can you recommend a good low cost 3d printer? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: electronics man
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 05, 2015, 08:43:20 pm
content: i am looking for a good 3d printer for under £600, there doesn't look like there is much on the market that is under that price these days, i don't mind a kit but i don't have access to another 3d printer so i can't print out plastic parts.i need this printer to print mechanical parts and electronics enclosures.i have looked on amazon and ebay and i am having a difficult time trying to workout if they are good or not.does anyone have a good printer they would recommend?

author: Zad
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 06, 2015, 04:07:12 pm
content: I believe the answer is no.The words "Good", "Low cost" and "3D printer" are not yet compatible. Spend your time and money on getting things fabricated either at a local company or an online agency such as shapeways.com The product will probably be printed and on your doorstep before you have managed to stop the extruder head printing a birds nest for the 19th time, using up the 3rd spool of expensive plastic wire.

author: electronics man
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 06, 2015, 06:48:11 pm
content: what about this?http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00PXNDZCE/ref=s9_simh_gw_p328_d0_i2?pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_s=desktop-1&pf_rd_r=058N3K07T2NBMSN8WW6H&pf_rd_t=36701&pf_rd_p=577047787&pf_rd_i=desktop

author: free_electron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 06, 2015, 06:51:29 pm
content: Stratasys or Objet.those are the cheapest Good machines. anything else is just crap

author: electronics man
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 06, 2015, 06:56:49 pm
content: Quote from: free_electron on April 06, 2015, 06:51:29 pmthey look really expensive but i can't get a price on themwhats happened to those old kits you used to get like the repraps?

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 06, 2015, 07:03:55 pm
content: They were bought out.......

author: electronics man
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 06, 2015, 07:14:06 pm
content: Quote from: SeanB on April 06, 2015, 07:03:55 pmam i right in saying that they were bought out by makerbotyou used to get a reprap kit for around £500, you can no longer get those the cheapest they do is £999

author: tggzzz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 06, 2015, 08:09:12 pm
content: Fundamental point: any printeryoucan buy will use averylimited range of materials. If those materials don't meetany oneof your requirements (and they probably won't!), you are stuffed.Best solution is to get a fab house (e.g. shapeways, but there are many many others) to makethisproject out of nylon,thatproject out of brass,the otherproject out of paper.

author: electronics man
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 06, 2015, 09:09:52 pm
content: Quote from: tggzzz on April 06, 2015, 08:09:12 pmI'm just looking for the standard PLA or ABS

author: zapta
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 06, 2015, 09:47:42 pm
content: I am using the Makerfarm Prusa 8" kit and happy with it. Another popular low end is Printbot.

author: electronics man
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 06, 2015, 11:35:24 pm
content: Quote from: zapta on April 06, 2015, 09:47:42 pmthat looks like the one for me

author: VK3DRB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 07, 2015, 07:29:07 am
content: Wait 10 years. What's available now will be considered a joke in 10 years time, just like the 80 column dot matrix printers.Forecast:Costs will plummet.Higher speed using a different technique to the existing 1D layering technique used today.Download designs and print immediately from stores.Much easier and quicker to modify designs with easy-to-use software.Recyclable materials.A much wider variety of new materials just for 3D printing.Quality of the printing will greatly increase.Multiple materials in the one printing.Becoming mainstream - Apple, the Chinese company that will buy the remains of IBM, or even Dell will start making these.Everyone in the developed world will have access to one, except prisoners.If Apple sells them, you will still have to go through that iTunes bloatwareto get print anything.On the dot matrix printers, I bought an Olympia Compact NP dot matrix printer in 1982 for today's equivalent of about $8,000. It is worth $0.00 today. Same will be for the 3D printers of today.

author: zapta
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 07, 2015, 07:49:28 pm
content: Quote from: VK3DRB on April 07, 2015, 07:29:07 amDo you regret buying it at the time?

author: Fraser
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 07, 2015, 08:05:30 pm
content: An interesting thread and responses. Thank youI was very tempted to buy a Da Vinci XYZ printer from Amazon but had the same thought as others here. The technology is clever but in its infancy. I just couldn't justify the cost if the unit didn't deliver the 'goods' reliably and to a decent quality.I will have to wait and use 3D print houses until the printing equipment matures.Aurora

author: dannyf
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 07, 2015, 08:18:39 pm
content: QuoteYour hands.

