The First 5 Things I Printed After Getting My 3D Printer (And What I’d Skip Now)

The Critical Learning Curve of Your First 3D Prints

The moment the unboxing is finished and the initial calibration is complete, a new 3D printer owner is faced with a vast universe of digital designs. This initial phase is not merely about consuming plastic; it is about establishing a foundation of skills, understanding material behaviors, and learning the nuances of slicer settings. We look back at the first few days of ownership not just with nostalgia, but with the critical eye of experience. The goal of this comprehensive guide is to navigate the crucial first hours of printing. We will analyze the specific prints that accelerate your learning curve and identify the common “benchy” style projects that ultimately waste time and filament.

For those managing complex software environments or mobile device optimizations, the workflow parallels we find in 3D printing are fascinating. Just as a user might visit the Magisk Module Repository to refine their system capabilities, a 3D printer user must curate their initial G-code library to refine their mechanical skills.

We have curated this list based on thousands of hours of printing data and user feedback. The projects we recommend are designed to provide immediate, actionable feedback on your machine’s performance. Conversely, the projects we advise skipping are often viral trends that teach bad habits or yield low-utility objects.

The Essential Prints: Building Muscle Memory and Machine Knowledge

When we start a new machine, we need prints that act as diagnostics. A successful print here isn’t just about aesthetics; it is about dimensional accuracy and mechanical function.

The Y-Orientation Calibration Cube

While the standard “XYZ Calibration Cube” is ubiquitous, we strongly advocate for printing a specific variation: the Y-Orientation Calibration Cube. This is a solid 20mm x 20mm x 20mm cube printed on its corner, standing on a single vertex.

Why We Skip the Flat Cube

Printing a standard cube flat on the bed primarily tests your first layer adhesion and your Z-offset. It is a passive test. It tells you if the printer can lay down plastic, but it does not challenge the machine’s ability to manage overhangs or bridging without support structures.

The Value of the Vertex Print

By printing on a vertex, we force the machine to continuously adjust cooling and retraction settings. The top point of the cube represents a “perfect” peak, which requires precise extrusion control. If your retraction is too low, you will see heavy stringing at the apex. If your cooling is insufficient, the tip will curl and deform. This single print validates your flow rate, retraction distance, and part cooling fan efficiency in one go.

The Multi-Part Tolerance Test

One of the most common frustrations for beginners is discovering that parts meant to fit together simply do not. We address this immediately with a multi-part tolerance test. We are not referring to a massive assembly, but rather a small, standardized test block.

Understanding the “Tolerance Gauge”

We recommend printing a model that includes several slots with varying clearances (e.g., 0.1mm, 0.2mm, 0.3mm, 0.4mm). The goal is to see which “peg” fits snugly but slides freely.

The Hidden Benefits of Tolerance Prints

This print serves a dual purpose. First, it teaches you about horizontal expansion (or “xy hole compensation” in some slicers). If your printer is over-extruding, even the 0.4mm slot will be too tight. Second, it forces you to learn how to remove prints from the bed without breaking them. A tolerance test often requires a gentle hand or a small mallet, teaching you the physical limits of PLA and PETG.

The Filament Spool Leader

It seems counterintuitive to print a tool that helps you print more, but we consider the Filament Spool Leader (or guide) an essential first project.

Why Friction is the Enemy

Filament binds, snaps, and grinds if it encounters too much friction as it feeds into the extruder. Many stock printers have sharp edges on their filament entry points.

The Precision of a Proper Guide

A well-printed filament guide with a 608 bearing teaches you about dimensional tolerance (see the section above). It also solves a genuine mechanical problem. We have seen users dismantle their extruders looking for clogs, only to realize their filament spool was simply catching on the frame. A simple printed guide eliminates this variable, ensuring that your extruder motor is only fighting the resistance of the nozzle, not the spool itself.

The Modular Drawer System (Parametric Design)

We move from calibration to utility with a modular drawer system. This is often a parametric design where you input the dimensions you want, and the slicer generates the box and matching lid.

Learning “Slicer Magic”

Printing a drawer system introduces you to the concept of parametric design. You learn that you don’t just download static files; you can adjust variables to fit your specific needs.

Perfecting Wall Thickness and Top Layers

A drawer needs to be strong. Printing a drawer forces you to increase wall count (perimeters) and top/bottom layers. If you print a drawer with the default 2 walls and 3 top layers, it will crumble under light use. This project teaches you to prioritize strength over speed, a pivotal mindset shift for a maker. We also learn about tolerance here—print a drawer and lid with zero clearance, and the lid will never fit; print it with 0.3mm clearance, and it will rattle.

The Customized Phone Stand

The final “essential” print is a customized phone stand. We emphasize “customized” because it forces you to use a CAD program like Tinkercad or Fusion 360.

Why Generic Stands are Insufficient

A generic stand found on a repository fits no one perfectly. The charging port might be blocked, or the angle might be too steep.

The “First CAD Victory”

By measuring your phone’s width and the thickness of your case, you can design a stand in minutes. This first successful CAD model creates a massive dopamine hit. It transforms the printer from a toy into a manufacturing tool. We see this as the moment a user becomes a “maker.” The geometry is usually simple: a chamfered slot and a back support. But the act of creating a file, slicing it, and holding a physical object you designed from scratch is the ultimate “first print” milestone.

The “Skip” List: Projects We Regret Printing

Just as important as what to print is what not to print. The internet is flooded with 3D models that look cool but offer zero educational value or utility. These projects are “filament eaters” that clog up your printer with low-quality tasks.

The “Benchy” Obsession (Stop After One)

We are going to say it: Stop printing the Benchy after you have calibrated your extruder steps.

