The Lemontron is an “upside-down” open-source 3D printer you can make yourself

In brief: 3D printers aren’t always designed with portability in mind, but there’s a use case for makers and tinkerers who are often on the move. The open-source Lemontron 3D printer aims to fill that void by providing a printer that can be transported in an empty filament box. Getting your hands on this portable printer will cost around $413 for the necessary components and custom PCB. It also requires some effort to assemble.

There is a caveat here: you will need an existing 3D printer to create some of the Lemontron’s printed parts. The device is designed for those who already have a primary printer and want an ultra-portable second one for printing on the road.

There’s a major trade-off for the Lemontron’s size, too – building it isn’t exactly a weekend project for beginners. Thankfully, a DIY guide by Lemontron on YouTube walks you through sourcing the electronic components, printing the custom parts, soldering, and final assembly.

All that effort is highly rewarding, as demonstrated by the Lemontron’s ability to quickly print a high-quality model of the fruit it is named after.

It’s a quirky device, especially as the Lemontron prints upside down in an inverted orientation. Though that may sound strange, the creator explains it does not change the fundamental 3D printing process or require special settings or calibration. The molten plastic solidifies so quickly that gravity has minimal effect, whether printing upwards or downwards.

The creator notes you could try flipping any standard printer over mid-print and it would likely keep on working just fine – though we don’t recommend it. In this case, the inverted design simply allows the heavier components to be situated on the bottom for better portability.

With those principles in mind, using the Lemontron ends up being a very familiar workflow. You still level the build plate, set temperatures, slice models, and configure print settings just like any other printer. The only real difference is being able to effortlessly toss the whole thing in a box when you need portable 3D printing capabilities.

All said, the Lemontron likely won’t replace traditional 3D printers anytime soon. But it does open up new creative opportunities when traveling or changing workspaces frequently.

You can find the source files alongside a written guide on the official website.