author: Corporate666
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: April 07, 2015, 08:18:50 pm
content: I have agonized over buying a 3D printer. For what I do, the hobby junk on the market wouldn't be sufficient (or at least, I'd have to do a lost of post finishing work).But the greater problem is these 3D printers are not plug and play. Everyone I know that has one is constantly f**king with it to get it to produce the appropriate results. And because it is a long process to print something, one mistake screws up a whole print.I have used Shapeways and Sculpteo. My parts from Sculpteo look way better than any hobbyist level machine - I have #2-56 holes printed into the parts and they are perfect. The exterior surface is smooth as silk.If you don't need that level of quality, use Makexyz.com. You can hook up with someone in your area that has a hobby printer and their charge to you will only be slightly more than the cost of the material ($0.25 per cubic cm seems the going rate). And you only pay for good finished parts - they get to deal with warped unusable parts, or parts that missed a step, etc, etc.In short, unless you really want to deal with the hassles and headaches of running and maintaining one of these printers yourself, outsource it and wait for the tech to improve. For the price of DIY, you can pay for many many many hundreds of parts to be made and delivered to you.

author: zapta
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 07, 2015, 08:39:48 pm
content: I ordered once from shapeways. Price was good. Resolution was good but the material was white painted with blue and it took two weeksJGGKJGKGaa to arrive. Not a good way for quick design iterations. I find my cheap reprap to be very useful. YMMV

author: janoc
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 07, 2015, 10:20:09 pm
content: Quote from: Corporate666 on April 07, 2015, 08:18:50 pmI think they will never be plug and play. Even the big, expensive, professional machines aren't. The problem is that people call this "a printer", evoking the idea of a cheap-ass inkjet that you connect to an USB port, install drivers and it works.A 3D printer is a CNC machine, more comparable to a CNC router or a CNC lathe. And those need maintenance, alignment, repairs and skilled/trained operators as well. Expecting a CNC machine becoming plug & play is pretty much an utopia - it just won't be cost effective to do so. The user requiring "plug & play" likely doesn't have the skills to use one of them (effectively, not just by downloading files and pushing a button) anyway. Those people are really looking for a Star Trek replicator, not a 3D printer. Unfortunately, those don't exist yetEven a commercial, production grade CNC router needs to be homed, needs to have endstops adjusted, needs cleaning, oiling, replacing worn parts, etc. And those machines are built way more robustly than the flimsy plasticky pieces of junk in many of the mass-marketed 3D printers. Heck, the original Printrbot was made from wood held together by zip ties!!!Now, some machines are certainly better than others, but you won't find one that doesn't need tweaking and adjustments. It is just par for the course. If someone is looking to buy a filament based printer these days, I would strongly suggest looking for a RepRap derived machine - at least if something goes belly up, you can find replacements easily and cheaply. Good luck repairing some of those big buck commercial ones! I have a Mendel90 myself and it works quite well. There are some issues I may replace/improve later, but so far it works.Also, a sub $500 machine is going to be crap almost by definition. Just the mechanical parts - slides, motors, extruder, belts/rods and chassis are going to cost that much new. So if a machine is cheaper, then corners were likely cut somewhere.

author: Corporate666
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: April 08, 2015, 12:55:36 am
content: Quote from: janoc on April 07, 2015, 10:20:09 pmJust out of curiosity, what does it cost you per CM^3 of material?The going rate is $0.25/CM^3 on MakeXYZ.com - I have to imagine that isn't much above the cost of material (inclusive of errors) and the people doing the work are essentially working for free, or minimum wage.Unless one needs parts immediately or just wants to play, the economics of 3D printing are horrible. I had some complicated parts printed by a guy on MakeXYZ who is local to me... they were done in 2 days and he got to deal with any bad prints, warping, missed steps or whatever... I just got the 10 final articles.

