A glue gun that dispenses molten PLA instead of hot glue turned out to be a handy tool for joining 3D-printed objects together, once I had figured out how to print my own “glue” sticks out of PLA.

PLA filament is the go-to material for beginners to 3D printing, and for good reason. It's easy to print, requires minimal fine-tuning, and works well with most consumer-grade printers.