We'll print your STL, 3MF or OBJ file
Upload it for an instant estimate, or send it with a request. Printed in Colchester and posted, or collected.
Last updated 13 Oct 2026
The short answer
Send us an STL, 3MF or OBJ file and we'll print it in PLA, PETG or TPU, up to 34 × 32 cm in one piece. Our instant estimate prices it as soon as you upload it, then we check the file and confirm a firm price within 24 hours. The minimum order is £10, and most prints are ready in 3–5 working days.
File formats we accept
| Format | What to know |
|---|---|
| STL | The most common format. We assume millimetres. If your model comes out tiny, it was probably drawn in inches: tell us and we'll scale it. |
| 3MF | The best choice. It keeps units and colours. A sliced Bambu Studio file (.gcode.3mf) gives the estimate the exact weight and print time. |
| OBJ | Fine for shape. Colours and textures in the file are ignored. |
| STEP (.step, .stp) | Send it with the request form and we'll check and quote it by hand. |
The request form takes files up to 5 MB each. For anything bigger, add a WeTransfer, Google Drive or Dropbox link. No file at all? We can work from a photo: see replacement parts from a photo.
Size and detail
- Biggest single piece: 34 × 32 cm on our largest printer (Bambu Lab H2S). Bigger models can sometimes be printed in parts and joined.
- Thinnest wall: about 1.2 mm. Thinner walls may not print or may snap.
- Layers: 0.2 mm as standard, so you'll see fine lines on curved surfaces. That's normal for this kind of printing.
- Printers: 4 Bambu Lab printers, printing in plastic filament (FDM). We don't print in resin or metal.
How we price it
The estimate adds up what the print actually uses: a set fee per job, the plastic by weight and the printer's time. Here are the rates the instant estimate uses:
| Part of the price | Rate |
|---|---|
| File check, plate set-up and packing | £4 per job |
| Plastic, by weight | PLA 10p, PETG 12p, TPU 16p per gram |
| Printer time | £1.50 per printer-hour, plus 15 minutes of set-up per job |
| Each extra colour in one print | £1 |
| Minimum order | £10 |
| Quantity discount | 5% at 2+, 10% at 10+, 20% at 50+, 25% at 100+ |
Two worked examples, for one item at standard turnaround:
| Example | Plastic and time | Price |
|---|---|---|
| A small bracket | 40 g of PLA, about 2½ hours | £12.13 |
| A tough clip set | 150 g of PETG, about 8 hours | £34.38 |
The online estimate is a range, because the exact weight and time depend on how the file slices. We confirm a firm price within 24 hours. If the firm price is more than 15% above the estimate, we'll explain why, and you pay nothing until you approve it.
Colours and finish
Pick from the 41 colours we have in stock. A 3MF painted in Bambu Studio can be printed in several colours in one go; each extra colour adds a little, as the table shows. Supports are removed before your print is sent.
The checks we do on every file
- Units and size: is it the size you meant, and does it fit the printer?
- Mesh: holes or broken surfaces that would print badly.
- Thin walls and tiny details below what will print cleanly.
- Orientation: which way up makes the part strongest where it needs to be.
- Supports: overhangs that need support, and where the marks will be.
If anything needs changing, we tell you before we quote. Nothing prints until you've approved the price.
Turnaround
Standard is 3–5 working days after you approve. Express is next working day, if we have room, at 1.5× the standard price. Then it's posted (Royal Mail 2nd Class, £2.99) or you collect it free from our Colchester office, by arrangement.
What we won't print
- Weapons, or parts for them.
- Models you don't have the right to use. If you downloaded it, check the licence allows it to be printed for you.
- Safety-critical or load-bearing parts over people.
- Anything that touches food or drink, and medical devices.
Questions
How much does it cost to 3D print an STL file?
It depends on the weight of plastic and the print time. The rates are £4 per job, plastic from 10p a gram and printer time by the hour, with a £10 minimum order. Upload your file to the instant estimate to see a price range straight away.
Can you print a file I downloaded from a model site?
Yes, as long as the licence lets someone print it for you. Some free models are for personal use only, which is usually fine when the print is for you.
My model came out tiny. What's wrong?
It was probably drawn in inches rather than millimetres. Tell us when you send it and we'll scale it up.
Can you print in more than one colour?
Yes. Paint the model in Bambu Studio and send the 3MF, or tell us which parts should be which colour.
Do you print in resin?
No. We print in plastic filament (PLA, PETG and TPU, with ASA on request), which suits practical parts. Very small, highly detailed models are better printed in resin elsewhere.
What's the biggest thing you can print?
34 × 32 cm in one piece. Bigger models can sometimes be split into parts and joined.
More 3D printing services
- Custom 3D printing serviceSend a photo, a sketch or a file. Free quote within 24 hours.
- Print your file – instant estimateUpload an STL, 3MF or OBJ and see a price range straight away.
- Replacement parts from a photoKnobs, clips, covers and brackets, made from a photo of the broken one.
- Car interior partsClips, trims, holders and cup holder adapters. Interior, non-safety parts only.
- Business & batchesPrototypes, parts and batches, with volume discounts and invoices.
- Materials guide: PLA, PETG or TPUWhich plastic suits your part: heat, sun, flex and strength.
- 3D printing in ColchesterOur studio, collection by arrangement, and printing for local businesses.
- 3D printing in EssexPosted to every Essex town, or collect in Colchester.