author: zapta
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 08, 2015, 01:46:02 am
content: Quote from: Corporate666 on April 08, 2015, 12:55:36 amIt's easier to estimate cost by weight rather than volume since a printout can have a significant amount of air, depending on its shape and slicing configuration. The typical retail cost of not too fancy PLA or ABS filament is $20-$25 per 1Kg. After you setup the slicing parameters the slicing software typically gives estimation of printing time, material amount, and cost.

author: nowlan
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 08, 2015, 02:15:41 am
content: Ben Krasnow from applied science on youtube said that unless your constantly making prototype parts & enclosures etc, they arent worth spending the money on. It will just sit in the corner gathering dust. eg, good for workshop, not for home.I agree with others, you can outsource your design to a 3rd party, have the part delivered without the upfront investment.Fortunately, I have access to a commercial 3d printer at school.http://www.stratasys.com/3d-printers

author: electronics man
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 08, 2015, 08:55:43 pm
content: Quote from: nowlan on April 08, 2015, 02:15:41 ami can see that as being true.a mill would be a lot more useful but i can't have one so i would have to make do with a 3d printer

author: electronics man
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 08, 2015, 08:57:29 pm
content: Quote from: Corporate666 on April 07, 2015, 08:18:50 pmi have a 4 month holiday, i want to make this a summer project so that i don't mind about the plug and play thing

author: janoc
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 08, 2015, 09:04:44 pm
content: Quote from: zapta link=topic=45729.msg647191#msg647191Yep. Here the filament costs around 20-25 euro per kilogram, but depends on where you get it from. E.g. the very good Faberdashery PLA is a lot more expensive. Usually various small parts weigh few tens of grams, so the costs aren't that horrible. I am not printing large parts - people printing 30-50cm statues or quadrocopter frames are, IMO, crazy. It both takes ages to print, with a high risk of failure and it costs a lot more than to use a different technique to build it.Quote from: nowlan on April 08, 2015, 02:15:41 amWell, yes and no - you cannot measure everything by money like that. He is certainly right economically. On the other hand, he has an excellently equipped workshop where he really doesn't need the capability of a consumer level 3D printer. For me, living in a rental apartment, that is obviously not an option.Also, how many of the people here have expensive scopes and multimeters for what is essentially a hobby? I certainly wouldn't spend 2-3k euro on a Makerbot or a similar machine, but the 800 euro Mendel90 kit was a cost I was willing to swallow for what is essentially a toy and a learning tool for me. Sure, I could order the parts online (which isn't actually THAT cheap!), but knowing that if I need something, I have the machine next door ready to go makes things a lot easier.

author: Tuppe
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: April 10, 2015, 04:53:27 pm
content: Whoa guys, what is wrong with RepRap Prusa i3v?http://www.makerfarm.com/index.php/prusa-8-i3v-kit-v-slot-extrusion.htmlOne video:There's few reviews on Youtube of this printer.I don't own this machine, but seems pretty solid printer for under 600$. I was planning to buy one, but my local library just acquired 3 Ultimakers for free useObviously you need to build this yourself, but I think it's half the fun. Fiddling around with the settings and configuring it all the time might be a pain, but that's usually inherit thing with consumer 3d printers.Surely it's probably not the smallest, fancyest, most accurate or fastest thing on the planet, but for the price it seems that it serves well for prototyping.

author: janoc
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 10, 2015, 09:09:51 pm
content: Prusa I3 and its derivatives tend to have two main issues:- The gantry mounting is incredibly flimsy and it is hard to get and to maintain the pieces perpendicular to each other. That's why this I3v has the extra rear support.- Stability problems - avoid wooden Prusas (and other wooden printers). Wood has the bad habit to take on moisture over time, to dry irregularly and it will twist and warp, ruining the alignment of the machine. I quite don't get the point of using the aluminium extrusion for the rails on this printer but using plywood for the structural elements. That's just silly - those rails are going to be only heavier and more expensive than the usual precision rods and you keep all the alignment and warping problems of the wooden Prusas ... The smoother movement thanks to the v-groove is pointless when your machine is shaking apart because the wood cannot provide the sufficient rigidity over time with the fast extruder movements.There are kits from plastic, those are a little better, but they tend to flex quite a bit - the rigidity just isn't there. That's why the Mendel90 that I have is made from Dibond - an aluminium plastic composite, about as strong as 3mm sheet aluminium, but lighter.The rest is a standard RepRap fare - bed leveling can be a PITA, the Z screws on the sides are actually not driving the gantry when going down (it only freely rests on two brass nuts), so unless everything is perfectly aligned it will be twisting and jumping because of the heavy motor being on only one side and no counterweight, unless you are careful about protecting the motor wires they will break over time, etc. etc. If you have any machining experience, I will guarantee you will cringe quite a few times when seeing some of the design "features" of these printersThey work, but be prepared for some "babysitting" and repairs here and there.If I was you, I would pay a little more and get a Prusa version made out of metal or at least some solid plastic. The wood is just not worth the hassle longterm.This is Mendel90:http://reprap.org/wiki/Mendel90Nophead is a very nice guy, whenever I had any issues, he or his wife came back to me within a day.

