3D printing

The Magpie, an example of the results of 3D printing.

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3D printing is the process of a digitally created model being constructed by a machine into the real world. As a result, 3D printing is a common method used for modifying blasters and creating homemade blasters.

Uses for 3D printing

As with many other industries, 3D printing has had a disruptive effect on the competitive Nerfing community. 3D printing has a multitude of uses in modification, for fabricating blaster parts of all kinds, ranging from internals to shells to accessories. The two most common types of 3D printing for the hobby include fused deposition modeling (FDM) printing, which are mostly used to print larger parts made of materials such as PLA, ABS, TPU, or PETG, and resin printing, which are used to make smaller, higher resolution parts as well as transparent and translucent parts.

Cosmetic modification

Parts are frequently 3D printed to be added onto a blaster for cosmetic or replacement purposes. For example, grips are commonly 3D printed for blasters such as the Saturn XX-1000.^{[citation needed]}

Blaster modification

Main article: Blaster modification

3D printing is also commonly utilized for upgrade kits for numerous blasters. This allows internals to be replaced with custom ones without using existing parts from another blaster.

Homemade blaster creation

Main article: Homemade blaster

Due to recent advancements in 3D printing hardware, Nerfers commonly create homemade blasters with the assistance of 3D printing. An entire shell can be custom-made and printed, alongside all of the parts needed to make the blaster function. There is no truly 100% printable blaster, however, as screws and springs still need to be sourced elsewhere. However, some blaster designers have undertook the challenge of making blasters that require very little hardware parts, such as the LowHardwareTCU, which uses a 3D printed plunger tube and plunger rod.

With the advent of 3D scanning, Nerfers have also created "archives" of certain vintage blaster shells such as the Crossbow, so that users can make a blaster from a shell that looks very similar to a discontinued or rare blaster without actually needing the blaster. However, due to the limitations of 3D scanning, the shell may not be 100% accurate.

Accessory creation

Through the use of a 3D printer, accessories can be created, either as alternatives to existing ones or completely new accessories altogether. Clips and magazines of any size can be created with this method, as well as detachable shoulder stocks, barrel extensions, and adapters and risers for tactical rails and other accessory rail types. A popular adapter type allows the attachment of picatinny rail accessories to Nerf tactical rails.

Ammunition creation

It is theoretically possible to 3D-print safe designs for dart heads using a soft material such as thermoplastic polyurethane, with a low percent infill so that the heads can be easily compressible. Although it would be an easy to experiment with creating more accurate darts, this endeavor has not been attempted often as it is not economically viable to mass produce dart heads and would be very time-consuming. Additionally, the bodies of darts, if not 3D-printed themselves from a similar foam to standard darts, would need to be borrowed from other darts bought at the store.

3D-printed XLR Discs have been created, however they are for the sole purpose of giving a Vortex blaster owners a means of depriming a blaster (since Vortex blasters cannot be dry-fired) if they do not own any discs. They are not safe for gameplay.

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