Grab these vital 3D printer maintenance tools at a discou...

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If you dabble in 3D printing, you're more than aware of all the little intricacies before, during, and after you create your prints. You need a host of tools to keep the process running smoothly.

Yes, you usually get a few tools thrown in the box with a new 3D printer, but investing in a dedicated 3D printer toolkit will make a huge difference in caring for your 3D printer and keeping it in tip-top condition.

We've trawled through the deals during this Prime Day sales event and used our expert knowledge to source the tools you absolutely need for your 3D printer toolkit.

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This 74-piece 3D printer tool kit from Creality is packed with everything that you need to keep your printer printing. This is a "one and done" purchase where you get everything you need to maintain any brand of 3D printer.

In the kit, you get:

34 piece precision screwdriver set (Torx, Slot, Pozidrive, Phillips, Hex)
Flush cutters
Brass brush
Spatula
Nozzle cleaner and needles
Tweezers
Socket wrench
Files
Deburring tool
Pliers
Tube cutter
Magnetic project mat

That is a lot of kit packed into a handy tool wrap that you can pick up and work with.

These cheap cutters will leave you flush with spare cash

Whether you are cutting your filament, cleaning out supports, or removing cable ties, wire/flush/side cutters are an essential part of the 3D printer toolkit. Sometimes you get a pair with your printer, but if you don't, or you need a spare set, then this pair of snips is a good alternative for you.

These cheap cutters are superb for 3D printing, electronics, and some general home maintenance tasks. Sure, the metal is a little soft, but for 3D printing, it is tough enough to cut through plastics.

Being flush wire cutters means that we get a clean edge to our snip. That’s useful when we need to trim some filament to slide down a Bowden tube or for removing stubborn supports. Model makers and electronics hobbyists can also use these cutters. Model makers use them to trim parts from a sprue, electronics users will trim component legs, and snip wires.

Allen, Hex, whatever you call them, you need them!

Allen wrenches, hex keys, no matter what you call them, are essential 3D printer tools. Printers are generally held together by machine screws sporting an Allen / hex head. You will normally get a selected set of wrenches with your printer, and these generally do a good job. But having a more durable and expansive set is always better.

Wera Hex Key Set (covering all the key sizes)

These Wera Allen wrenches/hex keys are exceptionally well-made, German, precision tools. This metric set covers sizes 1.5 to 10mm, and that is typically all you need for your 3D printer.

In the set you get the following sizes of hex wrenches.

1.5mm
2.0mm
2.5mm
3.0mm
4.0mm
5.0mm
6.0mm
8.0mm
10.0mm

All feature precision-cut edges that grip, and a ball-end for those hex screws in hard-to-reach places.

A 3D printer's print bed can often be super grippy, and you may often need to use a scraper to gently remove the print from the bed. In the case of PLA, it cools down and lifts from the print bed in a few minutes, but for PETG, it can take much longer to cool and can be challenging to remove.

Scrapers are great tools, and your 3D printer will usually come with a plastic scraper or the STL files to print your own. But what if you need something a little stronger? You may want to consider some metal scrapers.

The thin metal blades are designed to get under the print or, if the print is stuck, gently lift the brim to break the adhesion. Just make sure that you use it carefully; don’t go cutting into your build plate!

We’ve all got some form of screwdriver lurking in a toolbox or drawer. We use them to open PC cases, tins of paint, and to fix our spectacles, and then we throw them back in the drawer. A few months later, we’re hunting for that one screwdriver to do one specific task, only to get frustrated because we can’t find it. This is when you need a dedicated screwdriver set for your maker box.

A good general-purpose precision screwdriver set is a necessity. This 49-in-1 set has all the bits that you need to repair electronics and keep your kit ticking over.

Fancy splurging on some brand-name tools? Go for it, pick up a deal in the Prime Day sales. Grab these iFixit kits and be the envy of your peers.

What about a general-purpose screwdriver to throw in your toolkit? The Hoto 24-in-1 offers a great driver handle with a swivel to aid precise movement. Bits connect magnetically to the handle, and the driver takes 4mm bits, but it comes with 12 double-ended bits.