author: zapta
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 10, 2015, 09:23:47 pm
content: I have a prusa i3v for six months now and I love it. That's my first 3d printer. If I will upgrade it will be to a closed chamber dual extruder such as one of the Forge units.

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 10, 2015, 11:14:15 pm
content: Quote from: electronics man on April 06, 2015, 09:09:52 pmThere are many 3D printing services. Better send your design to them and have it printed for a small price than invest in a printer which isn't going to serve you at all.

author: janoc
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 12, 2015, 01:11:41 pm
content: Quote from: nctnico on April 10, 2015, 11:14:15 pmHow can you know that it isn't going to serve him at all? I know a lot of people who are completely happy with their RepRaps, Ultimakers and what not. The key is to know what you are buying, what are you going to use it for and be prepared for it.BTW, services like Shapeways or Sculpteo are not really cheaper, unless you have a hackerspace or some shop with a 3D printer around a corner - good luck to find one unless you live in a large city and often not even there.If you plan on printing more than a few parts a year, your own printer will probably pay for itself quickly, not to mention the much quicker turn-around time - important for prototypes. E.g. I have ordered a small part in ABS that I needed to calibrate my own printer - 64x34x15 mm from Sculpteo, it cost me around 12€ delivered and took two weeks to get here. So if you are making more than about 50 of such pieces a year, you can afford a $500 printer too already. And the prices go up quickly for larger parts.Of course, if you want to print in "exotic" materials like metal or wood, require high precision or complicated shapes, then the services are likely your only option, but that is a different story.

author: Corporate666
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: April 12, 2015, 09:34:51 pm
content: Quote from: janoc on April 12, 2015, 01:11:41 pmI think you need to print quite a lot of parts before you are saving money doing it yourself... quite a lot of parts indeed.I looked at my last invoice from Sculpteo... two parts, about the size of a small egg. I paid around $15/ea. I ordered on September 3rd, they were shipped on September 6th by UPS Express which arrived in 2-3 days from France to the USA - and I paid $6.50 for shipping. My total bill was $37.12The parts are infinitely better quality than any hobbyist 3D printer. They are dimensionally accurate, the curved surfaces are smooth as silk. They have #2-56 holes in them which came out great from the printer. They are virtually perfect copies of what I see on my screen in Solidworks.Comparing hobbyist printers, I can go on MakeXYZ and pay $0.25 per CC... let's say that is 5 times the price of material.. you'd need to print an awful lot to cover the expense of your own machine (cost of machine, shipping, electricity to run it, consumables, breakdowns and spare parts, etc). Not to mention the cost of bad prints and the value of my time, and the learning curve of using the machine.

