I need a solid dependable easy to use one for smaller projects. Budget
up to about £500.

Can assemble.

Any reccomendations?

--
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In message <uplcfg$34h5p$1@dont-email.me>, The Natural Philosopher
<tnp@invalid.invalid> writes
>I need a solid dependable easy to use one for smaller projects. Budget
>up to about £500.
>
>Can assemble.
>
>Any reccomendations?
>

Resin or Filament ?

Adrian
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The Natural Philosopher wrote:
> I need a solid dependable easy to use one for smaller projects.  Budget
> up to about £500.
The last year or so saw a lot of developments (for filament printers at
least, not sure about resin?)
speeds increased, though this doesn't directly translate to reduced
print times (e.g acceleration matters as well as velocity)
more powerful controllers, new models use something akin to a pi, older
ones used something more like an arduino, this has brought klipper
firmware that can handle control over a wired/wifi network rather than
SD or USB memory sticks, and "tuning" to negate ringing in the printhead
movement causing artefacts in the output, also monitoring via onboard
camera.
hotter printheads to allow more plastic types (though the more exotic
ones require enclosed printing to avoid warping as it cools)
Probably the single biggest entrance is the Bambu range of printers,
they arrive fully assembled, can handle multiple filament feeds for
different colours or plastic types in the same job (e.g hard and soft
plastics) but they can waste a lot of filament and time doing the
changes, sand they are seen as the "iphone" of 3D printers, where othes
are more for tinkering with.
I started out thinking I'd buy a creality K1, but ended up buying an
Elegoo Neptune4, I don't have anything to directly compare it to, but
youtube is full of reviews of many printers ...
> Can assemble.
unless you want to spend days/weeks building as a project, I'd say get
one that comes in two main parts (i.e a flat bed and a mast assembly)
Bigger isn't necessarily better if you don't need to print big things.
> Any reccomendations?
<https://www.3djake.uk/3d-printers-and-more/3d-printers-for-beginners-professionals?f[1]=0,500>

On 03/02/2024 13:15, Adrian wrote:
> In message <uplcfg$34h5p$1@dont-email.me>, The Natural Philosopher
> <tnp@invalid.invalid> writes
>> I need a solid dependable easy to use one for smaller projects.
>> Budget up to about £500.
>>
>> Can assemble.
>>
>> Any reccomendations?
>>
>
> Resin or Filament ?
>
Filament I guess. Polylactyl and ABS

> Adrian

--
Climate is what you expect but weather is what you get.
Mark Twain

The Natural Philosopher wrote:

> Filament I guess. Polylactyl and ABS

I've not tried ABS yet, it more or less needs an enclosed printer (or an
enclosure for a non-enclosed one) I hear ASA is an easier alternative,
also PETG. Filaments with embedded carbon fibre need hardened nozzles
and hotter printing ... don't believe the "black aluminium" hype.

In message <l26v49Fcos9U2@mid.individual.net>, Andy Burns
<usenet@andyburns.uk> writes
>The Natural Philosopher wrote:
>
>> Filament I guess. Polylactyl and ABS
>
>I've not tried ABS yet, it more or less needs an enclosed printer (or
>an enclosure for a non-enclosed one) I hear ASA is an easier
>alternative, also PETG. Filaments with embedded carbon fibre need
>hardened nozzles and hotter printing ... don't believe the "black
>aluminium" hype.

You might need to consider ventilation requirements as well as some
filament types (I think including ABS) can produce unpleasant fumes
whilst printing.

Adrian
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you are merely using a web portal to a USENET group. Many people block
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On 03/02/2024 12:44, The Natural Philosopher wrote:
> I need a solid dependable easy to use one for smaller projects.  Budget
> up to about £500.
>
> Can assemble.
>
> Any reccomendations?
>

Most of the cheaper end 3d printers are of the bed slinger type (fixed
print bed which shuttles back and forth in the Y direction. More mid end
printers are now coming with the base plate which raises and lowers (Z)
and have a fixed altitude X and Y axes. These tend to be more robust and
accurate.

I have an Anycubic Vyper bed slinger which I can highly recommend. It
has auto levelling.

However with a larger budget of £500 I would either go with the Bambu A1
bed slinger (about £370) or the Bambu P1p which has the rising bed
construction.

On 03/02/2024 12:44, The Natural Philosopher wrote:

> I need a solid dependable easy to use one for smaller projects.  Budget
> up to about £500.
>
> Can assemble.
>
> Any reccomendations?

I have been researching a bit along similar lines.

For stuff that "just works" there seems to be a good argument for the
actual Prusa machines rather than the many copies (they make their
designs open source). However you will pay a price premium.

The 3D Mini+ would be in your budget if you can cope with print volumes
of an approx 7"x7"x7" cube.

However if you need to print ABS then you will probably need an
enclosure for the machine to get adequate temperature control - not sure
if that is an option on the mini.

--
Cheers,

John.

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