I’m going to buy a 3d printer soon, and am trying to research my options. I found a comparison of several models at Maker Shed: Official Store of Make: and Maker Faire since 2005 but there are obviously many others of which I am not aware. I also have seen the Velleman K8200 kit, and a host of >$1000 objects of desire.
I don’t want to spend more than a grand on this, but I still want the most flexibility/capability for my dollar.
Currently, I am leaning toward the printrbot Metal kit. It’s cheap enough, it’s got a very high resolution (.1mm), a good print area (6"x6"x6"), and I can get the bed heater too for ABS, all for ~$638 USD.
I am looking for constructive feedback on whether this is a good printer, and/or suggestions of alternate printers within the constraints mentioned? (ie: no $3k laser-sintered resin printers like the form1 - I know they exist, but I can’t afford one.) Is there a central 3d-printer comparison chart maintained somewhere that is definitive?
I run two Mendel90s and have recommended them to many people. It is an excellent and versatile workhorse and you will learn a ton from building the kit.
I believe we will be getting a Tinkerine Ditto Pro at the hack space soon. It’s a bit on the pricey side but an excellent printer which comes with a warranty.
My personal opinion is that you don’t need to spend more than $1000 for a filament printer to get great quality.
It’s a good price, probably saves a bit of money from shipping and duty. But, I doubt he’s an authorized reseller so you take a risk on warranty and support.
I’m a big fan of the newer-generation Reprap designs like Mendelmax and Mendel90. They have very solid, rigid designs, and wide user base, which makes upgrading, diagnosing and repairing much easier.
That printrbot is cheap, though…and the metal ones apparently come with auto bed leveling stock? That’s pretty damn cool.
I don’t think so. I’m pretty sure the craigslist post is Aric Norine from 3D Hubs. And I got the feeling the one found in the garbage was a wooden Simple, the older version.
So I bit the proverbial bullet, and ordered a simple metal + heated bed. From the available machines, this is well reviewed, and capable of everything I might want to throw at it in the short term. I think eventually I might feel constrained by the print volume, but i’ll worry about that when I get there.
