Getting Started with Creality 3 Pro

[Baynyn]

Good afternoon! I purchased an Ender 3 Pro for my son for Christmas and would like to know what, besides the printer itself, do I need to prepare for so that he can get his hands dirty on the first day? As I currently understand, I'll need access to a computer, 3D models, a slicing program to convert those 3D models to gcode format for use in the printer, an SD card to transfer the gcode to the printer, and filament for the printing. I know this is very simplified, but is that the gist of it?I'm brand new to all of this and know nearly nothing about 3D printing; I just want to make sure that an attempt to do something fun for my son doesn't backfire because I'm unprepared once he opens the box and assembles the printer.Thanks in advance!Baynyn

[curious aardvark]

well good luck with the printer - hopefully you'll get one that works :-)
(with any ender it's something of a lottery).

It should come with an sd card.
Though they tend to be very low quality (not just creality, most printer manufacturers send out crappy sd cards).
4-8gb tend to work best, and you don't need anything larger.

Best slicer would probably be the prusa slicer: https://www.prusa3d.com/prusaslicer/

best source for models is thingiverse - so create an account there: https://www.thingiverse.com/

Tinkercad is probably the easiest design program to learn: https://www.tinkercad.com/

Depending on the print surface that comes with it, is probably worth your while getting some cheap - blue - painters tape and some pound store gluesticks in stock as well.
Or you could start where you mean to be and buy a cheap self adhesive sheet of PEI from ebay.

Looks like it comes with a removeable print surface, no idea how good it is - so definitely get some gluesticks - just in case :-)

You can always stick a thin sheet of pei over the existing magnetic 'plate' if necessary.

And of course get some pla !
I find that silver/grey, red, white and black tend to print best and with least hassle.
I've used everything from top of tha range polymaker, to ebay's cheapest - these days there doesn't seem to be that much difference between them.
Also get some cheap flexible pla - it's a lot easier to print with that tpu - particularly on a printer with a bowden extruder. It will print, just very slowly and fairly hot :-)

Some cheap spray paint is also a good idea: silver (car chrome paint from the pound store) and a pound store gold, work well :-)

Some foam sanding blocks and some mini files are also a good idea.

That lot should keep you going for a while till you've worked out what needs doing to the machine.
Also watch a LOT of 'I have en ender 3 pro, how do I make it work ?' youtube videos :-)

And good luck !

[Baynyn]

Thank you, aardvark, exactly what I was looking for