Handy electric screwdrivers

Screwing/unscrewing a bunch of screws can get tiring, which is why electric screwdrivers are ideal for building furniture and PCs, and for taking apart electronics for repair.

You can get good USB-charged electric screwdrivers for very little money, or pay a little extra for something a little higher quality. Hoto’s precision driver is an excellent tool you won't regret buying. Especially when it's on sale.

The S2 bits are made from hardened steel, which means they won’t chew up and lose their edge. The bits are standard 4mm size, so you can use bits from your other precision screwdriver. The Hoto precision driver only has one speed, and the battery capacity is only 350mAh, which provides around 500 operations, but those two things are its only downside. When charging, the unit will show a white light next to the USB-C port. When it goes out, you are fully charged.

The driver is made from metal, and the ridges help grip the driver as you work. Button operation is easy; just press and hold to screw/unscrew. The included case is lovely, if a little bulky. All in all, a great electric screwdriver for makers, tinkerers, and those eager to service their 3D printers.

Unclog your 3D printer with ease

3D printers will get clogged. No matter how much money you spend, hot plastic being pushed through a 0.4mm hole is going to cause a clog someday. Dealing with a clog is fairly simple, but you need the right tools as you will be poking around the hot end while it is well and truly hot, around 200 °C.

Poking a clog with a thin needle works most times, but when you absolutely, positively need to blast that clog out, the Creality Clog Poke (yes, that is its name) is there to help. Instead of inserting it into the nozzle, we insert the poke into the filament path, specifically the path from the top of the extruder to the nozzle. The 1.5mm needle won’t reach the nozzle, but it will push any plastic trapped inside the extruder. Molten plastic should then pour down onto the build plate.

Using this should reduce the need to completely disassemble the extruder and make quick work of a blockage. Of course, there will be times when you need to disassemble the extruder.

The nozzle on your 3D printer is user-replaceable, and you can swap it out for a different-sized aperture for finer detail prints (0.2mm) or for when you need to print large functional parts (0.6 to 0.8mm). But to remove the nozzle, you will need a wrench, so here is what I suggest.

For less than $10, you get needles to clean the nozzle, brass brushes to remove grime and plastic from the hot part of the nozzle, and tweezers to remove detritus without burning your finger. But the best part is the two nozzle wrenches. Designed with an L-shape, they keep your fingers away from the hot bit and give you a little more torque to persuade the nozzle to come loose.

Even after heating the nozzle, it can become stuck, so a little extra force is needed to remove it. The problem is that the heat makes the nozzle too hot to touch. The nozzle is cupped by the wrench, so you just need to concentrate on removing it. Then drop it onto the build plate to cool.

The extra tools are useful. In fact, the brass brushes are extremely useful for cleaning burnt plastic from the hot end.

Finish your prints like a pro

Some 3D prints need a little post-processing. The edges may need to be cleaned up, which is common when using a brim for bed adhesion, or if your print squeezed down on the print bed a little too hard. A deburring tool uses a curved blade with a ball-end. The ball traces the contours of the object, while the blade shaves off a little plastic to neaten up your work.

The ultimate cleaning liquid for 3D printers is Isopropyl alcohol

Isopropyl Alcohol (IPA) is a key part of 3D printing, because whenever we touch the buildplate, even with clean hands, we leave oils that can impact bed adhesion and turn your prints into spaghetti. So get some IPA and clean up your act!

An illuminating purchase

When you are working in tight spaces, you need as much light as you can get, and a flashlight is really handy for pointing exactly where you need it. You don’t need to spend big bucks on a flashlight, but there are some excellent choices out there.

With 1800 Lumens of light, USB Type-C charging, an IP68 rating, a baseball cap clip, and a magnetic base, this is a great flashlight for multiple reasons. The magnetic base means it can be connected to a metal part of your PC case or 3D printer, leaving you with both hands free.

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Stewart Bendle is a deals and coupon writer at Tom's Hardware. A firm believer in “Bang for the buck” Stewart likes to research the best prices and coupon codes for hardware and build PCs that have a great price for performance ratio.

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