Any recommendations for an entry level 3D printer?

Question

I am looking to get started in 3D printing. I am looking for a relatively inexpensive and easy to use printer to start learning with. Any ideas and/or recommendations as to model, features or accessories that would be important? Also any thoughts about necessary software tools would be appreciated.

Gene

vlaine · Answer

I have a cheap Zonestar Prusa that I purchased from Aliexpress. I paid $200 if I remember well. It is very good and gives me impressive result. You have to purchase a printer wit a heated bed and auto levelling. Marlin firmware is a must. with a cheap printer, you have to expect to manually adjust the bed level before each print. It takes some time to master this step, but once you get it, you can print anything with great quality. If you purchase a more expensive printer like a Makerbot, you won’t need to adjust it before each print. Except for that, you can expect the same print quality. When assembling your printer, make sure you are on a perfectly leveled surface. wait until the very end before thightening the screws. If you can get a heated bed fixed with 3 screws instead of 4, it will be easier to adjust. Everthing is a matter of leveling with 3d printing.

dougw · Answer

I have tried several printers including Cel Robox, Tivo Tornado and Anycubic I3 Mega. each has some nice features an some quirks. They all have features I need like heated bed that auto-releases when it cools down, and the ability to swap filament during a print. The Robox is the most automated, including auto bed leveling and easiest to use and comes fully assembled, but hardest to take apart and repair. The Tornado is easy to assemble and has the largest build volume, but the bed is so big it is harder to get uniform heating and bed leveling is trickier. The I3 Mega is also easy to assemble and I have only leveled it once when I first set it up. (so far about 50 print jobs) At the moment I like the I3 Mega the best although for big jobs the Tornado is the only one that can handle it.

rsc · Answer

Hi Gene, I wanted to build my own, but without having to spec out all the parts myself, so I purchased the SeeMeCNC H2 kit https://www.seemecnc.com/products/h2-delta-diy-3d-printer-kit It works rather well, took me about 11 hours to build - I added a heated bed a few months later. Scott

gam3t3ch · Answer

Any funssor 1set reprap i3 anet a8 hesine m505 tronxy clone will do for starting and fairly cheap there is even clones of those clones that are cheaper I got my Hesine M505 off aliexpress many years ago now and was cheap then. Just have to find reputable sellers.

luislabmo · Answer

Hello genebren , I would say people can give you better recommendations if you provide a little more details about your goals. These are some factors that may help you narrowing down your decision: Budget -because, off course-. Size of final prints and print quality you want to target. Are you ok with calibrating the printer manually (once in a while) or do you want something that does auto-calibration/bed-level-compensation. Are you planning to print with exotic materials like ninja-flex, nylon Type -there are many- but the most popular are FDM (the ones with a extruder) or SLA/DLP (the ones that use resin). Do you want to build your own/customize it a lot? Some printers use proprietary cartridges, this may be a big decision factor as usually this type of printers may provide good features but the consumables costs may be high in the long term or not worth the premium. Options I'd consider for starters: Lulzbot Mini is good for beginners, period. Just click on the print button and wait for your final print . It is a very sturdy printer, comes ready to use, assembled in the USA, uses quality parts and doesn't need you to run complex calibration procedures. On the downside is a little pricey, noisy and the bed size is on the small side. Creality CR-10 : is very popular, requires little assembly and is kinda cheap. Any prusa flavor : is very versatile, well known -very popular and with lots of customization projects out there-, plenty of options to chose from and fits very well the build-you-own/customize territory if that is what you are looking for. Looking for a little more?: there are other good options for starters worth considering but pricier like the Ultimaker , Zortrax M200 or a bigger Lulzbot . Hope this helps. Luis

jeffersonpham · Answer

I have a Prusa clone that I got from HE3D. It’s their EI3 Dual extruder with auto Z-leveling and large heated bed. I Also bought the Double Z-axis so I could get more stability. I Love this printer, it was a little bit tricky to set up at first, but once I got it going and leveled, it prints amazingly well. http://s.aliexpress.com/EraErAbQ I Got it for around $350 dollars. The heated buildplate in the large version has a 200mm x 280mm x 200mm build volume which is pretty large and the power supply at 24V heats up pretty evenly. The dual extruder also adds a ton of flxability because I can print soluble filaments and get extremely detailed parts without having to remove supports. Good luck!

gam3t3ch · Answer

I found for the most part the best deals were on aliexpress for printers over other sites picked up mine on there for a few hundred use mainly pla bed is only 12v so takes a bit to heat wont reach the temps for abs printing even in an enclosure so think I might have to look at getting another and that one there you posted looks like it would fit my needs. Thanks for posting the link to your suggested always good to hear what others think of their printers.

gsgill112 · Answer

Have you checked Banggood / Aliexpress. there are pretty decent deals on chinese 3D printers, starting from 120-150 $ //guri

Any recommendations for an entry level 3D printer?

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