author: janoc
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 13, 2015, 07:12:56 pm
content: Quote from: Corporate666 on April 12, 2015, 09:34:51 pmThat is not really a fair comparison, IMO - Sculpteo uses professional machines using the SLS technology, likely from Stratasys (new owners of Makerbot, btw) that cost somewhere around 100k and upwards. So no wonder the quality is a bit elsewhere than the cheap FDM printers can achieve.How many of those parts do you order annually on average? Also, the 3 days lead time is very short, that was not my experience with them at all. You have most likely got lucky there.Quote from: Corporate666 on April 12, 2015, 09:34:51 pmLucky you. This is not the case in the most of Europe. For me Sculpteo is the cheapest available and is local, most others are abroad and shipping to Europe can cost a bloody murder (especially UPS/DHL/Fedex).I am not close enough to commute to the few hackerspaces in Paris (gas or train cost quite a bit more than in the US here) and we don't have anything like that anywhere near. And I am not living out in the woods somewhere, Compiegne is a reasonably sized town.The cheapest I have seen was going to the FabLab of the local uni (not open to public, only to the students) and there it costs 0.20EUR/gram (pricing by volume is nonsense, because it depends on the fill rate - most larger objects contain a lot of "air"). That is basically the cost of the filament + some wear of the machine, the rest (electricity, rent, machines themselves) is subsidized by the Uni or done by the students themselves. So if you have a commercial service nearby that can do it at those rates, excellent, but that is far from being the rule.If your only option are services like Sculpteo and not services that do it basically for the price of the material + salary of a tech loading the filament and removing finished prints, the printer will be quickly cheaper if you are printing a lot of parts. Electricity is mostly a non-issue, the printer doesn't run that long at a time. It certainly consumes less than a PC or a modern large TV. Mine is powered from a way oversized 500W ATX PSU, so the electricity cost per part is perhaps few cents tops. Bad prints happen, but on a reasonable machine they are fairly rare. Repairs and maintenance - depends on the machine, that is why I was recommending RepRap-based designs, because the parts are cheap and widely available should anything break. And well, learning curve - certainly, but people buying these hobby-grade machines most often don't count that, because learning is one of their goals. I can certainly understand the appeal of not having to deal with that, then you are better off using a service.Anyway, I have already said that for me the main reason to get a printer wasn't really the financial aspect. I am certainly not making that many parts, it is more a toy and hobby for me, same as people buying multimeters and scopes for hobby work.

author: veryevil
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: April 13, 2015, 07:34:11 pm
content: hey, I've got an Ormerod 2. i love it. took a lot of building but works great.https://reprappro.com/shop/reprap-kits/ormerod-2-kit/Full kit including printed parts £405+vat

author: janoc
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 15, 2015, 11:51:27 am
content: Quote from: veryevil on April 13, 2015, 07:34:11 pmHow is the alignment and wear and tear of the X and Z axes?I was looking at these machines, but when I saw that the X axis is supported only on one side using a 3D printed part, with the relatively heavy extruder moving back and forth, I have changed my mind. This type of design is really asking for problems with the X axis starting to "droop" on one side once the plastic wears out a bit.

author: monksod
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: April 16, 2015, 05:29:40 am
content: This is new & cheap (?), don't know much about it though --http://hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__77432__Fabrikator_DIY_3D_Printer_Kit_AU_Warehouse.html?utm_campaign=150415.AU&utm_content=2127070085&utm_medium=email&utm_source=EDM

author: wemme
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 16, 2015, 05:48:41 am
content: Hobby king have just announced a new 3d printer.http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__76148__Turnigy_Fabrikator_3D_Printer_UK_Plug_.htmlthey are getting stock still to their local distribution points but at the moment is available from their international warehouse.By the way cheap and good don't usually go together. you normally pay for what you get.RegardsBart

author: veryevil
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: April 16, 2015, 07:41:04 pm
content: The X axis is very strong. i had a bit of an issue during build with mounting the z axis (which has the x axis on) as i damaged the bracket. I did just print another but its very strong and the new x axis rib is stronger and lighter than mine.Quote from: janoc on April 15, 2015, 11:51:27 am

author: cwalex
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 17, 2015, 03:02:32 pm
content: Check out the Rapide-3d printer.https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/rapide-lite-affordable-high-resolution-3d-printer/x/6213280It is a completed campaign, the printers are shipping and you can just order one and have it shipped now. There are lots of options and models but they all look awesome. i bought one and have received the semi assembled kit option. I have not had the time to assemble it though, also this is my first 3D printerIt is all aluminium construction and from the quick look I had of what came in the box I'm seriously impressed at the quality of the parts. It is anodised and feels really rigid and strong. They actually released a video of 2 printers operating while someone was standing on top of them.They are reasonably priced, the model I bought is the lite 200. It is now going for $999 with free shipping. I'll report back when I have it assembled and tested if anyone is interested.Here is the promotion video if you want to see it in operation.Cheers,Alex

author: zapta
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 17, 2015, 03:27:56 pm
content: Picking a 3D printer is hard. So many choices.

