DIY Viking Shield for kids and grown ups!

In this video, I'm going to show you some of the tools and accessories I recommend for FDM 3D printing. If you're looking for resin printing tools, I've already made a video on that that I have linked in the description. This list is in no particular order. These are just some of the tools that help me out on a daily basis. Starting off the list is a deburring tool. This tool has a curved edge on a swivel and works great for removing stubborn brims or sharp edges on your prints. When using it, make sure you apply slight pressure and commit to the edge for best results. It can damage the bottom of your prints if you're not careful, so just make sure to be precise and take your time for a perfect, smooth edge. Recently, I have been drilling a lot of holes in my prints for adding LED lights and a hand drill works amazing for that, especially on brittle materials like PLA. The holes it produces are very clean. You just simply select the size bit you need, firmly rest the back end in the palm of your hand and twist with your fingers. I know you can add holes beforehand in the slicer, but a lot of the times I don't know exactly where I will need them, and this tool makes quick work for adding precise holes whether it's for bolts, wires, or other modifications. If you are making functional prints that need to be a certain diameter, you're going to want some form of ruler or calipers for dimensional accuracy. The awesome thing is, is that if you already have a 3D printer, you can just print these. For my style of printing, I mainly print large statues, so I don't use these very often. But the few times I have needed a prototype a piece, they made the process a lot easier by eliminating a lot of the guesswork. For cleaning up stringing on prints, a torch lighter is the easiest method. When using a torch lighter, never touch the flame directly on the piece or you can damage the print. Just quickly hover around it from a few inches away. And please, don't buy an expensive one. Cheap ones do the same thing as expensive ones, and they work just fine. For gluing FDM prints, I usually use Gorilla Super Glue Gel or Loctite Super Glue Gel Control. It's kind of a toss-up between the two depending on the application. If I need a strong, quick bond for a larger piece, I use Gorilla Glue Gel. For smaller, more precise pieces, I use the Loctite Control Gel. And some side notes on glue, I don't like using glue with activators because even the slightest movement while applying it can lock the piece in the wrong position. But this quick activation can be a pro or a con depending on your use case. A lot of people also suggest 3D Glue, but I have personally never tried it, so I can't speak on it. Every three months, or around 100 to 200 hours of print time, you're going to need to lube the rods on your 3D printer, whether it is a Bedslinger or a CoreXY machine. For this, you're going to need lubricant grease. For the past year, I have been using the supplied bamboo lubricant grease that came with my machines. But if your machine did not supply lubricant grease, the number one recommended product I see in the community is Super Lube. It is cheap, and for its size, will probably last you a lifetime of printer maintenance. So if you need grease, Super Lube is probably your best bet. A tool I would recommend spending a bit more on is a good pair of pliers. Pliers work great for removing supports, especially smaller supports and ones in awkward spaces. I purchased several cheap ones that claim they were stainless steel, and they always bend at the tips, even on just regular PLA. Get some that are more durable, and you will probably never have to replace them again. I would also recommend a pair of snippers for cutting filament ends before loading into the machine. Regular scissors work fine also, but won't give you as clean of a cut. I print with a lot of strange, and sometimes questionable materials that can gunk up your nozzle. I recently had material sticking to the hardened steel nozzle on my X1C, causing it to extrude sloppy. After removing the rubber sleeve, applying some heat, and scraping off my nozzle with a copper scraper, it was as good as new. Just make sure you're not scraping your nozzle with the material harder than your actual nozzle, or you can damage it, especially if you have a brass nozzle on your machine. Speaking of nozzle cleaning, another tool you will want is a nozzle cleaning kit. Some machines come with them, but if yours does not, I would suggest picking one up. You never know when a nozzle will clog, or when you will need to do a cold pull from the hot end. This suggestion will vary depending on your location, and how you choose to store and keep your filament dry. For keeping my filament dry and optimal, I use vacuum sealed bags with desiccant packs. I have honestly never really had problems with filament being too wet or absorbing moisture. Even with super cheap filaments I get on Amazon, they all tend to perform pretty similar. I do live in a very dry area though, so if you are somewhere that has a lot of humidity, this could help preserve the life of your filament. Especially if you are printing with nylon, TPU, or PVA, and is cheaper than other options. This kit from OVV3D works great, and it comes with a lot of bags and desiccant packs. I have had some filaments sealed for around 6 months, and they are still air tight in the bags. A good bed scraper. If you have ever had an extrusion line get stuck under your fingernail, you will know why this item is on the list. Bamboo has the metal ones that come as a kit for their machines, but I hardly ever use them. The metal is too aggressive on your print bed, and can damage your build plate. I would recommend printing a good plastic one, or if you have a resin printer, using the one that comes with that. Because for resin vats, I recommend a rubber spatula. If you are having adhesion or first layer issues, it could be a simple fix by just cleaning your build plate with warm water and regular dish soap. The soap removes oils from the plate and can help with adhesion. This can also vary depending on your build plate surface. I probably clean my plates off about every 2 weeks or when I am having random issues with bed adhesion. Just simply run the plate under warm water and scrub with dish soap. Rinse the soap off and make sure it is completely dry before putting it back in the machine. I also tend to spray down the build plate with IPA between prints and wipe it with a microfiber cloth, but I think that's just a habit I picked up from resin printing. One additional kind of bonus item I would suggest is cleaning filament. If I use a particularly strange filament in my machine, I run cleaning filament through the nozzle after, just to make sure it is fully out before switching materials, so I don't have any clogs or end up with material showing up on a new print. It can also be used to help with minor clogs in your printhead. A lot of times it will randomly come free with spools, so I figure it can't hurt to use it. These are some of the tools that work for me, but everyone's setup is different, so as I always say, do your own research and find what tools fit for you and your budget. I've added links for some of the tools in the description if you want to check them out, and if there's tools you use that I didn't mention, please leave it in the comments. If you made it this far in the video, I truly appreciate it, and if you found this video helpful in any way, please consider leaving a like or subscribing, and as always, thanks for watching.