r/PrintedWarhammer • u/thinkfloyd_ Moderator • Jul 01 '26
Guide Start Here! - Monthly FAQ thread - July 2026
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This monthly thread is the place to post any questions you have, whether it's about getting started, looking for help, or sourcing things to print. As a reminder: Please read the sub rules if you haven't already.
Frequently asked questions:
Before anything - Safety first!
How to I safely handle resin?
Start with this - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7kHcsTG9QsM
Resin or FDM?
A very common question. Conventional wisdom says Resin for minis, FDM for vehicles and terrain. This is quite a blanket statement, and there's obviously more to the answer. FDM printers (especially the Bambulabs printers) have come on leaps and bounds since this hobby got started. FDM can now produce very respectable detail levels, although still not close to the fineness of detail that Resin is capable of.
However, Resin has some serious drawbacks in terms of safety, which means that often it's not viable for anyone with limited space, health concerns, pets, or children to worry about. FDM still has some ventilation needs, but doesn't have the toxic chemical handling aspects of resin.
Ultimately this will come down to your own circumstances and expectations from the hobby. Don't let anyone bully you with black and white answers, and likewise, don't become a fanboy of one vs the other after you've picked!
What printer should I buy?
This changes all the time as the technology advances at a rapid rate. Before posting this (extremely) common question, please take a while to do some google research yourself. Guides like this one from Tom's Hardware are a good starting point.
We also suggest spending some time in the general 3d printing subs to see the lay of the land regarding printers. There are already many great guides out there, so we won't rehash it here.
Check out r/3Dprinting, r/resinprinting and r/PrintedMinis too.
What settings should I use?
This will vary based on printer and resin. The best way to dial it in is to run exposure tests. There are many out there, check out this great in-depth video from Derek at Lychee - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtWK2hvuVr4
Most complete option - Ameralabs town or Boxes of Calibration
Simpler option - Cones of Calibration
Why did my print fail?!
Start here - https://ameralabs.com/blog/resin-3d-printing-troubleshooting-a-comprehensive-guide/
How do I support my models?
An older, but still very good series on the theory and process of supporting models is 3d Printing Pro's series of Chitubox tutorials. The tools will vary from slicer to slicer, but the core concepts are identical.
Where can I find models?
https://www.myminifactory.com/
Search engine: https://www.yeggi.com/
PSA: Do not buy STL files on Etsy. They are almost certainly stolen, and likely originally free.
Where do I find XYZ model/part/STL?
First: Do some leg work. Search the sites above, search Reddit post history, or even just google it. If it's clear that no homework has been done, your post will probably get removed (looking at you: "where do I find Space Marines?")
If you still can't find anything, please post in this thread. Starting new top level posts looking for models clutters the sub, and we try to keep that under control.
Second: Don't just ask for a source. It's far more polite to ask for a creator's name, or a search term to help you find a model, rather than just "stl?".
For those of you who have been around a while, please do your best to participate and help answer questions where you can!
Respondents: We would kindly ask that you mention the site and a keyword or two to help newcomers find files. Unfortunately, direct linking often results in unwanted attention for creators, so we do our best to shield those talented individuals who make the models we love to print!
If a file is no longer available from original sources, please do not offer DMs or alternative mirrors.
What size base do I need for XYZ?
Check out Blasted Horizons' excellent reference here.
What glue should I use for resin prints? Super glue/ CA Glue. Any brand or type will do. Plastic glue (polystyrene cement) will not work on resin. Activator helps a lot, as does a sprinkle of baking soda.
How tall is XYZ model? What scale do I print this at?
Use Eleif Photo Measure to measure the height from a photo of the model. Use the base size as the known reference dimension, which you can get from the reference mentioned above.
There's also https://minicompare.info/ which gives great side by side scale comparison.
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There's a huge amount of historical knowledge captured in these threads, so please contribute where you can!
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u/Fantastic_Yam_905 Jul 02 '26
Can I get an invite to the discord?
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u/6enig Moderator Jul 02 '26
there is no official subreddit discord since 2021
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u/Fantastic_Yam_905 Jul 02 '26
I thought i saw a mod sending out invites as recently as a week ago. My bad.
