10 Common 3D Printing Mistakes Beginners Make (and How to Fix Them)

Learning from Mistakes

Every 3D printer operator makes mistakes — it's part of the learning process. But some mistakes are so common that you can save yourself hours of frustration by learning about them upfront. Here are the ten most frequent mistakes we see from beginners at Forgely Roy, along with how to fix each one.

1. Skipping Bed Leveling

The most common mistake by far. A poorly leveled bed causes failed first layers, adhesion problems, and inconsistent print quality. Even printers with auto bed leveling need occasional manual calibration. Check your bed level before every print session until you're confident in your setup. The paper test (sliding a piece of paper between the nozzle and bed with slight drag) is a quick and reliable method.

2. Printing at the Wrong Temperature

Every filament has a recommended temperature range, and that range varies between brands. Printing too cold causes poor layer adhesion and under-extrusion. Printing too hot causes stringing, oozing, and poor overhangs. Always start with the manufacturer's recommended temperature and do a temperature tower test to find your filament's sweet spot.

3. Ignoring Supports

Beginners often skip supports to save time and material, then wonder why their prints have drooping overhangs and spaghetti bridges. The general rule: any overhang greater than 45 degrees from vertical needs support. Some geometries need supports at lower angles. When in doubt, add supports — you can always remove them.

4. Wrong Print Speed

Faster isn't always better. Printing too fast causes ringing (ghosting), poor layer adhesion, and dimensional inaccuracy. Start at the slicer's default speed and only increase it once you're getting consistently good results. For detailed prints, slow down. For functional parts, speed matters less than layer adhesion.

5. Not Using Adhesion Helpers

If your prints aren't sticking to the bed, don't keep restarting and hoping. Use a brim for small-footprint parts, a raft for warpy materials, or apply a thin layer of glue stick or hairspray to your build surface. Different bed surfaces work better with different materials — PEI for PLA, textured PEI or glue stick for PETG.

6. Printing with Wet Filament

Filament absorbs moisture from the air, and wet filament produces poor prints. If you hear popping or crackling during printing, see bubbles on the surface, or notice excessive stringing, your filament is wet. Dry it in a filament dryer or oven at the appropriate temperature. Store filament in sealed containers with desiccant.

7. Choosing the Wrong Infill

Beginners often default to high infill percentages, thinking stronger means more plastic. In reality, infill above 30% adds minimal strength while dramatically increasing print time and filament usage. For most prints, 15–20% infill with a good infill pattern (gyroid or cubic) is sufficient. If you need strength, increase wall count instead — more perimeters add more strength per gram than more infill.

8. Not Calibrating Extrusion

Your printer's extruder may not be pushing exactly the amount of filament your slicer thinks it is. Calibrating e-steps (the number of motor steps per millimeter of filament) ensures accurate extrusion. Over-extrusion causes blobs, zits, and rough surfaces. Under-extrusion causes gaps, weak layers, and rough textures. This is a one-time calibration that makes a permanent difference.

9. Using Low-Quality Filament

Cheap filament with inconsistent diameter causes inconsistent extrusion, clogs, and failed prints. The money you save on budget filament is lost to failed prints, wasted time, and frustration. Use quality filament from reputable manufacturers. At Forgely Roy, we manufacture our own filament with tight diameter tolerances — your prints will be more consistent from the first spool.

10. Not Maintaining the Printer

3D printers need regular maintenance. Belts stretch and need tightening. Nozzles wear and need replacement. Lubrication points dry out. Build surfaces wear down. A printer that worked perfectly three months ago may need attention. Clean your nozzle tip regularly, check belt tension monthly, lubricate lead screws, and replace worn components before they cause print failures.

The Shortcut to Better Prints

The fastest way to improve your prints is to focus on these fundamentals. Fancy upgrades and exotic filaments won't help if your bed isn't level and your filament is wet. Master the basics first, then experiment.

If you're stuck on any of these issues, bring your printer (or a sample print) to Forgely Roy in Roy, Utah. We diagnose problems daily and can often spot the issue in minutes. Walk-ins are welcome.

📍 Forgely Roy — 5519 S 1900 W, Roy, UT 84067
📞 385-449-2694
⏰ Mon–Fri 11–6 • Sat 11–3