I know, I know. Just bear with me.

[Mitcha47]

So this is yet AGAIN another question for what 3D printer should I buy,

Requirements:
-Inexpensive: Im not looking for something that is between 300-500 final price. Maybe shipping can bring it a bit over.
-Print Size: My main goals are to be able to 3D print most of my own RC car design, with the biggest part printed being the base that will hold all the parts( might need to segment this into multiple parts that i can just snap together)
Also possibly a Helicopter, Past that I dont know whatelse I need, although Ill probably come up with something.

-Those are the only requirements I can think of.



Ive searched and searched and searched.
Because I dont want to spend a large amount of my savings, I cant seem to find an inexpensive printer that doesnt have its own share of problems.

I did find this one though on kickstarter,
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects...token=4d23b925

Im only looking at either the small one or possibly the large one if I can be one of the first 10 backers for an early price + faster shipping.

Here to:
http://printrbot.com/product-category/3d-printers/


Your help will be greatly appreciated.

[JohnA136]

The Printrbot Metal is good if your models will fit into their build size. New Printrbot Metal Plus is going on sale next week. We have a Printrbot Simple Builder's and it prints great!

[old man emu]

It sounds cruel to say this, but if you only have a small amount of capital, don't gamble it on a dark horse. We have heard of a few disappointments from people investing in kickstarter projects and ending up with nothing. Not saying that the people who seek backing through kickstarter are fraudsters, but "there's many a slip 'tween cup and lip" and as an investor you have not control over the project. Besides, what you invest in today may not reach a deliverable stage until next year. That 12 month lag seems fairly standard and reflects the time needed for research, manufacturing, warehousing and distribution.

Obviously, you want to get printing as soon as you can. Confirm the specifications you want in a printer (mainly print volume; open/closed cabinet, operating system - Open Source or proprietary software - filament size and supply), then look what is in the market. You should look at plug-n-play brands like Printrbot, Makerbot, or Flashforge, and the kit Brands like MakerFarm.

If your interest lies in RC cars and copters, you will be printing ABS and possibly nylon. You will want the biggest print area (currently about 12" x 12") Look for a printer that has auto bed leveling as a software feature (or the firmware can be upgraded. You must have developed good assembly skills while dealing with RC racers. I think that you would enjoy a kit printer that you have to assemble yourself. Besides letting you learn the mechanicals of these printers, the price of the kit is usually less than the price of a comparable plug-n-play.

As to problems with inexpensive printers ... as long as you buy a recognised one (look at the sub-forums for particular printers on this forum) you will have all the information you need to overcome a printer problem. From what I've seen and done in relation to printer problems, it seems that the majority are operator induced, not machine muck-ups.

Old Man Emu

[Mitcha47]

It sounds cruel to say this, but if you only have a small amount of capital, don't gamble it on a dark horse. We have heard of a few disappointments from people investing in kickstarter projects and ending up with nothing. Not saying that the people who seek backing through kickstarter are fraudsters, but "there's many a slip 'tween cup and lip" and as an investor you have not control over the project. Besides, what you invest in today may not reach a deliverable stage until next year. That 12 month lag seems fairly standard and reflects the time needed for research, manufacturing, warehousing and distribution.<br>
<br>
Obviously, you want to get printing as soon as you can. Confirm the specifications you want in a printer (mainly print volume; open/closed cabinet, operating system - Open Source or proprietary software - filament size and supply), then look what is in the market. You should look at plug-n-play brands like Printrbot, Makerbot, or Flashforge, and the kit Brands like MakerFarm.<br>
<br>
If your interest lies in RC cars and copters, you will be printing ABS and possibly nylon. You will want the biggest print area (currently about 12" x 12") Look for a printer that has auto bed leveling as a software feature (or the firmware can be upgraded. You must have developed good assembly skills while dealing with RC racers. I think that you would enjoy a kit printer that you have to assemble yourself. Besides letting you learn the mechanicals of these printers, the price of the kit is usually less than the price of a comparable plug-n-play.<br>
<br>
As to problems with inexpensive printers ... as long as you buy a recognised one (look at the sub-forums for particular printers on this forum) you will have all the information you need to overcome a printer problem. From what I've seen and done in relation to printer problems, it seems that the majority are operator induced, not machine muck-ups.<br>
<br>
Old Man Emu

So after more considering, I dont think Im going to continue backing the Kickstarter like i though I would.

