So you finally got a 3D printer. You hit “Start,” and your first few prints look amazing—but four days later, your build plate looks like a bird’s nest exploded all over it.
Congratulations—you’re officially a maker.
Let’s walk through the most common beginner mistakes in 3D printing and how to fix them before your dreams melt into a pile of spaghetti.
1. Wet Filament
Don’t wash your filament.
Yeah, it sounds obvious—but this one’s sneaky. Your filament looks fine, but it’s quietly soaking up humidity from the air. When you hear a faint crackle or your prints look fuzzy or stringy, that’s moisture boiling out mid-print.
Fix it:
Dry your filament before printing. You can use a dedicated filament dryer, a cheap food dehydrator, or even a small dehumidifier in your maker space. Just don’t cook it in the oven—melted PLA lasagna isn’t on anyone’s menu.
2. Bad Bed Adhesion
If your prints are peeling off the plate, it’s probably not your printer—it’s your fingerprints. Oils from your hands can transfer to the build plate and ruin adhesion.
Fix it:
Clean your build plate with warm water, a little dish soap, and a lint-free cloth.
Also, don’t forget about that first-layer temperature—you want your plastic to hug the plate, not slide off like butter on hot pancakes.
3. Printing Too Fast
We’ve all been there—you spend hours designing your model, and you just want to see it now. But speeding through a print can cause ghosting, ringing, and even layer shifts that make your printer look like it had a seizure.
Fix it:
Slow down. Let your printer be the artist it’s meant to be, not a speedrunner trying to break a record.
Remember: precision beats speed every time.
4. Wrong Temperatures
Too hot and you get a stringy mess. Too cold and your layers won’t stick. Every filament brand and type has its own sweet spot.
Fix it:
Run a quick temperature tower test to find the right range for your material. Especially for large prints, a few minutes of testing can save hours of frustration.
Think of it like Goldilocks, but instead of porridge, you’re looking for that just right plastic.
5. Skipping Maintenance
You wouldn’t drive your car through mud for a week and skip the car wash, right? Same logic applies to your printer. Dust, filament bits, and gunk can build up and cause all kinds of print issues.
Fix it:
Keep your rails clean, your belts tight, and your nozzle clear.
Five minutes of maintenance can save you five hours of rage—or one expensive hot-end replacement.
3D printing isn’t always plug-and-play—it’s more like plug, tweak, and play. Every bad print teaches you something new (usually what not to do again).
So if this helped you save your print—or your sanity—hit Like and Subscribe to Maker Build It for more 3D printing and DIY tips.
And remember: failed prints aren’t wasted plastic—they’re your tuition for Maker University.
🧰 Gear Mentioned (Affiliate Links)
Filament Dryer - https://amzn.to/3WVcITx
Dehumidifier - https://amzn.to/3JiFB9a
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Lubricant for 3D Printers - https://amzn.to/4huWeLu
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Filament - https://amzn.to/4oE0EBR