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3DAI
Free · runs in your browser · no signup

Pen Holder Generator

Pick a shape, set the diameter, height and wall, and twist it like a vase if you like. Add inner dividers to keep pens, pencils and scissors apart, and a name on the side. The pen holder is built in your browser and downloads as an STL or 3MF that prints standing up with no supports.

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How to make a 3D printed pen holder

  1. 1

    Pick a shape

    Hexagon, round, square or star. Every shape prints standing up, straight off the bed.

  2. 2

    Set the size

    Type the diameter and height. 70 to 90 mm wide and 90 to 110 mm tall holds a good handful of pens.

  3. 3

    Twist it

    Drag the twist for a vase-style spiral. The tool stops before the walls lean too far to print.

  4. 4

    Add sections or a name

    Split the inside into 2, 3 or 4 sections, and emboss a name on the front.

  5. 5

    Download and print

    Download the STL or 3MF and print it upright. No supports, no glue, one piece.

Pen holder settings

Every setting updates the 3D preview. These starting points suit pens and pencils on a 0.4 mm nozzle printer.

ShapeHexagon and square have flat sides for a name. Round is the classic cup. Star has five points and looks best with a twist.
DiameterAcross the corners (the points of the star, the outside of the round cup). 70 to 90 mm suits pens and pencils; go wider for markers and scissors.
HeightA standard pen is about 14 to 15 cm long, so 90 to 110 mm leaves enough sticking out to grab. Make it lower for short things like erasers, clips or a phone charger.
Wall thickness2 to 3 mm is stiff in PLA or PETG. 1.2 mm makes a light, fast print but flexes more.
Bottom thicknessThe solid floor. 2 to 3 mm is plenty; a thicker floor adds weight so the cup tips over less.
TwistHow far the top turns compared with the bottom. The tool caps it so no wall leans more than 45 degrees, which most printers handle with no supports.
Inner dividers2, 3 or 4 sections, as thick as the wall and 80% as tall as the inside, so pens, pencils and scissors stay apart.
NameUp to 16 characters embossed on the front. It shrinks to fit, follows the twist, and is a separate part in the 3MF for a second colour.

How to print it

Stand it on its bottom and it prints with no supports. These settings work on any FDM printer with a 0.4 mm nozzle.

OrientationPrint it standing on its bottom, as it downloads. The walls go straight up or lean at most 45 degrees with the twist, so it needs no supports.
MaterialPLA is fine for a desk. PETG is tougher if it gets knocked off a desk or sits in a sunny window. Silk and marble PLA show off a twist well.
Walls and infillWith a 3 mm wall, 3 or 4 perimeters fill most of it. 15 to 20% infill is enough for the floor and any thicker parts.
Layer height0.2 mm is a good default. A name on the side prints cleaner at 0.12 to 0.16 mm.
Bed adhesionThe floor is a big flat base, so it sticks well. Clean the bed so the bottom edge stays sharp.
Two coloursWith an AMS or MMU, open the 3MF and give the name part its own filament. On one extruder, paint the raised letters, or pause at the layer where they start.

Want a pen holder nobody else has?

AI can build a full 3D model from a picture or a sentence: a pen holder shaped like a cat or a castle, a figure for your desk, or a gadget to print next to this cup. Then paint any model with an AI texture. The AI tools use credits; this pen holder generator is free.

Image to 3D (AI) →Turn a photo or drawing into a 3D model to print.Text to 3D (AI) →Describe a pen holder shaped like anything and get a 3D model.Texture this model with AI →Paint any 3D model with an AI texture from a prompt.

Related free tools

3D Text Generator →Free signs, name plates and lettering as STL.STL Viewer →Open and inspect any STL online.3MF Viewer →Check the parts and colours of a 3MF in the browser.STL Volume Calculator →See how much filament a model needs.Scale STL →Resize any STL to an exact size.STL to 3MF →Pack any STL into a 3MF with its unit.

More free maker tools are on the way, including a phone stand generator and a name keychain generator for the rest of your desk.

Pen holder generator FAQ

Pick a shape above, type the diameter and height, and choose the wall thickness. Add a twist, dividers or a name if you want them. The generator builds the pen holder in your browser; download the STL or 3MF, open it in your slicer and print it standing up.
No. Print it standing on its bottom, which is how it downloads. Plain walls go straight up, and the twist is capped so no wall leans more than 45 degrees from upright. Raised letters stand out about 1 mm, which prints fine without supports.
For pens and pencils, 70 to 90 mm across and 90 to 110 mm tall works for most desks. A standard pen is about 14 to 15 cm long, so that height leaves the tops easy to grab. Make it wider for markers, scissors or rulers, and add dividers to keep them apart.
Print it with normal settings. The download is a real cup with a solid floor, walls of the thickness you set, and any dividers or name. Spiral vase mode prints one thin outer wall only, so it would leave out the dividers and the inside of the walls.
Yes. Type up to 16 characters. On the hexagon and square the name sits on the front face; on the round cup it wraps around the side. It follows the twist. The star has no flat side, so pick another shape for a name.
Yes. It is free, with no signup, no watermark and no download limit. The pen holder is built on your device, so nothing is uploaded. Make one for every desk, or a set as gifts.