The 3d printing thread

[Nero]

I didn't buy mine in kit form, just bought it ready built from here in the end https://www.technologyoutlet.co.uk/products/3d-printer-wanhao-duplicator-i3

 

[Purplefowler]

Thanks for the help. The little voice in my head made me do it anyway (no not my subconscious- my fella and the kids!). For £170 it seems a good starting point and easy snout to upgrade. Even better, it should be here on Wednesday by the latest! It was one of the last ones available before Christmas although I think I could have got a better one from gearbest (nice spot @Jugg1es )

Now the fun starts!

 

[Ben fogstar]

Oh god I just read this thread and now i'm about to be poor. But if i close my eyes real tight I can almost make myself believe a purchase will offset my tax bill.

 

[nikewatch]

Oh god I just read this thread and now i'm about to be poor. But if i close my eyes real tight I can almost make myself believe a purchase will offset my tax bill.

Yeah know that feeling.....this is something I've been thinking about for about two years...I saw a 3d printer making a box in harrods and my mind went into overdrive...then I saw the price and shuffled away deflated haha

 

[Ben fogstar]

Just bought a wanhao i3 to play with

 

[Purplefowler]

I'm still waiting for my fella to build mine! The house is full of rolls of abs and I can't do anything with them! Mind you, he has been working away so I guess I'll let him off this time

Looking to make an enclosure too as our house is a bit draughty. Think a trip to IKEA to get one of their lack tables and some silver insulating sheets should do the job.

 

[Nero]

Just bought a wanhao i3 to play with

Fogstar 3d printed chargers incoming :-P

 

[Ben fogstar]

Haha, with brand new melting/house burning down feature. Still better than Trustfire though

 

[ax]

Old thread, I know but bollocks to it! No point starting a new one when there has been so much good info here already

I'm thinking of jumping into the world of 3D printing and was hoping you clever peeps might be able to give me some advice. I'm thinking of possibly starting a new business/hobby/thing depending on how the prototype comes together, making affordable ultrasonic record cleaning machines and it seems to me that 3D printing might be the best option for making supports for the motor/spacers and various other small parts. There is nothing that needs any great detail, more solid basic functional doobries. But I don't want to spend too much for something that might end up being a crap idea. So I've been looking at a cheap Prusa i3 kit from eBay. Building the kit to a high standard of accuracy ain't a problem as the OH builds much bigger machines for a living and relies on absolute accuracy but I just wasn't sure if the actual quality of the printing was usable. It seems these kit based printers also seem the best for pimping out and tweaking. Or is there something else I should be looking at (with a bit of saving up!)?

Save up or build your own. Cheap printers are not worth the hassle and frustration anything sub $500 or Chinese really isn't worth it if you want to just print. Personally I'd recommend the Original Prusa i3 version 2 from http://shop.prusa3d.com/en/3d-printers/59-original-prusa-i3-mk2-kit.html

Believe me, I learnt the hard way it's taken me a year to get my Cheap Chinese i3s to a really good acceptable Commercial level. I bought them for around £250 but I must have spent another £200 in filament and parts at least getting them right, at that point you're best off saving up and just buying a decent printer. Yes, there's always upgrades you can do, but tbh, it's better to save and get a decent starting platform rather than having all the frustration dealing with a cheap printer.

 

[Purplefowler]

Save up or build your own. Cheap printers are not worth the hassle and frustration anything sub $500 or Chinese really isn't worth it if you want to just print. Personally I'd recommend the Original Prusa i3 version 2 from http://shop.prusa3d.com/en/3d-printers/59-original-prusa-i3-mk2-kit.html

Believe me, I learnt the hard way it's taken me a year to get my Cheap Chinese i3s to a really good acceptable Commercial level. I bought them for around £250 but I must have spent another £200 in filament and parts at least getting them right, at that point you're best off saving up and just buying a decent printer. Yes, there's always upgrades you can do, but tbh, it's better to save and get a decent starting platform rather than having all the frustration dealing with a cheap printer.

Too late! But I'm eying up a titan extruder and better hotend already