Sourcing Models to 3D Print
Getting into 3D printing can be intimidating, most people assume you have to be good at designing models. In reality, there are plenty of object and projects you can find online for free (with some restrictions, but we’ll talk through at the end of this post).
Once you have a 3d printer, it’s exhilarating to start playing with it right away and printing out objects. Just like learning a musical instrument, the fastest way to start practicing and producing quality work is to “cover” someone else project. Day 2 of Cassarony’s 12 Days of Printmas will focus on resource we like to use to find projects to build while we have down time, or to find inspiration.
These are our top four favorite places to get models (and a shameless plug of our own website for a free ornament download at the end).
Thingiverse is more than just a website to download models from. As a user, you also have the ability to share photos of your prints and upload your own models for everyone to see and download.
Check out the education tab to find all kinds of projects for classroom use. These aren’t just engineering projects, there are a ton of math, science, history projects, and more.
Like Thingiverse, you can download other’s designs and then share photos of your makes as well as upload your own designs.
Youmagine is less “social” than Thingiverse, but has great projects hidden throughout the website. Check out collections to find relevant groups of models, like printer parts, D&D, and home upgrades.
This is *probably* the coolest resource on this list, NASA provides models for everything. You can find actual design files used to create ships, satellites, moon landing terrain, and mars landing terrain.
Not everyone can be an astronaut, but anyone can have their own Shuttle.
We first found 3D Brooklyn on Instagram sharing their wall cleat which goes with their wall planter, their wall hook, their bottle opener, and more- allowing you to hang almost anything you want from your wall.
They also make models for History’s Vikings for you to download and print. Find the best of both worlds here with plenty of functional items and cosplay items!
What can you do with the models you find online?
Pay close attention to the licensing on different models and make sure you abide by the different restrictions creators place on their uploads. The different licenses can be deciphered on Creative Commons.
The four most common licenses are Attribution, NonCommercial, ShareAlike, and No additional restrictions.
With Attribution, you have to give credit to the creator and disclose any edits.
NonCommercial means you can’t make money off of someone else’s design.
ShareAlike requires you to share your work with the same license as the original if you choose to remix.
No additional restrictions restrains you from adding any additional legal terms.
Wrap Up
You can find models to download on a variety of websites. Be respectful of the creator’s licensing when printing and displaying. When in doubt, ask!
Sign up for our e-mail list to download our Christmas Tree Ornament .stl!
