As printed
Supports removed; layer lines may show. Fine for fit checks and parts nobody sees.
Painted & finished 3D prints · From a file, sketch or photo
Custom 3D Printing Service
PrintAWorld is a custom 3D printing service in New York for finished pieces: prototypes, sculptures, props, display models and parts that arrive sanded, painted or metal plated, not just raw prints. Start from a 3D file, a sketch or a photo; we model it if needed, print it in-house on our resin, FDM and metal printers, and finish and assemble it. From one piece to a production run, with no setup fee: projects start around $30, and we ship to all 50 states.
Brands we’ve worked with
More than a raw print
What is custom 3D printing?
Custom 3D printing is a print made for one job: your shape, your size, your finish. A raw print comes off the machine with supports and layer lines; a custom piece is cleaned up, sanded, primed and painted or plated until it’s ready for a client, a shelf or a stage.
We do the whole job in our New York studios, for brands, agencies, artists and product teams. If you only need a print from a file, see our online 3D printing service.
The facts
Our custom 3D printing service at a glance
- Studios
- Glendale, Queens and Brooklyn, New York. Visits and pickup by appointment.
- Delivery
- Shipping to all 50 states (next-day shipping available), courier delivery in NYC, or pickup by appointment
- Production
- In-house, in our New York studios
- Processes
- An FDM print farm, SLA resin, large-format and stainless-steel metal (SLM) 3D printing
- Finishes
- As printed, sanded and primed, painted (one color, brand colors or full color), metal plated, clear
- Assembly
- Multi-part pieces joined, filled and finished as one
- Order size
- One piece to production runs
- Setup fee
- None for 3D printing
- Price
- From about $30 for a simple print; finishing quoted per project
- Files
- STL, OBJ, STEP, STP or 3DM. No file? Photos or a sketch.
- No file?
- 3D modeling from $250; 3D scanning from $250
Selected work
01 / THE WORKCustom 3D printing projects from our studio.
Raw print and chrome finish
The same figure straight off the printer and after chrome plating.
Atlas clock, raw and finished
A raw print beside the same statue finished in bronze patina.
Clear and white anatomy model
An animal model printed in clear and white resin.
Glossy red creature
A sculpture finished in a deep gloss red.
Product samples in two colors
The same part printed in white and black to compare.
Car body frame model
A large-format scale model of a car body frame.
Finishes
02 / THE FINISHWhich finishes can you add to a custom 3D print?
Sanded and primed
Smooth and ready for your own paint, or for a client to see the form.
Painted
One color, brand colors or full color, by hand. See full-color 3D printing.
Metal plated
Chrome, gold or bronze over resin. Plating coats the surface; the piece isn’t solid metal.
Need solid metal instead of a metal look? See metal 3D printing in stainless steel.
No 3D file?
Can you make a custom 3D print without a 3D model?
Yes. Send a sketch, photos from a few angles or measurements. We model it, send it for your approval, then print and finish it.
3D modeling starts at $250. To copy a real object, 3D scanning starts at $250.
Processes
03 / THE PROCESSWhich 3D printing process fits your custom part?
No process is best for everything. We pick one for the size, detail, strength and finish your piece needs, and the quote names it.
| Process | Best for | Size | Learn more |
|---|---|---|---|
| SLA resin | Fine detail and smooth surfaces to paint or plate | Up to a 600 × 600 mm platform, larger in sections | SLA 3D printing |
| FDM plastic | Tough working parts and production runs on our print farm | Large parts and big runs | Online 3D printing |
| Large-format | Sculptures, props and models of 6 feet and more | Printed in sections and joined | Large-scale 3D printing |
| Stainless steel (SLM) | Solid metal parts and complex metal shapes | 250 × 250 × 300 mm | Metal 3D printing |
Choosing a material? Read the 3D printing materials guide.
Is it a fit?
04 / THE FITIs custom 3D printing right for your project?
PrintAWorld is a good fit for
- Brands, agencies and businesses that need a finished piece, not a raw part
- Display pieces, props, sculptures and presentation models
- Product prototypes painted to look like the real thing
- Production runs of the same finished part, with no setup fee
- Projects that start from a sketch or a photo
Another service may suit you better for
- Raw engineering parts at the lowest price per part: instant-quote websites compete on that.
- Very high volumes of a simple plastic part: injection molding usually costs less per piece.
- Hobby prints and parts you plan to resell: a professional studio costs more, so a marketplace or a hobbyist will usually be cheaper.
Budgeting your print
05 / THE PRICEHow much does custom 3D printing cost?
