1 Topic by Emily185 (edited by Emily185 2024-04-08 09:07:41)

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Topic: Could someone help me choose a printer

Hi

Im new to 3d printing and looking to buy a printer. My price range is about $1000.

What I would like is an open source printer that is upgradable (with standard/universal parts) something that I could upgrade to duel extruder. Also I need a printer that can print fine detail for making small gears and functioning parts and lastly i would like it to be able to print in many materials ranging from pla and abs to nilon water soluble plastic and flexible plastic.
oh and I have been playing around with fusion 360 and would like to know what people think of it and what other CAD software they recommend. Change My Clothes Ringtone

One last thing I have heard of people attaching a dremel to there 3d printer for doing light cnc work like making pcb's, is this a practical option.

Any advice is greatly appreciated.
https://www.youtube.com/@Freeringtone365

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2 Reply by Tin Falcon (edited by Tin Falcon 2016-11-05 13:36:15)

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Re: Could someone help me choose a printer

Emily welcome to the forum. There are many chooses in printer  in that price point .
Small gears can you specify small . FDM ,FFF has its limits with small to tiny details. you may need a resin printer for your application.
Also where in the world are you from. It could help you immensely if there is a Makerspace or a 3d printing store near you that you could actualy see 5-10 different printers in the  same room and compare.
Are you interested ready for a kit build or are you looking preambled only.
What size build area are you comfortable with? Printers come in various sizes from a 4"x 4" print bed to 12" x12"     8" square or 200mm is fairly common.
From your previous description  look for a heated bed and if you can a nozzle fan for PLA.

https://printedsolid.com/collections/3d-printers

Folks here tend to favor the ED3 hot end for an upgrade and the titan extruder works well with it.
http://e3d-online.com/E3D-v6  these extruders will allow for the widest variety of materials.

KIt printers
https://folgertech.com/collections/3d-printer-full-kits
Quality Import
http://www.flashforge-usa.com/shop/3d-printers.html
Made in USA  printers
http://www.plasticscribbler.com/

Hope this helps.
As far as software fusion 360 should be  a good choice. Many here use Autodesk 123Ddesign it is free and quite usable but less features than 360.
As for gears

http://geargenerator.com/#200,200,100,6 … 0,0,2,-563

This one allows you to design a gear in minutes with a few keyed in data

http://gears-3d-printer.en.softonic.com/

Have fun

Tin

Soliddoodle 4 stock w glass bed------Folger Tech Prusa 2020 upgraded to and titan /aero extruder mirror bed
FT5 with titan/ E3D Aero------MP mini select w glass bed
MP Utimate maker pro-W bondtech extruder
Marlin/Repetier Host/ Slic3r and Cura

3 Reply by heartless

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Re: Could someone help me choose a printer

going by your requested requirements, you will want something with an enclosure (all sides covered) ABS does not like open frame printers much - yes, it can be done, but failure rates are high. Nylon also does better with an enclosure.

for the detail aspect - just how detailed and small do you wish to go? Tin is right when he suggests that perhaps a resin type would be better if you are looking at very small objects with a lot of detail (say 5mm or less). the problem there is limited resin types/colors.
you can get good detail out of a well calibrated FFF type printer, but for really small things, they just don't do well.

SD4 #1 & #2 - Lawsy carriages, E3D v6, Rumba controller board, mirror bed plate, X motor fan, upgraded PSU & Mica bed heater
SD4 #3 - in the works ~ Folgertech FT-5, rev 1
Printit Industries Beta Tester - Horizon H1

4 Reply by Tin Falcon (edited by Tin Falcon 2016-11-06 18:22:09)

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Re: Could someone help me choose a printer

ABS does benefit from and enclosure and heat bed some ABS machines even have a heated chamber instead of a heated bed.

PLA benefits from a nozzle fan IIRC  the ultimaker  is one of the few to have a standard nozzle fan.
Looks like monoprice is selling a ultimaker clone but not sure of the details. it is about 1/3 the price so  you know they are cutting corners somewhere.


Unfortunately it is difficult to design build and tune a machine that will do all materials well. there is always going to be a trade off.

Some machines will do PLA well others will do ABS well but not usually both. Then introduce elastomers into the mix.
Also nylon is a bit hydroscopic so you nee to keep it dry.

If you know you want to use a variety of materials you are wise to choose a printer that will handle them  but be aware there are pitfalls and you need to take care to purge the nozzle when changing  filaments.

Soliddoodle 4 stock w glass bed------Folger Tech Prusa 2020 upgraded to and titan /aero extruder mirror bed
FT5 with titan/ E3D Aero------MP mini select w glass bed
MP Utimate maker pro-W bondtech extruder
Marlin/Repetier Host/ Slic3r and Cura

5 Reply by heartless

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Re: Could someone help me choose a printer

Unfortunately it is difficult to design build and tune a machine that will do all materials well. there is always going to be a trade off.

