Quest for a better printer. Should I buy, assemble a kit, or build from scratch?

[Cyber Akuma]

Hello. Currently I have a fairly limited 3D printer, with another one that will be just about as limited on the way. Both were Kickstarter projects, the M3D Micro and the TIKO. I figured it would be best to start with a cheap "easy" printer just to understand some of the basics before I went to something more advanced. For the record, I am in the US.

However, I have been having some issues with my Micro lately, and I haven't had much luck getting help. I have tried asking around on IRC channels, but pretty much as soon as the people over at #reprap realized I had a closed-source consumer printer they practically broke out the torches and pitchforks...

So I have been looking into others, and was surprised both by the fact that so many of them are under $500 (and I thought the Micro was impressive at $350...), and that features that I found in almost no consumer printers that had a price range under four figures are common in those.

There isn't really any specific model or design I am looking at, but I would prefer a Cartesian based printer since from what I understand Delta-based printers are more difficult and complicated to build and configure.... plus I don't want to have to try to rival The Sears Tower to get a decent print height out of it....

For requirements, I have been trying to find a printer that does at least the following:

• Has a print area that is at least 180mm x 180mm x 180mm (about 7in x 7in x 7in)
• Accepts 1.75mm filament (I know many open source models can be modified to 1.75mm or 3mm, but I wouldn't know how to do that)
• Has a heated bed

Other features that would be nice, but I don't have to have are:

• The print bed is screwed on or otherwise attached to the printer in a more permanent or cleaner way than just clipping it on with binder clips.
• The frame is not wooden (worried about fires)
• Either is enclosed, or it's design makes it easy to enclose. (A lot of them seem to have a long moving bed which would make this very difficult)

I kind of do want to build one on my own instead of just plain buy one, both because it would allow me better control of the parts that go into it, and a better understanding of how it works, but I am skeptical if I would be able to do it.

I am fairly sure I would be able to put a kit together fairly easily (although not sure how involved manually configuring the entire thing would be, and if I could do it correctly) but completely assembling one from scratch where you have to pick every part out yourself, or even machine them, I highly doubt I would be capable of it.

For assembling one from scratch, I have tried looking at the RepRap wiki and other sources that have a bill or list of materials, but many of them list several possible sources for everything from the electronics to even rods and bars for the frame itself, some of which you are actually expected to precision-cut yourself, or order them in the cuts you want rather than them coming in pre-determined sizes. All of this makes it extremely intimidating for me to consider just assembling one from scratch namely because it feels confusing due to all the options for each part, how every source site lists and treats each part differently, and how careful you would need to be.

And that brings me to my next problem, I still don't understand too well all the terminology and the parts. I have tried Googling about it, but for the most part, it just takes me back to the reprap wiki or a Wikipedia link, and they haven't been much help. I still have no idea what the difference between an extruder, hot end, and nozzle is, I thought those were all just different names for the same thing. Is there anywhere I can get somewhat of a crash-course on all the common terms and parts? And also, because I don't understand what most of the parts are, that makes it not only pretty hard to buy all the parts I need on my own... but to also fix any parts that are flawed. I have seen many people talk in the chat room about how due to a specific problem the printer was having they realized this part was not completely straight, or that part was loose, etc. If I put it together and it's not working right, I wouldn't even know where to begin with determining what's wrong.

So because of the above, as much as I would want to have both the customizability and learning experience of completely building one from parts I picked and purchased myself... I doubt I would be capable of it. Is it that difficult if you have little experience? All my technology experience has been in assembling and repairing computers, not working with small electronic components or any type of metal or woodworking, I tend to be terrible at precision-cutting objects. Though I admit, a large part of that is because I have no idea what parts I would need to buy, if i did I assume it wouldn't be too different from putting together a kit.

So then that leads me to the second option, buying a kit to assemble. But I wasn't able to find a decent one. The reprap wiki lists only a few places for the US, and many of them have either very pricy kits or only very specific kits. On top of that, the Prusa i3 design seems to be by far the most popular reprap design right now, and nearly all the kits are based on them. Problem is, nearly all these designs are also based on using 3mm filament (and again, I wouldn't know how to change that), tend to have a moving bed, and many use binder clips to hold the bed in place. They seem to be for fairly advanced users that would know how to swap out parts or make sure the head doesn't come crashing into the clips and other such intricacies. Trying to find a kit on Amazon is also a mess too, tons of too-cheap-to-be-true models from Chinese manufacturers, almost no kits have more than a handful of reviews so you can't even tell if they are not a waste of money. And finally, I don't know what models other than the Prusa i3 there are out there, I don't have my heart set on any particular model or design, I just don't know of any others either, so I have no idea what other kits to search for.

