Everything You Need to Set Up a 3D Printer Lab at Home

There is something deeply satisfying about building your own 3D printer lab. It streamlines your process, sure, making projects easier. But it also makes the act of using a 3D printer feel a bit like being a mad scientist, bringing wild creations to life. It doesn’t need to be sophisticated or expensive, either: Simply having a small, dedicated space for your printer goes a long way toward helping you use it safely and efficiently.Here’s the good news: Converting a basement corner, garage, or spare bedroom into a printer lab doesn’t take a lot of work. With a little planning and a few simple tools, you can set up a space that allows you to make projects with long print times, and where the tools you need are close at hand (not buried under that stack of other projects you don’t have space for). I started working with 3D printers in my basement workshop about five years ago, and have been tinkering with my setup ever since.If you’re new to 3D printing or want to get your maker space in order, I’ve learned a lot about how to make a neat, efficient space that lets you focus on your printing projects, rather than the logistics around them. We’ll walk through how to prep a space for printers, and all the gear you’ll want to have on hand when you print regularly. If you have the maker bug, the right space will unlock more options for creating anything your imagination can dream up.Great 3D Printers for New MakersBest for Fine Details and MiniaturesReady to design the printer lab of your dreams? Begin by assessing the space you have and considering what your printer (or potential printer) needs to operate safely and efficiently. Once you understand those two factors, you can let them guide your decisions about layout, environmental controls, and equipment.FDM vs. Resin PrintersBefore we start moving furniture around, measuring spaces, and buying equipment, the first thing you need to look at is your 3D printer (or printers). The two most common consumer-grade printer types, fused deposition modeling (FDM) and resin printers, both have their own safety requirements, so having one or the other (or both) will impact your plans.FDM printers need space to store filament spools, as well as tools and a working area to remove supports and (if needed) to assemble parts into a larger, finished piece. The biggest challenge for an FDM printer lab is controlling humidity, which means that a damp basement printer lab will need a dehumidifier.Resin printers need space to wash away excess resin and cure the models after printing. The biggest challenge for a resin printer lab is fume extraction. Look for a space with good ventilation, such as windows, as long as there won’t be direct sunlight on the printer.Picking the Right LocationNow that we’ve reviewed the impact of the printers, let’s talk about what kind of space makes for a good printer lab. Like most design challenges, some elements are essential (like ventilation), while others are open to negotiation. And, obviously, we are all often limited by what kind(s) of spaces we may have available. With that in mind, these are the basics I’d look for:Space No consumer-grade 3D printer takes up a ton of room, so you don’t need a giant workshop. More often than not, a corner of your basement or utility room will work well enough. As long as you have a space about the size of a card table (room for a printer and a small work surface) in a well-ventilated area, you can have a successful printer lab.Don't set up your printers in an area that gets a lot of foot traffic, like a living room, or where you eat or sleep. These printers generate a lot of noise and, often, fumes. Escaping those side effects is a big part of why you want a “lab” in the first place.Lighting From a practical standpoint, your printer lab should be well-lit, but it doesn’t need to be anything fancy: Some simple overhead lighting is all you need. I also like to have a swing-arm task light so I can put new prints under a spotlight while I remove supports or process resin.Also, keep in mind that you should never place a resin printer in direct sunlight: The sun will cure the resin in your vat, ruining your prints and turning the material in your vat into an expensive plastic brick.Storage The more you print, the more stuff you’re going to accumulate. If nothing else, you’ll need storage for your materials—resin or filament. If you’re just getting started, don’t be intimidated. All you need is a small shelf or storage bin that’s not in direct sunlight.Ventilation 3D printing creates fumes. FDM fumes tend to be moderate, but the fumes from resin printers (and the post-print cleaning process) are serious stuff. This means proper ventilation is a critical safety feature for any 3D printer lab. You need a room with at least a window or two, and preferably some equipment to keep air moving. (See the Fumes section later for more suggestions.)Humidity Control If there’s too much moisture in the air, your FDM printer will struggle. Filament absorbs moisture, leading to warped layers and wrapping your print in threads of over-extruded filament.Everything You Need to Set Up Your 3D Printer LabWith the location selected and the type of printer picked out, we can begin stocking your printer lab with tools and accessories that make your workflow smoother and ensure that your prints come out right. Start by addressing humidity (if you have an FDM printer) or fume extraction (if you have a resin printer).Humidity Control / SensorsHumidity control is a major concern for FDM printers. In my printer lab, I use a dehumidifier to bring the overall humidity down to about 45 percent, then use filament dryers and desiccant bags to store filament at 20 to 30 percent relative humidity.If you’re setting up in a basement (or live in a very humid area), you need a dehumidifier to pull water out of the air. Luckily, we have a whole guide devoted to helping you find the best one for your space.Plastic Storage ContainersTo minimize the impact of humidity on your filaments, you should put them in containers that you can monitor and control. I use these affordable kitchen-grade plastic bins, which are the perfect size to hold a standard roll of filament.Humidity meter (Hygrometer)Hygrometers are small, affordable humidity sensors that are great for tracking humidity in your lab or even in specific containers. I slip one into each individual filament storage bin, so I’m positive that all of my materials are being stored in a dry environment—I keep them below 30 percent relative humidity.Desiccant bags, small bags of