What hobbies are you getting into outside of 3D printing this year?

[Bandit_Sydonia]

I realized recently that while I still enjoy 3D printing, I don’t really want it to be the only thing I do this year. I’m planning to keep printing, but I also want to make room for something totally different.

For me, that might be learning basic woodworking or finally getting into CAD sketching just for fun, not tied to a printer. Feels like a good way to stay creative without burning out on one hobby.

Curious what everyone else is thinking. What hobbies are you hoping to get into in 2026 aside from 3D printing?

 

[Robr0y]

I sit a lot and work from home. so this year I want a hobby that makes me healthier. like jogging or walking in the park

 

[ScreamingMantis]

I’m trying to add hobbies that complement 3D printing without being the exact same thing. Like painting and finishing prints, basic electronics, or learning simple Arduino stuff. It still scratches the maker itch, but it’s different enough that it feels fresh.

 

[Robert Koenn]

I started building models in the mid-60s, I'm 72 now, and never stopped. When I got a huge interest in the space program around 1967 I started on model rockets too and then almost strictly for decades. A few years back a congenital nerve disorder causing lower leg/foot mobility issues caused me to return to plastic and I've had a blast and really honed my skills on mostly geeky subjects, not the triple As. But I still do rockets and have build quite a few that use 3D printed parts in them. I like scale best and so far have bought the parts from a guy on Shapeways who is long gone now. He made nose cones and fin units and other things highly detailed of scale rockets and Estes classic kits. Recently our younger son bought two printers and I now have his Prusa Core one as he really wasn't using it and have printed some rocket things but figures and such too. Another guy in UT has a business for model rockets in 3D and I've bought a half dozen from him. So someday I'll get to fly again, I hope, and have a couple dozen to fly. I'm also planning on printing some more classic cartoon characters and scifi models with the printer this coming year. Many of the rockets in the picture significantly use 3D printed parts.

 

[Huxter]

I, too, want to learn more cad programs. I hear good things about Blender, but have no clue what it does really!

I bought a cheap drone last year. Have only flown it once - It has POV video, which I want to capture my house w different views.

I also bought a magnet fishing kit, which I have yet to use.

Isn't life supposed to slow down as we age?

 

[Alan]

I feel the burnout thing. Even fun printing can start feeling like another project queue. Love this thread for January when it’s freezing and everyone’s either printing more or trying to touch grass again. Woodworking and casual CAD sketching are both perfect “adjacent but different” hobbies. What are you thinking first, hand tools woodworking or power tools.

 

[freshRootb33r]

Curious what everyone else is thinking. What hobbies are you hoping to get into in 2026 aside from 3D printing?

I do gardening, I want to connect with nature while staying away from electronics as much as possible

 

[4thdimension]

I've been thinking about getting back into some basic electronics projects and maybe learning a bit more CAD design from the engineering side instead of just making printable parts.

 

[Adam Anderson]

For me I’ve been learning some coding (Python and JavaScript).