3D Printing Pen: How to Use It and Choose the Right Filament

A 3D printing pen lets you draw with plastic instead of ink. You guide the pen by hand to create outlines, textured decorations, and three-dimensional shapes.

For beginners, the most useful skills are controlling the flow, letting the plastic cool, and choosing filament that matches the pen. This guide covers those basics and walks you through a simple first project.

What Is a 3D Printing Pen?

A filament-based 3D printing pen feeds plastic through a heated nozzle. The softened material comes out as a thin strand and holds its shape as it cools.

Unlike a desktop 3D printer, a pen follows your hand movements rather than a programmed toolpath. You generally do not need a digital model or slicing software to begin.

A pen is useful for freehand crafts and adding decorative details. A desktop printer is better suited to reproducing a digital design or making parts with controlled dimensions.

What Can You Make with a 3D Printing Pen?

Start with projects that lie flat on a drawing surface:

• Name signs and decorative lettering

• Outlines of leaves, animals, or geometric shapes

• Small ornaments

• Flat panels that can be joined into a model

• Decorative details for existing craft projects

Building separate flat pieces and joining them is a manageable way to create your first three-dimensional object. Drawing unsupported shapes directly into the air takes more practice.

What You Need Before You Start

Prepare:

• Your 3D printing pen and its specified power supply

• Filament approved for the exact pen model

• A manufacturer-approved drawing mat or surface

• A simple template, if needed

• The pen’s stand or designated resting surface

• Suitable cutters for preparing filament, if the manual requires them

Follow the manufacturer’s ventilation guidance. Keep fingers away from hot nozzles and freshly extruded plastic, and check the model’s age and supervision requirements before children use it.

How to Choose Filament for a 3D Printing Pen

Check three things before buying refills: material, diameter, and feed format.

1. Confirm the Supported Material

Some pens accept PLA and ABS. Others use low-temperature materials or a specific refill system.

For example, MYNT3D identifies PLA and ABS as compatible with its Professional pen. This does not establish compatibility with every pen in its range—or with other brands. See the manufacturer’s PLA and ABS guide.

Do not load PETG, TPU, or filled filaments simply because they work in your desktop printer.

2. Check the Diameter and Refill Format

A pen may accept continuous filament or require particular strands. Matching the diameter alone is not enough.

Compatibility can differ within a single brand. For example, 3Doodler states that its Flow and PRO models accept 1.75 mm filament, including third-party options, while other models have different refill requirements. Check the exact model against the manufacturer’s compatibility guidance.

3. Use the Pen’s Recommended Settings

Do not automatically copy the nozzle temperature from a desktop printer profile. Use the pen manufacturer’s instructions for the approved material.

If the pen has preset material modes, select the appropriate mode. If it allows manual adjustment, stay within the recommended operating range.

How to Use a 3D Printing Pen: Step by Step

Step 1: Prepare Your Workspace

Place the drawing surface on a stable table. Keep the power cable and loose filament clear of your hand movements.

Choose a simple outline for your first attempt, such as a square or a large letter.

Step 2: Power On and Select the Material Mode

Connect the specified power supply and select the setting for your filament. Wait until the pen indicates that it is ready.

Controls vary by model, so follow the manual rather than assuming every pen uses the same button sequence.

Step 3: Load the Filament

Prepare and insert the filament as directed. Activate the feed control and allow a small amount to extrude onto the drawing surface.

Do not force the filament into a pen that is not feeding correctly.

Step 4: Practice Lines and Corners

Start at a low feed speed. Draw short lines while keeping your hand movement steady.

If plastic piles up, move slightly faster or reduce the feed rate. If a line becomes stretched and thin, slow your hand movement or adjust the feed rate gradually.

Practice stopping the flow before lifting the pen.

Step 5: Complete a Flat Shape

Trace the outline, then add connecting lines inside it. Let the plastic cool before attempting to release the piece.

Use the removal method recommended for your drawing surface.

Step 6: Build a Simple 3D Object

Make several flat panels and join their edges with small amounts of extruded material. Allow each connection to set before adding more weight.

Work in short sections so you can keep the pieces aligned.

Step 7: Finish and Store the Pen

Follow the model’s unloading and shutdown procedure. Let the pen cool before storing it, and keep unused filament in the storage conditions recommended by its supplier.

Recommended Starting Settings

There is no universal temperature for every 3D printing pen. Use this approach instead:

Setting	Starting recommendation
Material mode	Match the approved filament
Temperature	Follow the exact pen model’s instructions
Feed speed	Start low and increase as control improves
Hand movement	Match your movement to the material flow
Drawing surface	Use a surface approved for the pen
Cooling time	Let each section become firm before moving or loading it

Change one setting at a time. That makes it easier to understand what improves the result.

Common 3D Printing Pen Problems

The Pen Is Not Feeding Filament

Check that the pen has reached its ready state, the filament is compatible, and the feed control is engaged.

Inspect the external filament path for tangles or resistance. If the problem continues, use the manufacturer’s unloading or blockage procedure. Avoid forcing tools into the nozzle.

Plastic Builds Up in Blobs

Your hand may be moving too slowly for the feed rate. Reduce the flow or move more steadily.

Test adjustments on a short practice line before returning to the project.

Lines Look Thin or Break Apart

Your hand may be moving faster than the pen can supply material. Slow down and check that the filament feeds freely.

If extrusion remains inconsistent, verify the material mode and follow the model’s troubleshooting instructions.

Upright Shapes Collapse

The material may still be too soft to support the next section. Build shorter sections, allow more cooling time, or assemble the shape from flat pieces.

The Finished Shape Is Difficult to Remove

Let it cool fully and check the drawing surface’s release instructions. Avoid pulling hard on delicate sections or using an unapproved surface for the next attempt.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use ordinary 3D printer filament in a 3D printing pen?

Sometimes. The pen must support the material, diameter, and feed format, and its manufacturer must permit that type of refill. Check the model before purchasing.

Is PLA the best filament for every pen?

No. PLA is an option for pens designed to use it. A low-temperature or proprietary-refill pen may require a different material.

Do I need a computer?

Usually not for a standalone filament pen. You can work freehand or follow a printed template.

Can children use a 3D printing pen?

Check the exact product’s age rating and supervision requirements. A conventional heated pen and a child-oriented low-temperature model should not be treated as interchangeable.

Can a pen replace a 3D printer?

It can handle freehand projects, but it does not provide the same automated, repeatable production from a digital model.

Start Simple and Check Compatibility First

Begin with flat shapes, practice consistent lines, and move on to joined structures when you are comfortable controlling the flow.

Before buying more filament, check your pen’s exact model and approved refill specifications. Compatible material and a manageable first project give you a better starting point than experimenting with unsupported filament.