That isn't necessarily true either. I guess it is all in your outlook.
My #1 SD4 will do most materials just fine. I did outfit it with a layer fan for printing PLA, and I generally leave the top open, too. Most of my printing is done with ABS however, so the fan rarely sees use. It will also do Taulman's 910 Nylon just fine, as well as PETG.
Granted - it is pretty highly modified over how it was as a stock unit. tongue

But you are correct that one must carefully purge all of the previous material when swapping types, which can be a little tricky.

SD4 #1 & #2 - Lawsy carriages, E3D v6, Rumba controller board, mirror bed plate, X motor fan, upgraded PSU & Mica bed heater
SD4 #3 - in the works ~ Folgertech FT-5, rev 1
Printit Industries Beta Tester - Horizon H1

6 Reply by Kronikabuse

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Re: Could someone help me choose a printer

i run a layer fan on my sd4 no matter what im printing including ABS and nylon

Sd4 #9080 with a glass bed. E3d chimera duel extruder. Paste extruder , duet wifi.
Lawsy carriages. linear bearings. Y axis direct drive, Kinect scanner
SD4#8188 glass bed, lawsly carriages, E3d v6, octoprint http://www.ustream.tv/channel/hotrod96z28
Filastruder/filawinder, Custom Delta 300mm x 600mm

7 Reply by Tin Falcon

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Re: Could someone help me choose a printer

Well heartless I sit corrected.  Most stock units do one better than the other .


And I have to admit I am not not printed abs or nylon yet . So sorry if i was at all misleading.
Yes all things are possible with the right mods and tuning. (within the laws of physics of course)
(And not lets forget the media hype of" You can make anything with a 3d printer  with the press of a button!!!") is a bit exaduratted

Soliddoodle 4 stock w glass bed------Folger Tech Prusa 2020 upgraded to and titan /aero extruder mirror bed
FT5 with titan/ E3D Aero------MP mini select w glass bed
MP Utimate maker pro-W bondtech extruder
Marlin/Repetier Host/ Slic3r and Cura

8 Reply by heartless

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Re: Could someone help me choose a printer

yeah, the "anything at the press of a button" thing is a bit over hyped, and a stretch of the truth, as well.

it takes a little work to get things to work right even 50% of the time, getting them right 75% of the time is doing pretty well. more often than that? yeah... that takes dedication.

the problem I see is that most people do not want to spend the time actually learning how to make these machines do what they want them to do. They want instant gratification, and it just doesn't work that way at this point. Yes, they are getting closer to "plug & play" but they are not there yet.

It took me a long time, and a lot of hard work, but I got a compliment the other day from someone I look up to, and it was suddenly worth all the hours of reading, researching, tweaking, repairing and upgrading. smile

SD4 #1 & #2 - Lawsy carriages, E3D v6, Rumba controller board, mirror bed plate, X motor fan, upgraded PSU & Mica bed heater
SD4 #3 - in the works ~ Folgertech FT-5, rev 1
Printit Industries Beta Tester - Horizon H1

9 Reply by Tin Falcon

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Re: Could someone help me choose a printer

I guess that is something worth mentioning . 3d printing takes some dedication and sometimes stubbornness. To get excellent results each and every roll of filament will have a different setting.
It takes time to learn what each machine and material need.
Also does not hurt to have some mechanical and electronics background and some experience in troubleshooting and repairing things.Not a whole lot of real factory support on these things and I know of NO 3d printer repair shops.   
I remember when I first got my SD4 and i went to a 3d printing  symposium. When asked what printer I had  I of course answered a solidoodle  the next question was were you able to get it to work. This question surprised me. Of course I got it to work . My answer was handing the person a print.
I have also seen people show printers in trash cans that they gave up on and people selling kits that were never quite completed.  Do not think I am being harsh here I think everyone has some project they have started and not finished .
But realize this a printer will fail  maybe out of the box maybe years down the road. and when it does you need to be ready to figure out what went wrong and how to fix it.  You have to want to push forward . you have to want to learn what it takes to run a printer. This forum will help anyone who has the patience and is willing to learn. So do not be discouraged.
A couple years ago I was exhibiting at a Model engine show as well as the engines I had a collection of 3d prints. Someone asked me If I I built the printer. At  that time I had not. So my answer was no. Then I got so you just pushed a button and the computer did the work . Why do have those thing on display.
I did not know what to say to this person It was obvious they really knew nothing about 3d printing .
Yes the computer "Does the work " but someone needs to come up with the design and tell  the computer what to do and how (in amazing detail)  to do it.
So the first step in selecting a printer is a reality check.
Running a printer is not hard work if you enjoy it and you need to see and accept the challenges as they come.
3D printer $ 500 to $2500. Filament  $15 -$120 a roll  . The looks on friends faces when you make them a gift and tell them it is 3d printed Priceless.. So have fun . and Emily we hope you are reading this and respond.
Tin

Soliddoodle 4 stock w glass bed------Folger Tech Prusa 2020 upgraded to and titan /aero extruder mirror bed
FT5 with titan/ E3D Aero------MP mini select w glass bed
MP Utimate maker pro-W bondtech extruder
Marlin/Repetier Host/ Slic3r and Cura