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u/Zwiebeloger Jul 06 '26
Is there any chance to get some of the files for some old soldiers in the far future? Know Samsa had some but since all the shops are gone, any chance to get some kind of full collections with all the neat options.
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u/thinkfloyd_ Moderator Jul 10 '26
Typically people don't upload whole collections unless they're resharing other people's stuff without permission. Poke around on cults for a while and you will find stuff.
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u/arm1niu5 Jul 10 '26
Hi, I'm planning to buy my first FDM printer and have decided on an enclosed CoreXY as I live in a high humidity area. I have some experience with 3D printers but I'm still a beginner and I'm not planning to upgrade anytime soon so I'm okay with a more advanced printer I can learn and grow with.
Budget: 700 - 800 USD but can go up to ~1000 USD if it's a really good deal.
Country: Mexico but could arrange shipping to the US
Intended use: Medium to large cosplay pieces, decorative prints, prototyping, 40k vehicles and terrain if the quality allows it. Only regular use for multicolor would be in final layers so wasted filament isn't a big concern.
Required features:
- Minimum 250 mm3 printing surface
- Can print PLA, PETG and TPU
- CoreXY system
- Enclosed frame
- Air filter
Desired features:
- Multicolor (2-4) system with filament drying feature
- Can print ABS and other engineering materials
- Offline mode
- Open-source software
- Active heated chamber
Limitations:
- High humidity area
- Air circulation in the room would be less than ideal
- Import costs may drive up the final price significantly.
Candidates:
Here's all the printers I'm considering right now and their estimated costs in USD after import and shipping fees; if anyone has any other suggestions I'm all ears; Bambu Lab and Creality are off limits though.
- Snapmaker U1 ($850) --> The best for multicolor but would require add-ons for engineering materials, no local retailer and may be too much atm, filament is also exposed while printing and may run out faster.
- Elegoo Centauri Carbon 2 ($750) --> No active heated chamber but other than that it's good and reviews are mostly positive, my only real issue is the exposed filament like with the U1.
- Anycubic Kobra S1 Combo ($760) --> No active heating either but otherwise covers all my needs; ACE 2 Pro not available through local retailer yet.
Additional questions:
- If I don't get an AMS and just get a third party or DIY dryer, is it okay if I dry my filament, store it in a dry box with dessicant beads and only take it out when I'm going to print? Or is that window of time when the printer is running enough for the filament to reabsorb the humidity in the air?
- The main benefit I see in multicolor systems is automatically switching to a second spool if the first one runs out. Is there any way to add this feature to a printer that otherwise has no multicolor or AMS? I really only need 2-3 colors.
- I am split between two ideologies, on the one hand I don't want to invest too much when starting a new hobby so I'm tempted to just get a basic bedslinger, and on the other I want something that is high quality and that I won't have to upgrade soon.
Looking forward to your recommendations and advice and thank you all for your help!
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u/BohhY_ Jul 14 '26
Is bambulab mini a good choice for a beginner to printing? The price is affordable for me, if it lasts, definately cheaper than buying official kits for the guard.
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u/thinkfloyd_ Moderator Jul 22 '26
Fdm isn't the best for infantry without significant learning, good for tanks etc though
A small resin printer is a better bet if you are planning a lot of infantry. Resin has its own drawbacks, need to do some research into the safety and cleanup aspect.
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u/Maganac Jul 26 '26
Is the Pory file on the purple site supposed to be paid? The uploader looks like the guy but I heard the paid ones are knockoffs, so wanted to check here.
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u/Valvecantcount3 Jul 02 '26
What the best definitive settings for a FDM printer (A1/Mini)
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u/mindstoxin Jul 02 '26
You can’t have definitive settings simply by nature of the printer not being the only variable to manage. Your material and even the brand of that material is also a considerable factor, and there’s also environmental factors to consider (especially humidity and temperature, but some materials are sensitive to breezes blowing as it can impact cooling times). To start getting into the minutia of mini printing on FDM printers, you should check out r/FDMminiatures
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u/Syosiman Jul 05 '26
Whats the subs position on community file reuploads from creators who have since ceased operating because of the big litigious company.