author: janoc
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 17, 2015, 08:42:12 pm
content: Quote from: cwalex on April 17, 2015, 03:02:32 pmHonestly, picking an unproven design from Indiegogo or Kickstarter because it "looks awesome" is probably the worst thing you can do if you want to have a working machine. Apart from the usual Indiegogo/Kickstarter woes with projects failing/non-delivering/being scams/etc. (I am glad to hear that wasn't the case here!), you are basically a beta tester for a machine that nobody else has.If something goes wrong, where do you get help? The manufacturer with no track record could disappear tomorrow, where do you get spare parts for your machine should anything break? That machine isn't using "standard" RepRap parts which are widely available - mainly the hot end and extruder. If the extruder breaks or clogs (a not so uncommon issue on many printers), you may face a complicated rework to adapt another design for it or have an awesome looking and very expensive paperweight on your desk ...A good example of a crowd funded project like this going wrong was the MakiBox - ultra cheap, late to deliver, the delivered printers had many many problems and finally the company has folded, leaving their customers stranded with unusable machines. Even big companies like Makerbot are not immune to gaffes of this type, unfortunately - just google the stories about their new "smart extruders".Now, don't get me wrong, I am not bashing this machine - I do hope it will work well and be reliable for you. However, a more prudent way to buy it would have been to wait until there are some independent reviews around (e.g. on forums.reprap.org) from someone who has actually used it, instead of only the manufacturer's videos ...

author: cwalex
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 18, 2015, 09:36:11 am
content: Hi janoc,I'm not recommending anyone choose anything because it "looks awesome". I just wanted to mention this printer as an option since I don't think there exists anything comparable to this printer in the sub $1000 price range.I agree with you about most of your points though. I will find out if it works as well as they claim in due course and I can report back with my experience if anyone is interested.There is a forum here if anyone wants to read what people who actually have these printers are talking about.http://www.print3dforum.com/forumdisplay.php/7-Rapide-LiteAs far as I know they have followed through with all of the promises they made and then some unlike many crowdfunding campaigns and from the reading I have been doing, I don't remember reading any reports of problems with the machines.Anyway, the specs are good and the build quality appears to be great so I'm mentioning it for the OP to consider if they want to.

author: Mechanical Menace
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 18, 2015, 09:55:03 am
content: If you have the time, inclination, and skills or time to learn them I'd roll my own if I was you. Well apart from the controller and stepper driver board and maybe the hotend/whole extruder.Bit of a tip if you do take that route, talk to local sign makers if you feel the need to get some parts laser cut. The guys I asked ended up doing it for free.

author: janoc
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 18, 2015, 12:43:00 pm
content: Quote from: cwalex on April 18, 2015, 09:36:11 amI think there are quite a few - from what I have seen, that machine is basically a Prusa 3 derived design. You can get those for around 800 euro as kits, assembled for slightly more. Perhaps not so schmick looking, but certainly equally capable. The Mendel90 I have was around 800 euro delivered, including shipping from UK. You can find even cheaper Prusas than that, if you are willing to make compromises.Don't get too excited by the claimed 50um resolution - that is pretty much the theoretical resolution of the steppers, the real resolution will be quite a bit less than that due to tolerances and the inevitable backlash. You can expect a 100um on a well adjusted machine of this type, if you are really really lucky perhaps a bit better. Also, keep in mind that the diameter of the extruder nozzle is 0.3-0.4mm typically, so having 50um positioning accuracy is of limited utility when you are laying down a string of plastic 300um wide ...What I like is what looks like fully aluminium chassis, so it has potential for decent rigidity and stability, but that is certainly not an unique feature.Quote from: cwalex on April 18, 2015, 09:36:11 amI am interested to hear about your experiences.Quote from: cwalex on April 18, 2015, 09:36:11 amThat is certainly a positive news. Most 3D printer campaigns on KS or IGG are a hopeless failure from the get go because of completely bogus business model and unrealistic/naive expectations.

