3D printers are affordable enough that almost anyone can buy one, but should you? Before you dive in, here's what to consider—about materials, possible uses, software, and much more.

Despite Blender being complete overkill for this simple part, and the fact Blender isn’t well suited for designing mechanical parts anyway, a lot of people asked for a Blender tutorial.

But for free-form or sculpted 3D objects, Blender shines. By keeping in mind the above tips when making your models and checking with Blender’s tools before exporting, printing should go smoothly.

3D printers are affordable enough that almost anyone can buy one, but should you? Before you dive in, here's what to consider—about materials, possible uses, software, and much more.