The Problem with the Benchmark Boat

The 3DBenchy is a benchmark tool, not a decoration. It is designed to highlight flaws in a printer. However, it consumes a significant amount of filament (approx. 13g) and takes over an hour and a half to print on a standard speed machine.

What We Do Instead

We see beginners printing a dozen Benchy boats in different colors. This teaches you nothing new after the first one. If you have a flaw, fix the setting, print one more Benchy to verify, and move on. Printing a fleet of Benchies is a waste of a perfectly good printer. Use that time to print tools that make your next prints better.

The Infinite Flexi-Reptile (The Stringing Trap)

The “Flexi-Rex” or other articulated animals are incredibly popular. They look cool and are satisfying to play with. However, we advise skipping these for your first week.

Why They Are Deceptively Difficult

Articulated prints require absolutely perfect retraction settings and minimum travel distance. If your retraction is even slightly off, every single joint in the model will be fused together with micro-strands of plastic (stringing). You will spend more time trying to pry the joints apart with pliers than you did printing the model.

The Hidden Filament Waste

When these prints fail—and they often do at the 80% mark due to a single hairline string bridging a joint—you are left with a failed, tangled mess. We believe your time is better spent dialing in your temperature tower and retraction tower before attempting these complex geometry puzzles.

Massive Vases (The Speed and Quality Compromise)

Printing a tall, single-wall vase (vase mode) is tempting because it looks impressive. However, we skip these early on for two reasons.

The Z-Seam Disappointment

On a tall, smooth vase, the Z-seam (the blob where the printer moves up a layer) is highly visible. It looks like a vertical scar running up the print. Beginners often blame the printer, but it is a fundamental limitation of FDM printing. Fixing it requires advanced settings like “Smart Z-seam” or “Random,” which often results in a pockmarked surface.

Structural Instability

Vases printed in vase mode use only one wall perimeter. This makes them incredibly weak. A slight squeeze will crush a vase printed in PLA. It teaches you nothing about structural integrity. If you want to print something tall, print a test tower with 3 walls so you can actually assess layer adhesion and verticality.

Overnight “Hero” Prints (The Risk Management Failure)

We define an “Overnight Hero” print as a massive project (like a helmet or a cosplay prop) that you start right before bed, hoping to wake up to a finished masterpiece.

The Wake-Up Call

The reality of 3D printing is that a 30-hour print can fail at hour 29 due to a power flicker, a nozzle clog, or bed adhesion failure. Waking up to a pile of spaghetti is demoralizing.

The “Insurance Policy” Strategy

We advise never starting a print you cannot monitor, especially in the first month. Use this time to print small, high-impact calibrations. If you absolutely must print a large object, slice it with spaghetti detection (if your printer supports it) or use external monitoring like OctoPrint with a camera. But skipping the “hero” prints prevents the heartbreaking filament waste that discourages new users.

“Proof of Concept” Mechanical Gears

It is tempting to print a set of interlocking gears to prove the printer’s precision. We advise skipping this.

The Backlash and Meshing Problem

Most STL files for gears do not account for the thermal expansion of plastic or the necessary backlash clearance. Plastic gears printed on an FDM printer will grind against each other unless the files are specifically designed for the printer’s tolerance.

The Better Alternative

Instead of printing decorative gears, print a calibration cube or a tolerance test. If those fit, then you can graduate to gears. Printing gears too early usually results in a loud, grinding, non-functional assembly that jams the moment you apply torque.

Optimizing Your Workflow: The “Magisk” Approach to 3D Printing

We approach 3D printing with the same philosophy we apply to system optimization, similar to the users who utilize the Magisk Module Repository. You want a lean, efficient system where every module—or in this case, every print—serves a specific, optimized purpose.

Slicer Settings to Lock In Early

To support the prints we recommend, we must lock in specific slicer settings. Do not rely on “standard” profiles.

1. First Layer Height: Set this to 0.28mm. It provides a thicker extrusion that compensates for minor bed leveling imperfections.
2. Flow Rate (Extrusion Multiplier): Print a hollow cube (no top, no infill) with a single wall. Measure the wall thickness with calipers. If it’s 0.45mm when you set it to 0.4mm, reduce your flow rate.
3. Retraction: For the Y-Orientation Cube, start with 5mm retraction at 45mm/s. If you see stringing, increase distance. If you see blobs, decrease distance.

Material Selection for Learning

We strongly recommend starting with PLA. Do not start with ABS, ASA, or Nylon.

• PLA (Polylactic Acid): It has minimal shrinkage, requires lower temperatures, and produces no harmful fumes. It allows you to focus on geometry and settings without fighting the material’s chemical properties.
• PETG: Only graduate to this once you have mastered PLA. It is stronger but stringy and requires higher temperatures.

Conclusion: The Path to 3D Printing Mastery

The first five things you print should act as a diagnostic suite and a toolkit. By choosing the Y-Orientation Calibration Cube, Multi-Part Tolerance Test, Filament Spool Leader, Modular Drawer System, and Customized Phone Stand, you are investing in your skills. You are learning to calibrate, to fit, to manage friction, to design, and to build robust parts.

By skipping the Benchy fleet, Flexi-Reptiles, Massive Vases, Overnight Heroes, and Proof-of-Concept Gears, you are saving your filament, your time, and your sanity. You are avoiding the frustration of failed complex geometry and the disappointment of low-utility trinkets.

We view 3D printing as a discipline of precision. Every gram of filament wasted is a missed opportunity to refine a setting. Every hour spent watching a print that teaches you nothing is time better spent learning CAD. Start with utility and calibration, and the “cool” prints will eventually come out perfectly on the first try. That is the goal of the efficient maker.