Nozzle School

Nozzle School · learn 3D printing

Learn 3D printing by watching the machine work.

N 210/210B 60/60Z 22.40 52%

layer 112/225 · z 22.40 mm · 210 °C · bed 60 °C

  • Drag scrub layers
  • Space print / pause
  • ← → one layer (Shift: ten)
  • Home cold start
  • End finished part
A 0.4 mm nozzle at 210 °C lays PLA lines 0.45 mm wide on a 60 °C bed; when a layer is done the lead screws lift the gantry 0.2 mm and the next one begins, 225 times for this 45 mm tower, about 115 minutes in all.

Most 3D printing guides are walls of settings. They tell you to change a number but not what that number does inside the machine, so when a print fails you are left guessing. Nozzle School starts with the machine itself: what each part does, and what goes wrong when it doesn't.

Every guide is written for beginners, in plain English, with settings given as a range and a reason. Where a part moves, there is a live drawing you can turn, press and read, so you can see the idea before you try it on your own printer.

Almost every beginner printer works this way. A thread of plastic is pushed into a hot nozzle, melts, and is drawn onto the bed one thin layer at a time, a fifth of a millimetre thick. Learn what each part of that path does and most failed prints stop being a mystery.

Start here

Read these in order. Each one builds on the last, the way layers build on a print.

  1. 013D Printing for Beginners: The Complete Guide. Everything you need to start 3D printing: how printers work, choosing your first one, setup, slicing, first prints and the mistakes to avoid.
  2. 02How to Level a 3D Printer Bed: Manual and Auto, Step by Step. How to level a 3D printer bed by hand with the paper test, how auto bed leveling and mesh compensation work, and what to do when it still fails.
  3. 03Parts of a 3D Printer: Every FDM Component Explained. What every part of an FDM 3D printer does, from extruder and hotend to stepper motors and the build plate, and what goes wrong when one fails.
  4. 04What Is Z Offset? How to Set It for a Perfect First Layer. What Z offset is, why it decides whether your first layer sticks, and how to set it on any printer with live adjustment, menus and test prints.
  5. 05PLA vs PETG: Which Filament Should You Use?. Coming 25 Oct.
  6. 06How to Use a Slicer: Your First 3D Print, Step by Step. Coming 27 Oct.
  7. 07How to use a slicer: your first print step by step. Coming soon.
  8. 08How to Fix 3D Print Stringing: Every Cause, Every Fix. Why 3D prints get stringy and how to fix it step by step: drying filament, temperature, retraction, travel moves and hardware, with slicer settings.
  9. 09First Layer Not Sticking? How to Fix Bed Adhesion. Coming 19 Oct.
  10. 10Why Is My 3D Printer Extruder Clicking? Causes and Fixes. Coming 20 Oct.
  11. 11How to Unclog a 3D Printer Nozzle: 6 Methods That Work. Coming 21 Oct.
  12. 12How to Fix 3D Print Warping: Why Corners Lift and How to Stop It. Coming 22 Oct.
  13. 13What Is Retraction in 3D Printing? Settings Explained. Coming 24 Oct.
  14. 14Under-Extrusion: Causes and Fixes for Gaps and Thin Layers. Coming 26 Oct.
  15. 15Elephant's Foot in 3D Printing: Causes and Fixes. Coming 28 Oct.
  16. 16Bowden vs Direct Drive Extruders: Which Is Better for You?. Coming 29 Oct.
  17. 17Layer Shifting in 3D Prints: Why It Happens and How to Fix It. Coming 30 Oct.
  18. 18How to calibrate a 3D printer. Coming soon.

Guides

Step-by-step guides that take you from unboxing to confident printing.

Troubleshooting

Diagnose and fix common print problems: stringing, warping, adhesion and more.

  • How to Fix 3D Print Stringing: Every Cause, Every Fix

    Troubleshooting · Getting better · 13 min read

    Why 3D prints get stringy and how to fix it step by step: drying filament, temperature, retraction, travel moves and hardware, with slicer settings.

Reviews

Hands-on reviews of beginner printers, filament and upgrades. We only score what we have printed with ourselves.

Our first hands-on reviews are being tested now.

Questions

Which printer should I buy first?

An FDM printer from an established brand with automatic bed leveling, a direct drive extruder and a flexible PEI plate. Reliability and good default settings matter more than top speed. The beginner guide explains each of these.

Is 3D printing hard to learn?

Most people get a good first print in an afternoon with a modern printer and its test file. Fixing problems takes longer, which is why every guide here starts with what the part of the machine is doing.

Which filament should I start with?

PLA. It prints at low temperatures, barely warps and hardly smells. Move on to PETG or TPU once your prints come out clean.

Is it safe to print at home?

Yes, with care. Use a ventilated room, keep fingers away from the hot nozzle and bed, watch the first layer and the first few long prints, and keep a smoke detector nearby. Resin printing needs gloves and more ventilation.

How does Nozzle School make money?

Some links are affiliate links: if you buy through one, the shop may pay us a commission at no extra cost to you. It never changes what we recommend.