6 Best 3D Printed Gifts You Can Download and 3D Print
One of the best things about having access to a 3D printer is that you don’t have to worry a lot about giving boring gifts to people. As long as your imagination works fine, you have everything you need to create unique gifts which are not mass-produced in a factory with no emotions involved in the process. If your creativity is not flowing as you want, this article will help you start thinking in the right direction.
What Are the Gifts That You Can Make With a 3D Printer?
1. Movie or Book Props
Everyone has a list of movies or books they are huge fans of. Films and books have a lot of properties or props that drive the narrative forward, like the rings shown in the Lord Of The Rings, lightsabers from Star Wars, Wands from Harry Potter, or Mjolnir from the MCU. Everyone who enjoys content produced under these banners would have some favorites and have at least thought once about having one of these props in their closet. Here are some designs you can print out as gifts for the people you care about:
Kylo Ren’s Lightsaber
Kylo Ren might be one of the most poorly executed characters in Disney’s take on Star Wars movies, despite this character's potential. However, there is no denying when it comes to the fact that his lightsaber is one of the most iconic lightsabers of all time. There is little to no possibility for a Star Wars fan to exist and not want to hold Kylo Ren’s lightsaber at least once in their lifetime. The design created by CaseStudyno8 on Thingiverse is one of the most popular 3D models of Kylo Ren’s Lightsaber. This model has been 3D printed 118 times and remixed 5 times.‘
The Elder Wand
Is a person even a fan of J.K. Rowling’s works if they haven’t felt like owning the legendary Elder Wand? It is one of the most sought-after artifacts in the wizarding world that was created by J.K. Rowling for the immense power it holds as one of the Deathly Hallows. The 3D model by jakereeves on Thingiverse is one of the most popular options if you are looking for designs.
Kunai From Naruto
Which cosplay is complete without all the right props? If someone you care about is a cosplayer and they are playing a character from the Naruto series, imagine how happy they would be if you get them a 3D model of a Kunai featured in the show. This model by cyandesigns on Thingiverse is a great choice.
2. Action Figures and Still Models
Nothing compares to character models and action figures based on popular culture content. There are thousands of characters from movies, books, video games, and several other branches of popular culture that you can 3D print, like this model of Master Chief from Halo, created by powellthepog for Thingiverse. This model is very popular, with over 1200 downloads.
3. Jewelry And Accessories
Many like enhancing their looks with accessories and jewelry. Why limit yourselves to designs created by others when you can come up with tons of unique designs or get inspired by thousands of designs you can find on 3D model-sharing platforms like Thingiverse or MyMiniFactory?
Here are some great designs you could take inspiration from or remix to make your designs.
Pendants
The advantage of a good pendant is that it is all you need to enhance your look, turn heads, and put yourself in the spotlight. You might not be able to 3D print a diamond or other precious stones, but you can come up with a design that is priceless in terms of artistic value, and that could eventually be worth millions of dollars. For a little creative push, check out this lucky fox pendant designed by Nys1 on Thingiverse. Another great option is this Tiki Head Pendant by Whystler, also on Thingiverse.
Earrings
Customized earrings have always been a great hit in novelty stores or gift shops. Imagine saving time by 3D printing earrings instead of molding or making them. You could also create designs that are not easy to mold or make by hand. Check out these Flexi Earrings on Cults3D or these drop earrings on Thingiverse.
4. Brooches
A brooch is another simple way to make a fashion statement. With a good brooch, you can enhance the look of your suit and look like a million dollars, and why spend thousands of dollars to buy one if you could just 3D print one that would look just as good at half or even a quarter of the price? You could print out bold designs that many mainstream creators of brooches would design. You could quite literally turn anything into a clip with the right design skills and access to a 3D printer and maybe some paint.
Consider this Viking brooch on Thingiverse; this is a great option for 3D printing. The 11th-century Ringerike Disk from Gotland, Sweden, served as the inspiration for this brooch. There is a version that has a base and prints without support available.
5. Boardgames
Who does not like a good board game? Whether as a rainy day activity or a fun way to spend time with friends and family, board games have long been a staple of many homes. Board games have gone beyond the ordinary, and new variations are becoming increasingly popular. Of course, Monopoly and Scrabble are still in almost every home. You can utilize 3D printing to make board game storage, dice towers, and game components for replacement, customization, and original inserts in addition to making your board games. Board games can be 3D printed using both resin and FDM printers.
