1 Topic by Destriarch

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Topic: Recommendations for quality desktop 3D printers?

I've done a few successful 3D prototypes in the past few years and I'd like to try more. I'm currently wondering if I can afford a desktop printer of my own, rather than having to keep paying expensive postage costs to have them made by third parties. Could anyone recommend a suitable model? My needs are:

1. Fine detail, suitable for jewellery or war-game miniatures
2. Dual extruders; capable of printing in two materials simultaneously
3. Capable of using water-soluble materials for support structures.

I don't need to make large models, in fact a smaller footprint would be far more advantageous than a large build surface.
Anything spring to mind?

-Ash

2 Reply by wardjr

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Re: Recommendations for quality desktop 3D printers?

Well this is a forum dedicated to the Solidoodle... Unfortunately it doesn't support dual extrusion.

Printit Industries Model 8.10 fully enclosed CoreXY, Chamber heat
3-SD3's & a Workbench all fully enclosed, RH-Slic3r Win7pro, E3D V6, Volcano & Cyclops Hot End
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Thanks to all for your contributions

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3 Reply by IanJohnson

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Re: Recommendations for quality desktop 3D printers?

For jewelry and miniatures you may be better off looking at DLP and laser based resin printers.  Plastic extrusion may not give you the detail you want.

4 Reply by Destriarch

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Re: Recommendations for quality desktop 3D printers?

wardjr wrote:

Well this is a forum dedicated to the Solidoodle... Unfortunately it doesn't support dual extrusion.

I know, but the forum's description does say 'Any and all 3D printers'. I figured it would be OK to ask at least.

-Ash

5 Reply by wardjr

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Re: Recommendations for quality desktop 3D printers?

Don't mistake what I was saying.  I meant since it is dedicated to the SD most of us would recommend a Solidoodle.  By all means please ask anything your want.
So my recommendation is an SD and modify it to a Bowden setup for two hot ends.
I hope you find what your looking for.

Printit Industries Model 8.10 fully enclosed CoreXY, Chamber heat
3-SD3's & a Workbench all fully enclosed, RH-Slic3r Win7pro, E3D V6, Volcano & Cyclops Hot End
SSR/500W AC Heated Glass Bed, Linear bearings on SS rods. Direct Drive Y-axis, BulldogXL
Thanks to all for your contributions

wardjr's Website

6 Reply by Destriarch

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Re: Recommendations for quality desktop 3D printers?

Thankyou both, I will look into it!

-Ash

7 Reply by grob

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Re: Recommendations for quality desktop 3D printers?

Yeah, a resin printer like the Form One would give great work for miniatures - at also great expense. 'Dual extrusion' would be irrelevant as the process is completely tolerant of overhangs.

The FFF process (plastic extrusion) used by the makerbots and solidoodles of the world may not get the detail you're after, even if it's a quality machine set up really well. I'm not sure what process has been used for your commercially-made models so far, but their level of quality may likely be simply out of reach from a small home machine.

If you still want to go for an extrusion machine, it actually sounds like a makerbot 2X is pretty close to what you want:
* Dual heads
* Well documented and supported
* Desktop machine
* Supports use of HIPS filament (and probably also PVA) for soluble support material
* Also at some expense.

I'd guess purchasing a solidoodle and doing a bowden dual-head conversion (along with all the quality-improving mods to get it up to vaguely model-miniature-making standard) would be awesome fun if you're up for it, and I'd guess in the end cost a lot less than the makerbot, but that's up to you and how much patience/spare time you have.

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8 Reply by Destriarch

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Re: Recommendations for quality desktop 3D printers?

Correct me if I'm wrong because I've only ever seen the results of resin printers, but do they not still need support structures? For example, imagine a letter H with a short vertical bar through the crossbar - would the printer not need to run a support structure to keep the end of that bar in place until the crossbar was printed to connect it up?

grob wrote:

If you still want to go for an extrusion machine, it actually sounds like a makerbot 2X is pretty close to what you want

I've used a 2 before and they're quite nice machines, though I find the software that ships with them very iffy and the SD card slot was faulty on the one I used. The 2x is a nice piece of kit, but as you say it's expensive, so that'd be a case of saving up for a few months (or getting a job that actually pays me the going wage!)

Thanks again, I will look into the Form One.

-Ash

9 Reply by grob

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Re: Recommendations for quality desktop 3D printers?

Destriarch wrote:

For example, imagine a letter H with a short vertical bar through the crossbar - would the printer not need to run a support structure to keep the end of that bar in place until the crossbar was printed to connect it up?

Thinking about it now, for an upside-down fluid bath thing you're probably right... smile

SD3. Mk2b + glass, heated enclosure, GT2 belts, direct drive y shaft, linear bearings, bowden-feed E3D v5 w/ 0.9° stepper
Smoothieboard via Octoprint on RPi

10 Reply by pcm81

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Re: Recommendations for quality desktop 3D printers?

grob wrote:
Destriarch wrote:

For example, imagine a letter H with a short vertical bar through the crossbar - would the printer not need to run a support structure to keep the end of that bar in place until the crossbar was printed to connect it up?

Thinking about it now, for an upside-down fluid bath thing you're probably right... smile

Upside down or not, they need support.

My favorite example is printing capital letter J. The hook is over 90 degree overhang. So if the print is started from the top of the letter and is progressing to the bottom; the end of the hook gets printed before it is connected to the stem. Without support material the end of the hook will float away and/or it will not rise/fall to allow formation of next layers.