The first 6 things every new 3D printer owner should print before dragons and helmets

Published Jul 29, 2026, 2:00 PM EDT After a 7-year corporate stint, Tanveer found his love for writing and tech too much to resist. An MBA in Marketing and the owner of a PC building business, he writes on PC hardware, technology, and Windows. When not scouring the web for ideas, he can be found building PCs, watching anime, or playing Smash Karts on his RTX 3080 (sigh). When you finally buy your first 3D printer, the temptation to create fancy figurines and trinkets out of thin air is hard to resist. After all, 3D printing can feel like sci-fi at first. The thing is, though, that ambitious and complex prints hide the important flaws and limits in your printer configuration. These advanced prints should come later once you've got the hang of the basics of 3D printing. To do that, you should start with basic models that make you familiar with your printer. If these prints turn out to be essentials that support your printer, that's a neat bonus. Each of the prints on this list will teach you something new about the process, materials, and the quirks of your printer itself. A test print to reveal basic deficiencies Calibration is the first rule of 3D printing Before anything else, you should choose a small test print to bring out the obvious mistakes in your printing setup. Even if your printer feels fine, there are bound to be gaps in the first-layer calibration, adhesion, nozzle height, and filament delivery. A starter model like 3D Benchy is what most beginners default to, but you can also try Cali Cat or XYZ Cube to grasp different concepts in a quick and simple way. A tiny print like this allows you to fail cheaply. If you notice gaps between the print lines or the surface turns out rough, you know that bed leveling or temperature might need to be fixed. The print itself isn't as important as the learning. Just remember not to focus too much on perfecting the same test print. Once you've fixed the basic gaps, it's time to move on to other pieces which could teach you more. Temperature Tower to reduce stringing and warping The temperature is one of the first settings to lock in Credit: Source: quirxi/Thingiverse A Temperature Tower allows you to see the results at different temperature levels in the same print. You'll inevitably observe some sections of the print not sticking together well or not coming off the bed properly. This could indicate that the temperature is too hot or too cold, respectively, giving you the necessary information to make tweaks. For instance, stringing indicates high heat, while a blocked nozzle could signal a low temperature. Finding the right temperature could take a few tries as you adjust the settings based on the results. Even slight changes will affect how the filament behaves, sticking and shrinking differently. Adjusting the fan speed can also improve the process. Of course, different filament materials might need different cooling levels, so you'll need to calibrate again if you change the material. 3DHubs Marvin for testing cooling and bridging settings Another small yet useful model to refine your settings Credit: 3DHubs/Printables When you want to move beyond bed leveling and nozzle height, the 3DHubs Marvin model will get you up to speed with bridging loops, layer uniformity, and cooling speed. The keychain loop at the top and the embossed detail on the front are ideal for detecting sagging or drooping. The top of the model helps you weed out ring artifacts and uneven extrusion. Marvin has a tiny footprint, so you don't need much filament for multiple prints. You can dial in different speeds and temperatures on different versions quickly to find the right combination. If you see ridges or shifts disappearing with every version, it means you're on the right track. A bed scraper to learn functional design and ergonomics Start with stuff that makes it easier to use your printer Now that you've optimized most of the settings of your new 3D printer, it's time to print something functional. And what better place to start than a tool for your printer itself? A bed scraper helps you remove your prints from the print bed when the filament, print thickness, or adhesive make it relatively harder. This is one of the first 3D printer accessories most beginners start with. Printing a scraper teaches you the importance of ergonomics as you experiment with the handle shape and grip. Functional prints have value beyond teaching you printing concepts; they also teach you design principles that take a lot more time to grasp. A webcam mount to nail dimensions and tolerances Never miss a delightful print time-lapse As you get into the groove of things, you'll miss making a time-lapse of your 3D prints. This is where a webcam mount becomes indispensable, and the best part is that you can print it yourself. You can monitor your prints when you're away and admire the time-lapse videos when you come back. Printing a webcam mount is simple, but it can teach you a lot about tolerances. It solves a practical problem while enhancing your printing experience. Since you're designing around existing hardware (your printer), you need to ensure accurate dimensions, screw holes, clips, and more. Mounting techniques and cable management also come into play as you have to manage the webcam cables. The mounts will differ depending on your printer and webcam model, but the community probably has multiple useful models for your exact combination. A replacement household part to optimize filament selection and orientation Start with cable organizers for your desk setup Source: gengmj1991/MakerWorld Finally, you can use your 3D printer to print a replacement for something you broke in your house, such as a phone case or vacuum cleaner attachment. That said, a cable winder and organizer might be a more fulfilling project. It has instant utility and can teach you about filament material, orientation, and thickness. Plus, you can print multiple clips quickly, so the time investment isn't high either. Cable organizers are some of the most useful additions to any setup, and you might even save money overall compared to store-bought alternatives. Fancy prints will always be there, but learn the basics first 3D printing should be a fun hobby, but only if you learn to eliminate the variables that can play spoilsport with your models. Every 3D printer has its quirks, and you need to work around them while learning about the physics, design principles, and everything else that can affect the quality of the prints. Once you've mastered the basics, you can move to more complex models that you've always dreamed of printing.