1 Getting Started with a 3D Printer 3 --
Buying Options: Turnkey, Kit, or DIY 4 --
Generating STL files 5 --
Your First Print Job 6 --
3D Positioning System 7 --
Choosing a Filament 11 --
Next Steps: What to Make 11 --
Dimension Torture Test 17 --
3 Software for 3D Printing 31 --
3D Modeling/CAD Software 31 --
Slicing/CAM Software 34 --
Printer Control/Client Software 35 --
4 3D Design for the Complete Beginner 37 --
1 Create a Tinkercad Account 37 --
3 Make the Robot Head 38 --
4 Align the Head and the Hole 39 --
5 Combine the Head and Hole into a Single Object 39 --
6 Make the Head Hollow 39 --
7 Make Your Robot's Mouth 40 --
8 Make Your Robot's Eyes 41 --
5 Getting Started with Slic3r 45 --
Step 1 Name Your Profile 46 --
Step 2 Print Settings 47 --
Perimeters and Solid Layers 47 --
Notes and Miscellaneous Settings 51 --
Step 3 Filament Settings 52 --
Step 4 Printer Settings 54 --
Step 5 Return to the Plater 57 --
Working with Multiple STLs 58 --
8 Creating and Repairing 3D Scans 61 --
What Is 3D Scanning? 61 --
Taking Photos with 123D Catch 64 --
Uploading Your Photos to the Cloud 66 --
Downloading Your Mesh 67 --
Installing ReconstructMe 68 --
Tips for Reconstructing Yourself (or Someone Else) 68 --
Cleaning and Repairing Scans for 3D Printing 70 --
Repairing Most Scans 72 --
Repair and Clean Up in netfabb 72 --
Smoothing Out the Surface of Meshes 75 --
Removing Bumps and Blobs with MeshMixer 77 --
Final Cleanup/Repair in netfabb 77 --
Repairing Relief Scans by Capping 77 --
Fixing Holes, Non-Manifold Areas, and Disconnected Components 78 --
Closing Large Areas of Missing Mesh 80 --
7 Print Your Head in 3D! 87 --
1 Register with Autodesk 123D 88 --
2 Take Digital Photos of Your Head 88 --
3 Create a New Capture 89 --
4 Open Your 3D Model 89 --
5 Edit Your 3D Model 89 --
6 Make It "Watertight" 90 --
7 Embellish It (Optional) 90 --
8 Share Your Model (Optional) 91 --
9 Save Your Final Model as a Printable File (Optional) 91 --
10 3D Print Your Head! 91 --
8 Plastics for 3D Printing 95 --
Polylactic Acid (PLA) 95 --
Polylactic Acid (Soft/Flexible PLA) 95 --
Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) 96 --
High Impact Polystyrene (HIPS) 96 --
Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) 96 --
High-density Polyethylene (HDPE) 97 --
Polycaprolactone PCL 97 --
Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVA) 97 --
9 Industrial Materials and Methods 99 --
Composites and Ceramics 99 --
Stereolithography (SLA) 100 --
Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) 100 --
Photopolymer Jetting 100 --
Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS) 101 --
Direct Metal Printing 101 --
Indirect Printing Methods 101 --
10 3D Printing Without a Printer 105 --
11 Service Providers 109 --
Upload Files and Order Prints 109 --
Staples (partnering with Mcor) 110 --
Makers Producing Parts Locally 110 --
Professional-Grade Services 111 --
Boutique 3DP Design and Printing 111 --
Part VI Finishing Techniques --
12 How to Dye Your 3D Prints 115 --
1 Gather Your Materials 116 --
2 Soak Your Pieces 116 --
13 Post-Processing Your Prints 121 --
Tools and Materials 122 --
Tricks of the Trade 123 --
Friction Welding Mismatched Surfaces 124 --
1 Prepare the Rotary Tool 124 --
2 Prepare Two Parts for Welding 124 --
3 Tack-Weld the Parts in Position 125 --
4 Plug Gaps with Filament 126 --
5 Friction Weld the Seam 127 --
Friction Welding to Repair a PLA Model 127 --
Riveting: Friction Welding Blind Rivets 129 --
Using Filament to Make Solid Rivets and Hinges 133 --
Gluing and Filling: Creating ABS Slurry for Filler and Glue 137 --
Sanding 3D-Printed Plastic Parts 138 --
14 Weathering Your Prints 141 --
2 Pick a Metallic Paint for Worn Edges 142 --
3 Start Drybrushing over the Piece 142 --
4 Add Bigger Scrapes and Chipped Areas 143 --
5 Add Dirt and Grunge 143 --
15 Promise of 3D Printing 147 --
16 3D Printed Gallery 149 --
3D Products Now on the Market 153 --
3D Printing in Medicine 156 --
Novel and Artistic Prints 159 --
18 Desert Manufacturer 167 --
18 How I Printed a Humanoid 169 --
DIY vs. Commercial 174 --
Part VIII Other Ways to Make 3D Objects --
20 Milling 3D Objects 179 --
Subtractive Equivalent of 3DP 179 --
What Do You Want to Make? 180 --
Plans Avaliable from Buildyourcnc.com 180 --
Linear Motion Systems 182 --
21 White Chocolate Skulls in PLA Trays 185 --
1 Print the Mold Maker on a 3D Printer 187 --
2 Mix and Pour the Smooth-Sil 940 188 --
4 Add Slits to the Mold 189 --
5 Extract the Soy Lecithin from the Softgels 190 --
6 Melt The Chocolate 190 --
Bamboo Steamer + Glass Bowl 191 --
Bamboo Steamer + Squeeze Bottle (Best Way) 191 --
7 Let the Chocolate Cool 191 --
8 Pour the Chocolate into the Mold 192 --
9 Put the Mold in the Refrigerator 192 --
10 While Waiting, Start Printing the Candy Trays 193 --
11 Carefully Demold the Chocolate 193 --
