Getting Ready for Summer: RAW3D's Favourite Prints to Start the Season

With summer officially just around the corner, now is the perfect time to prime your printer, stock up on filament and start planning your projects. At RAW3D, we're super excited about turning up the creativity. We've pulled together our favourite project ideas to help you make the most of the coming months, whether you're into gardening, beach days, gadgets or fun family printing sessions.

We'll walk you through project ideas, the filament types to use, and (bonus!) where to find ready-to-print designs if you're not confident modelling everything yourself.

1. Garden & Outdoor Ready Prints

Getting outside? Start prepping now so your green space is summer-ready.

• Try self-watering planters that look smart and keep your herbs and flowers happy as you enjoy longer evenings.
• Hang-style plant pots or balcony-friendly pots customisable with your own design.
• Garden markers or labels, so your planter or veggie patch looks organised and colourful.

For these outdoor pieces, you'll want to choose the right filament. While standard PLA works fine for indoor or shaded prints, when you're heading into the sun, heat, and moisture, PETG filament is a smarter pick - it offers better UV resistance and holds up longer outdoors.

Tip: Choose vibrant filament colours (think tropical greens, bright corals) to reflect the season and make your prints pop.

2. Beach & Travel Essentials

Even if you're not off to the beach just yet, your printer can get ahead of the game. A few small prints now = ready for fun when you hit the sand.

• Clip-on sunglasses holders or cases to protect your shades.
• Sand-proof phone stands or mounts for beachside lounging.
• Casual keychain clips, towel hooks, bottle openers – the little accessories that make beach days easier.
• Print a small travel game (a mini frisbee or a ring-toss set) for picnic fun.

For things exposed to heat or direct sun, printing in a more durable material like PETG (or ABS/ASA if you've got the setup) will pay off. If you're creating accessories or fun prints, PLA still gives great results and is easier to print. If you use PLA+, you'll get enhanced strength and slightly improved temperature resistance compared to basic PLA, while still keeping your print setup friendly.

3. Gadgets & Outdoor Helpers

Summer brings outdoor meals, social gatherings and more gear to manage. 3D printing can help you stay organised and stylish.

• USB-fan housings or mounts for your deck or outdoor area.
• Cable organisers for speaker cords or fairy lights, to keep things tidy.
• Drink can holders to clip onto picnic tables or chairs.
• Carabiner/clip hooks for hats, bags, blankets – small prints with significant impact.

Again, for functional pieces that will be used outdoors or in warm spots, lean towards PETG or even ABS/ASA if you've got outdoor exposure. For indoor/occasional use, PLA works great.

4. Family Fun & Print Projects Together

This is the best part of getting ready for the summer: prints that involve everyone and are just for fun.

• Water games (bubble wands, mini pistols) for the kids.
• Pool or beach toys (small boats, rafts, float clips).
• Puzzle boxes, mini-board games for indoor downtime or travel.
• Custom cookie cutters in summer shapes for baking sessions.

For toy-type prints, PLA is perfect: easy to print, safe for casual use, available in loads of colours. And since it's biodegradable and printer-friendly, it's ideal for fun and experimentation.

5. Travel & Adventure Print List

Getting ready now means you'll be organised for when you're packing and prepping. Prints to consider:

• Cable winders to keep chargers and cords tidy for your bag.
• Camera mounts or accessories (for phones, GoPro, etc.) to capture summer adventures.
• Compact toiletry containers or toothbrush holders you can clip into your bag.
• Backpack/tent hook clips or specialised gear prints for camping/travel.

For travel gear, PETG offers a good balance of strength and flexibility, as it's durable and relatively easy to print. If you're printing many small items, or you're experimenting, PLA is great for prototyping.

Choosing the Right Filament for Summer-Prep

As we head into the hot weather, filament choice matters more than ever. Here's a quick comparison to keep on hand:

At RAW3D, we stock the things you need: PLA, PETG, ABS, and ASA in a variety of bright, seasonal-friendly colours, ready for your summer projects.

Can't Model? No Problem! Here Are Great Sites for Ready-to-Print Files

If you're not confident modelling your designs from scratch, there are tons of fantastic platforms where creators upload free or paid STL/3D print files. Here are some of our top picks:

• Thingiverse – A large, free library of designs that's been around since 2008.
• Printables – Active user community with lots of holiday/seasonal models and a great variety of free files. 
• Cults – Marketplace and community with both free and paid models, with a decent range of high-quality files.

Tip: Don't forget to check the recommended print settings (filament type, supports, recommended layer height, etc.), before printing downloaded files.

Final Notes

Summer is just weeks away, and by planning now, you'll be ahead of the game. With your 3D printer ready, your RAW3D filament stocked, and some fun prints lined up, you'll be set for a whole season of creativity, outdoor time, and practical gear. Whether you're looking for garden pieces, beach-day accessories, travel gadgets, or toys for the family, there's no limit to what you can create.

Happy printing, and here's to an epic summer full of colour, fun and innovation! ☀️