3d printer recommendations

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Rikkitic

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#154212 21-Oct-2014 12:31

I am thinking of getting someone a 3d printer as a Christmas gift. This is yet another subject I know nothing whatsoever about. I had the impression that such printers cost thousands, at least ones that actually work, but was surprised to see some for as little as a hundred dollars on Trade Me.

What I want is something just to play with and learn on, maybe design and print some small plastic bits, more a fancy toy for fun rather than a serious tool. At the same time, I want it to actually work and to be able to do something interesting with it. My budget extends up to two or three hundred dollars, not more. With these parameters in mind, can anyone offer any advice or recommendations? Are there printers in this price range worth having as learning devices or would they all be useless rubbish? What do I need to know to make a purchase decision?

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PeterReader

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#1159182 21-Oct-2014 12:31

Hmmmm. Here we go.

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frankv

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#1159218 21-Oct-2014 13:37

I am thinking of getting someone a 3d printer as a Christmas gift.

Ooh, ooh, pick me!

This is yet another subject I know nothing whatsoever about. I had the impression that such printers cost thousands, at least ones that actually work, but was surprised to see some for as little as a hundred dollars on Trade Me.

Last time I watched TradeMe for this kind of stuff, the only stuff in the $100 bracket was kitsets of parts. (It appears that mostly 3D printers are used to make parts for new 3d printers).

Noel Leeming has a cheap 3D printer for just under $1000

I suspect that 3D printer prices will be like CD-ROM drives and soundcards -- back when I got my first one, it was $1500 for a single-speed drive and IIRC mono sound. Now they're consumer commodities, and $20 for a DVD drive and 5.1channel sound is standard.

Oblivian

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#1159253 21-Oct-2014 14:29

yeah pretty much covered there. From my brief investigation..

You can get pre-made commercial like makerbot for 2-3K. Small units like at NL etc and Kitset/partial kitsets. But as a result they are costly.

Partial kitsets can often be made by friends who have printers already. You create the frame and get the core components, and print the rest. Sometimes needing to get a RPi or ardunio controller as part of it.

Depends on what they want to make too. The platform and space the motors can move to on the X/Y limit the size of the things you can make before you need to chop it up into further bits. And there is ABS and PLA filament, which need different heads and temperatures. And vary in cost. Dude in AKL does one of them made from recycled plastics. http://diamondage.co.nz/about-diamond-age-solutions-ltd/filament/

livisun

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#1159256 21-Oct-2014 14:33

you will only find kitsets for $200 - $300, there will be alot of tinkering it will not just work perfectly every print.

If you would like one that will work they are $1500 and over. Ultimaker, Up Mini/ Up2 and Makerbot.

I've had good experiences with printr bot simple kit around $500 and Makerfarm Prusa i3 around the same price.

I am currently building a Rostock Max V2 from seemecnc

Hope i have helped a little.

TBH if you are spending less than $500 on a kitset and you don't know what you are doing, its going to turn out rubbish.

Rikkitic

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#1159265 21-Oct-2014 15:01

Thanks for the info. Maybe I will wait another year or so for the prices to come down.

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graemeh

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#1159268 21-Oct-2014 15:13

In Wellington there is the makerspace. You can hire time on their machines.

I assume there are similar operations in other cities.

You can look at makerspace here: http://wellingtonmakerspace.com/

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bfginger

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#1159801 22-Oct-2014 10:08

There are web services you can upload plans to and have them send you the printout. It wouldn't be cheap to do a large volume of work but it would give you access to much more advanced printers than you could buy.

I suspect that 3D printer prices will be like CD-ROM drives and soundcards -- back when I got my first one, it was $1500 for a single-speed drive and IIRC mono sound.

When was that, 1991?