moisture-absorbing pellets that draw moisture from the air just like a sponge, are a very affordable way to minimize moisture inside storage containers and filament dryers. You can always purchase fresh silicone desiccant, but the ones that come with printer filament and printer tools (or any electronics) are easy to reuse.Desiccant adds a little bit of maintenance to your setup: Just like you need to wring out a sponge, you’ll need to either replace or “recharge” your desiccant to make sure it keeps working. To “recharge” it, you’ll need to heat the bags and allow them to release their moisture. (I do it in the toaster oven: 150 to 200 degrees Fahrenheit for two to three hours.)The most expensive, task-oriented option is a dedicated filament dryer, which heats your print materials to minimize condensation, then vents moisture-laden air. Many of them also have an outlet, so you can use them on the filament that’s currently feeding the print without removing it from humidity control.Some manufacturers make multi-filament boxes that double as drying units. The Bambu AMS PRO 2, for example, can dry up to four spools of filament at once—though it only works when connected to a Bambu printer. I’ve also tested and really liked the Elegoo H1 HT, which is a universal option that pairs with any printer and has electronic controls to adjust settings and monitor humidity.Ventilation / Safety GearWhen printing with resin, you need to vent your fumes outdoors; an air purifier will help, but it’s not enough to get the job done completely. Even when venting fumes outdoors, be sure to use a respirator and gloves while working directly with the resin. Here’s what you need:The best way to avoid fumes is to vent them out of your home quickly and efficiently. A full printer enclosure allows you to do that in one fell swoop. The enclosure surrounds the printer, minimizing contamination, and filters out the fumes via a tube that you feed outside a window or wall vent. It kind of looks like a miniature greenhouse kit.Air purifiers capture odors and impurities in the air. They don’t replace good ventilation, but they improve air quality and make your space a much more pleasant place to be. Look for an air purifier that has at least one layer of activated charcoal filter to catch fumes from the resin printing process. For more info on picking out an air purifier, check out our Air Purifier Buying Guide.You need a respirator to protect against the organic fumes associated with resin and some FDM filaments. These fumes will pass right through a mask designed to keep out particulates, like an N95 or dust mask. Make sure to buy cartridges designed to protect you from organic vapors. (These typically have a black or yellow color code on them.)You are going to go through a lot of gloves with your resin printing hobby. Resin is harmful to your skin, and once it’s on your hands, it’s only a matter of time before it transfers to your face or anything else you touch. I recommend buying in bulk. A big box of 100 should last for a while.Regular safety glasses protect your eyes against flying debris when removing supports from both resin and FDM prints. And UV glasses will keep your eyes safe when using a UV flashlight to touch up your resin prints. Even if you don’t have a resin printer now, it’s not a bad idea to pick up a pair of UV glasses and use them as a catchall.Tools of the TradeBeyond the printer itself, every lab needs a workspace with a small set of tools to work with your prints post-production. These are the essentials that I break out after most of my prints, and I expect that you’ll find yourself reaching for them over and over, too.A scraper is an essential tool for any maker. Sometimes the print sticks to the build plate when you’re taking it out. A plastic or steel scraper makes removing it much easier. Of course, you can always print a scraper and plastic blade yourself, too.3D printers build a support structure to help the printed materials take shape. More often than not, that means you’re going to need to do some post-print cleanup work on whatever you make. A small pair of snippers is the best tool for this job.Look for “flush-cut” snippers, which are flat on one side, allowing the cutting blades to get as close to the surface as possible. When in doubt, smaller is usually better in this case. Depending on the print, you may need to reach into very tight spots to remove supports.And you need a clean workspace to do all that snipping. A large silicone mat gives you a safe workspace for post-print cleanup work, which is especially important if you’re working with resin. Resin can be difficult to clean off most surfaces, but easily comes off of silicone. Look for a mat with a slightly raised lip to prevent liquids or small pieces from getting loose.Stainless Steel Funnel (Resin)If you're swapping out the resin in your printer’s vat (or just putting it away), you'll need to get the vat resin back into the original bottle. This stainless steel funnel is tailor-made for the job. It has a mesh filter, which prevents cured resin or other small items from contaminating the rest of your resin.Run a UV flashlight beam over your resin-soaked paper towels, and they will instantly cure and be safe to dispose of. Or use it to touch up or repair resin prints; spread a few drops of resin along a crack, and hit it with the UV light to seal it together.Customizing Your Own Mad Scientist LairOne of the most enjoyable parts of having a 3D printer lab is making it your very own. My workspaces are filled with failed prints, weird art, alien heads, masks, and a whole range of things that are unique to me. Once you start 3D printing, you’ll have your own collection of items in no time.No matter how you design your space, you’ll find that there are unique issues in your setup not covered in this article. Lean on the 3D community to find solutions. Look at the public boards on Makerworld, Printables, or other manufacturer sites, along with Reddit and similar online communities. Chances are good that someone else out there has run into something similar. And if not, you’ll get to come up with your own unique solution. Which is good news, because there’s nothing in this world that’s better than having your own unique mad scientist laboratory.A former residential remodeler and maintenance manager, Dan Stout has worked in nearly every part of the construction and DIY industry, from project planning and permitting to plumbing, drywall, carpentry, and more. He loves to write about the weird history of everyday objects, and to help readers make informed decisions about their homes.