tool reads today, the common ones it does not read yet, and how to turn a CAD file into one that works.Updated 2026-09-05 · 6 min read
How do I resize an STL?How to scale an STL bigger or smaller, with our upload tool or with free software, and how big we can print in one piece.Updated 2026-09-05 · 5 min read
How do I check an STL's dimensions?How to see the real width, depth, and height of an STL or 3MF before you order, and why the numbers can look wrong at first.Updated 2026-09-05 · 5 min read- How do I print a 3MF file?Upload your .3mf file the same way you would an STL. See how a 3MF prices and prints here, and what to do if it holds more than one part.Updated 2026-09-05 · 5 min read
- Where can I get a STEP file 3D printed?Our upload tool does not price a STEP file instantly. Here is the honest path: send it for a person to look at, or export it to STL or 3MF yourself first.Updated 2026-09-05 · 5 min read
- Can you 3D print an OBJ file?Our upload tool does not price an OBJ file instantly. Here is the honest path: export it to STL or 3MF yourself, or send it for a person to look at.Updated 2026-09-05 · 5 min read
- How do I get a CAD file 3D printed?Export your CAD file as an STL or 3MF for an instant price, or send the original file for review if you cannot export it yourself.Updated 2026-09-05 · 6 min read
Materials
Which plastic to pick for the thing you are making.
- PLA vs PETG: which one for your part?PLA and PETG are the two materials we print. Here is what each one is good at, and how to pick between them.Updated 2026-09-05 · 6 min read
Can a 3D printed part survive in a hot car?How hot a parked car really gets, where PLA and PETG stand against that heat, and which material to pick for anything that rides in a car.Updated 2026-09-05 · 6 min read- Can 3D printed parts be used outdoors?PETG holds up outdoors far better than PLA. Here is why, and what still fades over time no matter which material you choose.Updated 2026-09-05 · 5 min read
- How strong is FDM 3D printing?FDM builds a part one layer at a time, so it is strong in some directions and weaker in others. Here is what actually decides how strong a printed part is.Updated 2026-09-05 · 6 min read
Replacements and fixes
Something broke or does not fit, and nobody sells the part.
Ring doorbell angle mounts: what fits and what angle you needRing's own wedge kits stop at 15 or 25 degrees. See which wedge fits each Ring model, with exact sizes, and how to pick the angle your door needs.Updated 2026-07-12 · 5 min read
Doorbell facing the wrong way? Here is how to aim itA wedge mount turns your video doorbell toward the walkway. What Ring, Nest, eufy, Wyze, and Blink offer, and what to do when they offer nothing.Updated 2026-07-12 · 4 min read
Nest doorbell angle mounts: sizes and optionsGoogle sells no angle wedge for the Nest Doorbell. Exact battery and wired body sizes, and how to angle a Nest toward your walkway.Updated 2026-07-12 · 4 min read
eufy doorbell angle mounts: E340 and C210 fit guideeufy sells no angle wedge for its doorbells. Exact E340 and C210 sizes, what third-party mounts cover, and how to pick your angle.Updated 2026-07-12 · 4 min read- Blink doorbell angle mounts: sizes and optionsBlink sells no angle wedge for its video doorbell. Exact 2nd gen body size, what fits, and how to angle a Blink at your walkway.Updated 2026-07-12 · 3 min read
- How to mount a video doorbell on brick without drillingThree honest paths: drill the mortar line, use adhesive on smooth brick, or mount to the trim. Real doorbell weights and what holds them.Updated 2026-07-12 · 4 min read
No-drill camera mounts for renters: what actually holdsSuction mounts hold about 3 pounds and small cameras weigh 3 to 5 ounces. The real question is the thread. Which cameras fit, from maker specs.Updated 2026-07-12 · 5 min read
Wall mount an eero without blocking its ventseero says mounts must leave the vent grille and LED clear, and warns against metal. Exact eero 6, 6+, and Pro 6E sizes, plus an open-cradle rule.Updated 2026-07-12 · 5 min read- Can a broken plastic part be 3D printed?Often, yes. Tell us what broke, what it goes on, and any sizes you have. We look for a design that fits, or tell you plainly if we cannot find one.Updated 2026-09-05 · 6 min read
- Where can I get a discontinued plastic part made?The manufacturer stopped selling it years ago. Tell us the brand, model, and what the part does, and we search a library of designs before saying it cannot be found.Updated 2026-09-05 · 6 min read
- How do I measure a replacement part?You do not need calipers. A ruler or tape measure and a few careful numbers, written down the right way, are enough to help us find or make a part that fits.Updated 2026-09-05 · 5 min read
Storage systems
Gridfinity, Multibuild and pegboard, sized to your space.
- Gridfinity for beginnersWhat Gridfinity is, the two parts it is built from, and how to start a drawer with one baseplate and a few bins.Updated 2026-09-05 · 6 min read
- How to measure a drawer for GridfinityThe three numbers our Gridfinity kit builder needs: inside width, inside depth, and usable height, and how to measure each one.Updated 2026-09-05 · 5 min read
