
3D Printer Buyers' Guide - SQL2219
https://www.3dhubs.com/best-3d-printer-guide
======
mappum
This guide has the Reprap "Prusa Steel" printer listed, and says it is $500,
with a 9.1 rating. However, I strongly recommend the acrylic version made by
many Chinese electronics companies which sell for $220 for the same print
quality.

I have been using one of those for the last few weeks and I couldn't be
happier with it. It all works much better than I expected for the price, and
has been suitable for printing various home items and custom robotics parts.

You can find them on AliExpress (the consumer-oriented version of Alibaba):
[http://www.aliexpress.com/wholesale?catId=0&initiative_id=SB...](http://www.aliexpress.com/wholesale?catId=0&initiative_id=SB_20151129194710&SearchText=prusa)

If you want to get into 3d printing but don't want to drop $1k+ on a printer,
try one of these.

~~~
TD-Linux
>acrylic version made by many Chinese electronics companies which sell for
$220 for the same print quality.

Eh, have you actually done comparisons? That acrylic printer looks pretty iffy
- the vertical acrylic supports are in the wrong direction to brace against
acceleration from the printhead.

It's hard to compare exactly because they didn't specify a specific kit, but
that $500 probably also gets you important items like a genuine hotend. As
another comparison point, the Makerfarm i3v kit for $490, although partially
wood, is still a much better design and is going to be stiffer. You also get a
proper hotend, heated bed, and nice V-slot linear mechanisms.

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georgemcbay
I understand why it isn't endorsed by the 3D printing community much, but for
practical cheap 3D printing I suggest taking a look at the XYZPrinting Da
Vinci V1.x models. They are inexpensive (I got one for $400 on sale at Amazon,
they are usually closer to $500), fully enclosed, have very well designed bed
height calibration and nozzle cleaning systems, have a heated bed, etc.

The only real drawaback is the filament "DRM" which you can sidestep by using
3rd party software (I use Simplify3D, the default printer firmware and a cheap
cartridge resetter (which is basically just an arduino programmer) other
people use repetier host setups where they flash the firmware so the cartridge
DRM is just never even run, which gives you even more control but at the cost
of being in something of an arms race with the manufacturer where they
occasionally change the host board to be incompatible with new firmware).

My first couple of 3D printers were RepRap Prusa i3 models that I built, and I
wouldn't trade that experience since it gives you a great idea of how these
things work (and an appreciation for how simple the hardware side of them
really is), but they were so much more fiddly and a pain-in-the-ass to
calibrate than the Da Vincis, if you just want to print and not fiddle they
are great options in terms of price/value if you're willing to sidestep the
DRM.

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3dfan
There also is this 3D-Printer spec comparison chart, that is kept up to date
by a HN user:

[http://www.productchart.com/3d_printers/](http://www.productchart.com/3d_printers/)

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payne92
The UP Mini is a great little printer ($600 on Amazon). It prints ABS and it
JUST WORKS. Highly recommended. And it does have a heated build platform.

[http://www.amazon.com/Assembled-Printer-Maximum-
Dimensions-R...](http://www.amazon.com/Assembled-Printer-Maximum-Dimensions-
Resolution/dp/B00E5OQIKS)

