If you’re a person who loves their tech gadgets you’ve probably watched as 3D printers have been developed and become more and more easy to own in the past years. As a tech lover, you’ve probably even thought about buying a 3D printer of your very own.
The hard part is trying to justify buying one to yourself (or maybe to your spouse) because you might not be sure what you’ll actually be able to do with it. That’s where you’re in luck. There are a whole host of reasons that would make owning a 3D printer a great idea.
Depending on the style of 3D printer you decide to buy, the price can be as low as around $200 dollars or range upwards of several thousand dollars. If you stick to the fused filament style printers you’ll be able to find one that is more budget friendly than any other option, while still having a whole new world of 3D printing technology at your fingertips.
If you’re looking for an excuse, a justification, or just a great idea to get started on 3D printing you’re in the right place. Here are five reasons why you really do need a 3D Printer.
1. They’re Just Really Awesome (And Really Fun)
Is there really a better reason to buy a 3D printer than to just have fun with this amazing technology? Sometimes having a tech item that you just really enjoy is a great thing. It’s okay if you don’t have a serious reason to own a 3D printer right now, it can be about just having a good time with it too.
There’s a lot you can do with a 3D printer and having fun while you’re trying out different designs, figuring out CAD, or testing out different filament types are all valid reasons to make the plunge and buy your own 3D printer. You’re allowed to have fun with your technology sometimes, and 3D printing is definitely a way you can do that.
2. You Can Print Instead Of Buy
Do you like to switch out your phone case a lot? Or maybe you really enjoy your options when it comes to having crazy but cool looking fidget spinners. Whatever it is you find yourself buying a lot of, there’s a high probability you’ll find a design that lets you print the item instead of buying it.
That means after your initial purchase of the printer and the filaments you’ll be able to start saving some money. Filaments can come in huge spools and last quite a long time. The pricing has dropped dramatically in the past few years for supplies related to 3D printing so the more you find to print on your own, the more money you can potentially save.
Why buy things like rings for your shower curtain when you can print highly customized and unique ones on your own? You’ll find a lot of things you can start printing on your own instead of buying at the store. Yes, you’ll be saving money but you’ll also be gaining some pretty cool bragging rights when people ask where you got something.
Being able to say you printed something your friends think is cool yourself has a cache that really can’t be matched. It’s a 3 prong benefit. Save some money, enjoy printing something that’s customized specifically to you, and enjoy the bragging rights that come with it.
3. You Can Mix Some Learning In With Your Fun
It’s like those cookbooks that sneak vegetables into foods kids won’t complain about eating. It works because no one is focused on the part that they won’t like. If you look at “learning” as a chore then you can’t enjoy it as much. But with 3D printers, you can learn while you’re focused on the idea that you’re just having some fun.
3D printers require designs that tell the printer what to make. This means you’ll eventually want to learn how to make your own designs (or adjust the ones you find online for your own purposes) so you’ll end up getting pretty familiar with CAD. Since you’re creating digital designs you’ll be learning about all kinds of things related to designing something on your computer.
You’ll even be able to say you’re building or working on your math skills (you’ll need to know specific measurements for custom items) and learning about some light coding too. CAD takes a lot of effort to really understand. There are awesome tutorials online that you can use to continue developing your skills. You’ll be learning and having fun before you know it.
4. Need Something In A Pinch?
You can print something a lot faster than you’ll be able to order it. That means if you need a new door handle, or even a tool you don’t have, and you need it now, you can print it. You’re really only limited by your imagination when it comes to things you can print. The technology has been around so long now that if you can think of something, there’s probably a way to print it.
Tools, door handles, screws, even things like a hairbrush can all be printed. If you find out you’re having guests and need some new plates or cups, you can print those too. You probably get the idea here.
If you need something quickly, and you can’t get it delivered in time, you can print it instead. It will be ready to use before you know it, and you’ll still be able to tell people you printed it yourself. If you really want to kick things up a notch when it comes to printing instead of ordering, you can start printing your own unique gifts to give to someone on their next birthday.
5. You Could Make It A Really Cool Side Hustle
People who aren’t as tech savvy as you are still really excited when they see something has been 3D printed. The idea itself still feels unique and futuristic no matter how ubiquitous it has become in reality. That means you have a chance to print things and sell them to highly interested buyers who just don’t want to own their own 3D printer.
The more you can learn about CAD, making your own designs, or adjusting designs that are available for free online, the more specialized your items can be. You can print jewelry, fun puzzles to solve, planters, or even something like customized bobblehead figures. Find a niche you feel especially excited about and go for it.
If printing things for others to buy isn’t your thing, then you can also think about offering your 3D printer as a service to others. They may not want to own a 3D printer but maybe they want to print an item or two for whatever reason. Your printer can be a service you offer as a side gig to earn a little extra money. Don’t be afraid to make a little extra money with your fun new toy.
Conclusion:
Owning a 3D printer will be incredibly awesome. There are thousands upon thousands of designs out there for you to test out. Filaments have become so advanced you can buy specialized types infused with things like wood or cement to make your 3D printed items look even more like the real deal.
Now that you’re aware of all the benefits there are to owning a 3D printer you don’t have to restrain yourself any longer. Go out and get the printer you’ve been looking at and enjoy everything that goes along with owning it. You’ll be glad you did.
