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Design your own designs on Tinkercad

 

Getting Started with Tinkercad: Design Your Own 3D Prints

If you’re new to 3D design and want to create your own models, Tinkercad is one of the best places to start. It’s free, beginner-friendly, and runs right in your browser—no downloads required! Whether you’re designing keychains, custom fidget toys, or even your own prototypes, this guide will help you start creating in no time.

Step 1: Sign Up & Get Familiar with Tinkercad

  1. Go to Tinkercad.com and create a free account.
  2. Once logged in, click "Create New Design" to open the workspace.
  3. The main tools you’ll use:
    • Workplane – The blue grid where you place and arrange objects.
    • Shapes Panel – Includes basic shapes (cubes, cylinders, spheres) that you can modify.
    • Toolbar – Used for moving, rotating, scaling, and grouping objects.

💡 Tip: Tinkercad autosaves your work, so no need to worry about losing progress!

Step 2: Learning the Basics

Before designing complex models, get comfortable with these essential skills:

✔ Moving Objects – Click and drag objects to position them on the workplane.
✔ Resizing & Scaling – Use the white squares at the corners to make objects bigger or smaller.
✔ Rotating – Click the curved arrows around an object to rotate it in any direction.
✔ Grouping Shapes – Combine multiple shapes into one solid object (great for making custom designs).
✔ Hollowing Shapes – Turn any object into a cut-out by selecting "Hole", perfect for creating keychains or engravings.

Step 3: Create Your First Custom Design

Let’s try something simple: a custom keychain.

1️⃣ Drag a rectangle onto the workplane (this will be the base).
2️⃣ Resize it to about 40mm x 20mm and 3mm thick.
3️⃣ Add Text – Click the "Text" tool, type your name or a word, and position it on the keychain.
4️⃣ Make a Hole for a Keyring – Drag a cylinder onto the workplane, resize it to 4mm diameter, and place it at one corner. Set it to "Hole" mode.
5️⃣ Group Everything – Select all objects and click "Group" to merge them into a single printable model.

🎉 Your keychain is ready for 3D printing! Export it as an STL file, then slice and print.

Step 4: Taking Your Designs to the Next Level

Once you're comfortable with the basics, try these:

🚀 Custom Fidget Toys – Combine gears, spinning parts, or flexible connections.
🏠 Mini Architecture Models – Build simple houses, furniture, or even city layouts.
🦾 Functional Parts – Design custom brackets, mounts, or replacement parts.
🎮 Gaming Accessories – Make controller stands, dice holders, or personalized nameplates.

Step 5: Export & Print Your Design

Once you're happy with your design:
✅ Click Export > STL to save the file.
✅ Open the STL in Cura, PrusaSlicer, or Lychee to prepare it for printing.
✅ Slice and print!

Final Thoughts

Tinkercad is an amazing starting point for 3D design. Whether you want to create custom prints for yourself or start a 3D printing business, mastering the basics here will give you a solid foundation.

What’s your first Tinkercad project going to be?

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