author: janoc
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 18, 2015, 12:50:07 pm
content: Quote from: Mechanical Menace on April 18, 2015, 09:55:03 amUnless you have a source of really cheap parts (e.g. Nema motors, belts, pulleys, etc. salvaged from somewhere) and a well equipped machine shop for cutting the metal/plastic parts, I wouldn't bother. You will not save anything by not buying a decent part kit. The kit vendors buy the parts in bulk, allowing them to have lower prices than when you buy the pieces yourself on eBay or elsewhere. And you have no guarantee that the separately acquired parts will actually work together. The only thing more that you will learn by not buying the kit is part sourcing and the resulting aggravation when you are still missing a screw or something doesn't fit right.

author: Mechanical Menace
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 18, 2015, 01:37:51 pm
content: Quote from: janoc on April 18, 2015, 12:50:07 pmI should of made it clear I meant the controller kitswiththe motors included. And when it comes to the frame and mechanical constructionmostof the parts can be easily made with hand tools if you measure carefully. TBH even the hotend can be made with hand tools but not necessarily easily.I also avoid belts like the plague. My bot works just fine with threaded rod as lead screws. Investing in a tap and making my own lead screw nuts out of brass, aluminium, or whatever off cut of engineering plastic I can get my hands on at the time seems to have avoided a lot of problems and money lol

author: cwalex
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 19, 2015, 01:01:36 pm
content: There are some really inexpensive kits available for a few of the reprap variants.This one is a kit made from acrylic.Prusa i3 complete kit with 2 free 1KG spools of filament and free shipping for $315USD. Add another $40 for the automatic bed levelling upgrade.https://www.3dprintersonlinestore.com/diy-kit/migbot-prusa-i3-kitI had a look at some reviews and build tutorials for this printer kit out of curiosity. It seems like the biggest complaint is about the instructions not being very clear and the assembly is quite time consuming. Incredibly cheap though.Those delta printers look really funky too

author: cwalex
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 19, 2015, 02:52:52 pm
content: I took a few photos of the parts that come in the Rapide3d printer boxes. This is the lite200 model that sells for $799 with free shipping. I used my mobile phone to take the photos and I'm a pretty lousy photographer. I did a decent enough job that you can see how nice the machining and finish is. If the printer is good I may stock a few different models and sell them in my shop. I enquired with Ethan the CEO of Rapide3D, he said they intend to supply printers to resellers.https://imgur.com/a/Q61SaI have the day off this Thursday so I'll use that time to assemble and test the printer. I'll post my experience with it in this thread if the OP doesn't mind otherwise I might make a separate thread.Cheers,Alex

author: Sigmoid
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 20, 2015, 08:08:54 pm
content: I'm surprised nobody has suggested the Printrbot Simple.It's really awesome, and quite extensible, and very cheap.

author: janoc
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 20, 2015, 09:54:38 pm
content: Quote from: cwalex on April 19, 2015, 02:52:52 pmI have a quite hard time to believe that they are selling this model for just $800 with all those thick machined aluminium parts and proper leadscrews (and not simple tapped rods). It certainly looks great. My suspicion is that they are selling this thing at cost or even at loss - just the machining for each of these machines would normally cost a few hundred bucks.

author: sacherjj
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 22, 2015, 05:04:55 pm
content: I really wonder about this one:http://www.computerworld.com/article/2868817/review-lulzbot-mini-3d-printer-delivers-outstanding-details.html

author: revilo951
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: April 23, 2015, 04:55:27 am
content: Maybe check out Type A Machines?Their support is pretty good, prices OK. The machines work well enough (I don't have experience with any other models to be able to compare).

author: KG7AMV
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 28, 2015, 04:57:41 am
content: Look at Public Surplus Auctions...http://www.publicsurplus.com/sms/auction/view?auc=1351766

author: Fraser
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 22, 2015, 05:22:06 pm
content: For anyone interested, I have bought a very nice 3D printer called the UP! Mini.So far I am very impressed with it.My thread on it is here:https://www.eevblog.com/forum/reviews/up!-mini-3d-printer-by-pp3dp-a-look-under-her-bonnet-comments-on-design/Aurora