3D printer - home/hobby
Discussion
Hi all
I am thinking of getting a 3D printer to try out the technology and generally play around at home.
My 9yo son is also interested so I'm looking for recommendations please.
I have used some real high end machines in a professional capacity (think £250K +) but I obviously understand you get what you pay for.
Can anyone please recommend some decent web sites too, where I can find maybe reviews and resources?
I'm guessing there's a multitude of forums on the subject, but I'm only looking for a "hobby" type machine not professional laser based kit.
Many thanks.....
J
I am thinking of getting a 3D printer to try out the technology and generally play around at home.
My 9yo son is also interested so I'm looking for recommendations please.
I have used some real high end machines in a professional capacity (think £250K +) but I obviously understand you get what you pay for.
Can anyone please recommend some decent web sites too, where I can find maybe reviews and resources?
I'm guessing there's a multitude of forums on the subject, but I'm only looking for a "hobby" type machine not professional laser based kit.
Many thanks.....
J
Roughly how much are you looking to spend?
We have one of these:
https://www.dream3d.co.uk/product/zortrax-m200-and...
it's great for the price. I did have a cheaper one but it was a complete waste of money...
I wouldn't recommend anything cheaper as in my experience, they just don't w8ork!!
We have one of these:
https://www.dream3d.co.uk/product/zortrax-m200-and...
it's great for the price. I did have a cheaper one but it was a complete waste of money...
I wouldn't recommend anything cheaper as in my experience, they just don't w8ork!!
Check out Maker's Muse and 3d printing nerd on YouTube.
I have a super cheap Prusa i3 clone from ebay. You can get the same one currently for about £150. Its quite a good little printer for the price. You have to be able to build it, learn a bit about arduino (you may have to update printer firmware) and be prepared to carry out a few mods. It is not a plug and play option but a potentially good intro if you want cheap and DIY and are in it for the journey rather than just printing out pre-made files.
You can get pre-built for more. Check out some reviews and decide what works best for you.
It is also worth downloading and learning Autodesk Fusion 360. You can get a free enthusiast licence. It is all well and good printing trinkets from Thingiverse, but being able to design your own stuff makes it much more engaging.
Lewis
Edit - A bit of a LOL for the £1500 one linked above. Of course cheaper ones work - but you do need to be prepared to tweek and fiddle. I have this one:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Duty-free-Geeetech-Repr...
All I did was build it to the instructions, printed Z wobble corrector from Thingiverse as well as a part cooling fan holder and it worked well. I have had it 9 months and have probably put hundreds of hours on it. I have recently replaced the nozzle and teflon throat and that is it (other than maintenance like lubing linear bearings with lithium grease).
I have a super cheap Prusa i3 clone from ebay. You can get the same one currently for about £150. Its quite a good little printer for the price. You have to be able to build it, learn a bit about arduino (you may have to update printer firmware) and be prepared to carry out a few mods. It is not a plug and play option but a potentially good intro if you want cheap and DIY and are in it for the journey rather than just printing out pre-made files.
You can get pre-built for more. Check out some reviews and decide what works best for you.
It is also worth downloading and learning Autodesk Fusion 360. You can get a free enthusiast licence. It is all well and good printing trinkets from Thingiverse, but being able to design your own stuff makes it much more engaging.
Lewis
Edit - A bit of a LOL for the £1500 one linked above. Of course cheaper ones work - but you do need to be prepared to tweek and fiddle. I have this one:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Duty-free-Geeetech-Repr...
All I did was build it to the instructions, printed Z wobble corrector from Thingiverse as well as a part cooling fan holder and it worked well. I have had it 9 months and have probably put hundreds of hours on it. I have recently replaced the nozzle and teflon throat and that is it (other than maintenance like lubing linear bearings with lithium grease).
Edited by anonymous-user on Monday 27th November 19:04
One of the alternatives is a 2d laser cutter, such as a home use version of a trotec. Can build some genuinely useful bits to build up 3d shapes. More accurate, stronger, choice of materials and much more straightforward to use than a filament type 3d printer.
We use them at work (alongside various other forms of 3d printer).
Chap at work has one at home for making model railway buildings, for very good pocket money.
We use them at work (alongside various other forms of 3d printer).
Chap at work has one at home for making model railway buildings, for very good pocket money.
Similar usability to the Clairol Foot Spa (remember those?) Looks like a fantastic idea with so much promise to do... stuff.. then you get it all set up, print off half a dozen slightly wonky things that you could have got from the pound shop, then put it away and forget about it. Or give it to a relative who does exactly the same.
Fine if you actually have an application for them, and don't mind the coarse texture and somewhat delicate nature of some prints (not to mention refill filament prices). At the moment I think we are in that period that dot-matrix printers were in when people mostly used them to print ASCII pictures of Sam Fox's boobs.
Fine if you actually have an application for them, and don't mind the coarse texture and somewhat delicate nature of some prints (not to mention refill filament prices). At the moment I think we are in that period that dot-matrix printers were in when people mostly used them to print ASCII pictures of Sam Fox's boobs.
Many thanks for all the replies.
I guess I have a lot more research to do.
I totally understand the whole "Clairol foot spa" mentality too, a bit like exercise bikes and treadmills
Maybe I should just go "cheap & cheerful" to learn the basics and see if I get bitten by the bug.
I will report back when (if) I get one.
I guess I have a lot more research to do.
I totally understand the whole "Clairol foot spa" mentality too, a bit like exercise bikes and treadmills
Maybe I should just go "cheap & cheerful" to learn the basics and see if I get bitten by the bug.
I will report back when (if) I get one.
Holy thread resurrection........
Back in November 2017 I posted a request for information on 3D printers.
Well yesterday (March 6th 2021) I was given one!
It's a bit of a long story but the I believe the owner was upgrading and basically just gave me their old machine.
I have no idea what model it is, but as far as I know it powers up and I'm told it works
Here are some pictures:
I have no idea of the make or model so would anyone be able to shed some light on it for me please, and maybe some tips on where to start!
I guess I'll need to buy some filament at the very least but then my knowledge gets a bit sketchy and I've no idea what to do next.
Throughout my career I have used high end professional laser based machines (think 3D Systems etc.) but they are a world away from the hobby type machine sitting on my kitchen table.
Many thanks in advance.
FF
Back in November 2017 I posted a request for information on 3D printers.
Well yesterday (March 6th 2021) I was given one!
It's a bit of a long story but the I believe the owner was upgrading and basically just gave me their old machine.
I have no idea what model it is, but as far as I know it powers up and I'm told it works
Here are some pictures:
I have no idea of the make or model so would anyone be able to shed some light on it for me please, and maybe some tips on where to start!
I guess I'll need to buy some filament at the very least but then my knowledge gets a bit sketchy and I've no idea what to do next.
Throughout my career I have used high end professional laser based machines (think 3D Systems etc.) but they are a world away from the hobby type machine sitting on my kitchen table.
Many thanks in advance.
FF
Bullett said:
Looks like a homebrew of some kind to me.
They are all a box of bits to a degree anyway but the screen shows what looks a lot like marlin (the OS that controls everything).
Make sure it's all bolted together ok, level the bed and run a benchy, see what happens.
Thanks for the reply..... They are all a box of bits to a degree anyway but the screen shows what looks a lot like marlin (the OS that controls everything).
Make sure it's all bolted together ok, level the bed and run a benchy, see what happens.
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