And of course, the final option is to just buy a printer that is already built. Certainly would be the easiest, especially since I wouldn't have to worry about having purchased a bad or defective part, the wrong parts, or assembling them wrong and having to calibrate settings which are only dependent on how it was assembled. But it's also typically the most expensive option, gives me pretty much no room to choose any part or customize it from the start (if at all), and I would gain zero learning experience from just unboxing a printer. For this, I have been looking into Printrbot and LulzBot models, but the ones that have the features I want, assembled or a kit, tend to get pricy. I have also been looking into a recent one that was recommended from the channel to me, the Duplicator I3 ( http://wanhaousa.com/products/duplicator-i3-steel-frame ) whose price seems to keep fluctuating between $350 and $400, and other it's design making it near impossible to enclose satisfies every other requirement I had... only real reason I didn't jump the gun on that one already is because it's too new to have any reviews yet, and I am not yet decided if I would rather build one instead of just buy one. (I was kinda hoping I would be able to use the Micro and/or the Tiko to help with some of the parts I need to assemble one... and lower costs that way).

Err..... are you still here? Sorry for the novel. So if you are still willing to help after that Great Wall of China sized wall of text, do you have any comments or suggestions about any of this?

[LambdaFF]

If you want to know what you're up against in terms of assembly, you can read the available docs from the manufacturer.

Printrbot, for instance, made some efforts that way : http://help.printrbot.com/c/Printrbot_Metal_Plus

If the docs are not available ... I would advise restraint.

[curious aardvark]

Have a look at the new wanhao Irpusa.
metal frame, nice big build area. heated bed, lcd and panel. And about $400 I think. ($385)
http://wanhaousa.com/products/duplicator-i3-steel-frame

Have to admit if I didn't already have 2 printers and no desk space and I could get one of these for £250 (basically what you pay in the states) I'd be sorely tempted.
Wanhaouk - £325.
Where were all these buggers when i was throwing my money away at the makibox lol

[dunginhawk]

im always in the market for new printers too. that wanhao is pretty tempting. wish i knew how the quality was.
for my money the FlashForge Creator Pro is an amazing value... the quality I can turn out at .1mm is stunning.

[Cyber Akuma]

If you want to know what you're up against in terms of assembly, you can read the available docs from the manufacturer.

Printrbot, for instance, made some efforts that way : http://help.printrbot.com/c/Printrbot_Metal_Plus

If the docs are not available ... I would advise restraint.

Yes, though as I said I probably wouldn't have trouble assembling one from a kit. Especially one that comes with precision-cut metal parts already. It's assembling one out of parts I need to find and purchase myself separately that I am worried I would not be able to pull off... and wondering if I should even bother with that. The part I was worried about from using a kit is if I would be able to configure it right after assembly and how involved that would be. The Printrbot Simple Metal is actually one of the models I was looking at, but it's a little too simple in terms of the fact that it's lacking quite a few features for it's price, including print size and a heated bed. (Yes I know you can upgrade it, but it's already got a base price higher than many others)

Have a look at the new wanhao Irpusa.
metal frame, nice big build area. heated bed, lcd and panel. And about $400 I think. ($385)
http://wanhaousa.com/products/duplicator-i3-steel-frame

Have to admit if I didn't already have 2 printers and no desk space and I could get one of these for £250 (basically what you pay in the states) I'd be sorely tempted.
Wanhaouk - £325.
Where were all these buggers when i was throwing my money away at the makibox lol

I actually mentioned that one in my post as one of the ones I have been looking into and was recommended, if I decide to just buy a pre-built one instead of build my own. Just a little worried that it's so new that there are no real reviews on it yet. Know anyone who has one or has reviewed one? Google results just got me a few tech and 3d print blogs that were talking about it before it was released.

[Cyber Akuma]

So, some things I discovered about the Duplicator i3.

First of all, they mentioned that they received "mountains complaint about our newly developed i3", though this was apparently mostly about the shipping method that causes damage, which they have changed. There are several other issues and concerns they have mentioned which they are working on, and they even have posted a spreadsheet of all the changes they are making and when they expect them to take effect:

https://groups.google.com/forum/m/#!...3d/FbdOeKMBh6g

Problem is, many of these changes and fixes will take affect after June 15. When I was first told about this printer, it was before June, and back then their webpage mentioned that it was going to be released on June 1, and that they had a special sale-price going for those who ordered one before the release. The printer was listed as $375... with a $499.99 price slashed out from under that supposed sale price. Now, it's still listed as $375, but there is a special notice posted that the release has been pushed back to June 15 due to issues discovered, and the crossed out $499.99 is still there. Furthermore, I recall that the price did go up a bit shortly after June 1, though not even close to $500, but then came back down when these delay notices were posted.

So on one hand, I am a little worried that it will go from $375 to $500 after June 15, a $125 difference is pretty significant, but on the other hand, I could be getting a printer with a defective design if I purchase it before June 15, and I don't know for sure if the price will go up to $500 after the official release or not.