FDM printers are better suited for larger sets that must be printed in separate pieces and then combined. They also function well as set pieces and other less intricate board game elements. Have you ever wondered why creating your board games, pieces, and board game accessories in 3D is so amazing? Not only can you personalize your things and collection, but you can also create your entertainment for a lot less money than you would pay at a store.
Here are some of the most favorite board games that can be 3D printed and gifted:
Dungeons And Dragons
How can you not adore Dungeons and Dragons? A primordial part of us that yearns for more than what our daily lives can provide is stoked when we create characters to explore fantasy worlds. The popularity of role-playing games stems from their capacity to go into the depths of our imaginations, enabling us to create settings and situations according to our whims without needing the kind of education or expertise our favorite authors frequently require.
Dungeons and Dragons have defined rules, but personalization and self-expression are still very much the name of the game because there are so many ways to enhance D&D with 3D printing. You may give new life to your characters and their adventures by 3D printing your own D&D figurines and sets. This combines the fun of playing with toys as a child with the intriguing tales you create using your dice. There are over fifty pages of related content on Thingiverse alone. There are dices, point counters, spell counters, and character models, all for you to download and customize.
Mini Chess
You may use Daniel Beaver's Minichess set from Cults as an illustration. Modern chess has become incredibly standardized. Due to the development of chess software, opening databases, and the proliferation of grandmasters, the game has lost much of its unadulterated roughness and ruthless enjoyment. Printing the board and parts for this build is not extremely challenging. They are made to be magnetized using tiny magnets and have a storage tray with a magnetic clasp.
6. Home Decor
One of the most simple applications for a 3D printer can be home decor. There are many specific items that even entry-level machines can easily produce, such as vases and planters, so give your loved one's home some vibrant color! Yet, as the geometry of these models tends to be less intricate and demanding, this is also a category where you can experiment with unique materials. Due to its UV resilience, ASA, for instance, is a fantastic material to test for outdoor products.
Here are a few trendy items that can be 3D printed effortlessly:
Low Poly Bulbasaur Planter
This is a low poly model of the beloved Pokemon character, Bulbasaur. This model serves as a planter in which you can fill planting material and plant a seed. This model was designed by Hitsman and uploaded on Thingiverse. This model was remixed from a trendy Bulbasaur model; due to the popularity of the original model, this planter is moving close to 400 builds.
Toys
Toys made with 3D printing are arguably some of the most shared 3D models online. From simple action figurines to intricate desktop toys, 3D printing has produced a wide variety of curiosities. It should come as no surprise, given how consistently accurate and dependable consumer 3D printers are becoming. Several of these models have multiple parts, and assembly is frequently needed. Make sure to adjust your printer before attempting some of the more challenging models, as this could also put its tolerances to the test.
Wind-Up Car Card
This toy gets printed in the form of a card, from which tiny parts have to be cut out and assembled to make a moving toy car that works based on a wind-up gear assembly. The card form makes it really easy to send it in an envelope. This model was designed by bribro12 and can be found on MyMiniFactory. This is a trendy model with over 10000 downloads.
Prepare 3D Models of Gifts in SelfCAD
To prepare 3D models for your designs, there are various programs that you can use, we recommend using SelfCAD. SelfCAD is an online and downloadable 3D modeling software ideal for creating 3D models of gifts. SelfCAD has many features that make it the perfect software for designing 3D models of gifts. SelfCAD has many tools to help you create the perfect 3D model of gifts. With its powerful modeling tools, you can easily shape and manipulate your model to create your desired look. It also has a variety of textures and materials that you can use to add realism to your model.
Moreover, it has a powerful 3D rendering engine that makes it easy to create photorealistic models of gifts. Another great feature of SelfCAD is its easy-to-use interface. You don’t need any prior experience to get started. The intuitive user interface makes it easy to create your 3D model of gifts.
You can also use the interactive tutorials on the software to learn how to use the tools and features of SelfCAD. Once you finish creating your 3D models, you can turn them into ready-to-print G-code using the online slicer in the software that you can send to your 3D printer for 3D printing.
Personalize Gift Items Using 3D Printing Technology
Having a 3D printer and enough printing material is like having an unlimited supply of gifts you can give to the people you hold dear. With some of your imagination and some inspiration from models on Thingiverse, MyMiniFactory, or Cults3D, you can print amazing gifts for anyone. You can make anything from Movie props to Home Decor. You can also teach yourself to make these independently using the interactive tutorials on SelfCAD.
Enjoy powerful modeling, rendering, and 3D printing tools without the steep learning curve.
Need to learn 3D modeling? Get started with interactive tutorials.