3D printing starts around$30
For a simple print from a file that’s ready to print.
What a project can include
Simple print from your fileFrom about $30
3D modeling, if there’s no fileFrom $250
3D scanning, to copy an objectFrom $250
Sanding, painting, platingQuoted per project
Assembly of multi-part piecesQuoted per project
Setup feeNone
Shipping, next-day availableQuoted to your ZIP
For planning only. Size, material, machine time, quantity and finishing set the final price; a print-ready file avoids modeling fees.
Want the details? How much 3D printing costs compares printing at home with online services and studios.
Get my quote
Send your file and we’ll reply with a price. No payment to ask.
From file to part
06 / THE PROCESSHow our custom 3D printing service works
Send your file
Open the quote planner, upload your 3D file or photos and tell us the size, quantity, finish and deadline. Files up to 500 MB each are fine.
Get a written quote
A person checks the file and replies with a price, a process and a schedule. If the file needs repair or modeling, the quote says so.
Model and approve
If there’s no file, we model it and send it for approval before anything is printed.
Print and finish
We print in our New York studios, then sand, paint, plate and assemble, as quoted.
Ship or pick up
We ship to all 50 states, next-day if you need it, send it by courier in NYC, or you pick up by appointment at the studio named in your quote.
From client emails
What 3D printing clients wrote to us.
Our clients rarely leave online reviews, so these are from the emails they sent us after their projects, quoted as written.
“Working against very tight deadlines you absolutely excelled & the bottles you produced were amazing. … Our Client was so impressed with the results that they’re shipping one of the bottles back to the UK to have pride of place in the Reception of their main office!!”
“Beautiful Work! Thank you Vince and Team! You have a client for life!”
“Your work and quotes continue to blow away the competition and I want to work with you.”
3D printing services
Other ways we 3D print
Big buildsLarge-format 3D printingSculptures, props and models printed in sections, 6 feet and more.
Fine detailSLA resin 3D printingSmooth, detailed resin parts for figurines, models and prototypes.
In colorFull-color 3D printingFigurines, mascots and models in full color, painted or printed in color.
Stainless steelMetal 3D printingSolid stainless-steel parts printed by selective laser melting.
Reference3D printing materialsResins, plastics, nylon and stainless steel, and what each is for.
Before you order
What do people ask about custom 3D printing?
How much does custom 3D printing cost?
3D printing at PrintAWorld starts around $30 for a simple print from your file and goes up to thousands of dollars for large or finished pieces. Painting, plating and assembly are quoted per project. 3D modeling starts at $250 if you don’t have a file, and there’s no setup fee.
Is custom 3D printing right for me?
It is if you need a finished piece: painted, plated or assembled, ready for a client, a display or a production run. For a cheap hobby print or parts to resell, a marketplace or a hobbyist will usually cost less.
How do I make a custom design for 3D printing?
Three ways: model it yourself in CAD (Fusion 360, SolidWorks, Tinkercad) or sculpting software (Blender, ZBrush); have it modeled, which we do from $250 with print-ready files; or start from an existing model you have the rights to print.
Can you paint 3D prints?
Yes. We sand, prime and paint in one color, brand colors or full color, by hand in our studios. Painting is quoted with the print.
Can you make a 3D print look like metal?
Yes, with metal plating: chrome, gold or bronze over a resin print. Plating coats the surface; the piece isn’t solid metal. For solid metal, we 3D print in stainless steel.
Is there a minimum order?
No. One piece is fine, and so is a production run on our FDM print farm. There’s no setup fee, and small jobs start around $30.
How long does custom 3D printing take?
Many prints can be made next day, and in New York we can deliver by courier. Painting, plating and assembly add time. Your written quote confirms the date; send your deadline with the file.
Do you ship custom 3D prints?
Yes, to all 50 states, with next-day shipping available once your piece is ready. You can also pick up by appointment in Glendale, Queens or Brooklyn.
Talk to the studioSend us your file.
Send us your file.
We’ll send a price.
Send the file or photos, the size, the finish you want and the deadline. We’ll reply with a price and next steps.
Get my 3D printing quotePrefer email? Write to contact@prtwd.com.
What to send
- Your 3D file (STL, OBJ, STEP, STP or 3DM), or photos and a sketch
- Finished size, or the scale to print at
- How many you need
- The finish: raw, primed, painted, plated
- What it’s for: display, handling, a shoot, a gift
- Your delivery ZIP code and deadline
Service details reviewed by PrintAWorld ·