So now im stuck between a model from printrbot, makerfarm, and a model from flashforge.

Printrbot:
http://3dprint.com/26509/printrbot-metal-plus/
This one will come as a single extruder for $999.
To upgrade to a heated bed and duel extruder would be 1299.

Benefits:
I like the look of it.
I like printrbots message
Possibility of duel extrusion.


Negatives:
Expensive. (It might come as a kit, its released on black Friday so ill find out then)
My girlfriend might strangle me.
I might die because of above clause.


Makerfarm
http://www.makerfarm.com/index.php/3...extrusion.html
Prussia 12 inch.

Positives:
Least expensive out of all my options
Big build space of 12inches, enough to build a 1/18th to 1/16th scale model of an rc car, without having to segment the body into multiple parts.

Negatives:
Ugly. Although i think i can beg a friend to make me all new pieces out of aluminum for free possibly...or very cheaply.
Requires soldering. Im working on that skill. I dont wanna mess anything up because i incorrectly connect something.
Not duel extrusion

Flashforge
http://www.ff3dp.com/#!creator/c1txh
Duel extrusion.

Positive
Duel extrusion
Heated plate

Negatives:
Wood body just like the Prusa
smallest print space, limits my rc build. (that royaly sucks)
Girlfriend might strangle me, a little softer, but itll leave marks.
Price is still hovering round the 1k mark.


The flashforges print area is just too small. So its out.

I love the printrbots design, its sexy.
But all it offers me is a complete machine ready to go, unless they sell it in a kit, might wait to see.
And i COULD always upgrade it to a duel extruder and heated printing bed later in the future once i bring my saving back up to its original funds.

The prusia seems to be just slightly ahead of the printrbot.
The only thing i dont like is the wood framing, which i might be able to change, and im pretty sure i wont care after awhile anyways. And the more i look at it, it actually isnt that terrible looking.
Oh, and i cant upgrade it to a duel extruder.
Oh, i just looked at the guide to setting it up, itll take FOREVER. lol, maybe not that long.

So im stuck, do i just spend my extra money on an upgradable printrbot, do i just go for the full packadge and get the whole thing for 1300.
Or do i save alot of money on getting a DIY prusia, which has a bigger print area, and spending alot of time to properly set it up. and hopefully get the schematics for my friend to HOPEFULLY cut me some nice alluminum metal body.

I guess i have to evaluate the benefits of getting a duel extruder, are they really that amazing? i dont see that much i can do with it except mutiple colors and blending techniques...which as i say it sound really awesome. good for making awesome colored wheels and rims for my rc car in the future.

What do you all think? is the extra 500 worth the duel extrusion, as i can see, i just dont feel like it is, but if someone can comeup with enough reasons why its beneficial then i will listen.
TLDR and to wrap up an hour of mumbling:

Im between the Prusia and the new PrintrBot that is to come out on this coming blackfriday.
Im leaning towards the prusia, I just wish i could upgrade it to a duel extruder someway down the future.

Thanks,
Mitch

PS: I have only used a Makerbot Replicator 2 at my college and this is all i have worked with before.&nbsp;

[Mitcha47]

After reading through my above post, youll be happy to know that I have decided to go through with the MakerFarm kit because,

I save money
Itll be a blast to build and learn to solder efficiently.
Ill be able to possibly build this over winterbreak, coming up.
Ill finnaly be able to focus on school work instead of reasurching 3D printing...
Ill have the build space I need
Ill know how to repair it if anything goes wrong.

So I have some final questions,

Where should i source my filament from?
Ive looked at:
Makerbot
and Makerfarm.

They're of course expensive to a degree, a kilogram is alot of plastic.

Oh and as for the extruding head, Im thinking of the Hexagon head and the 1.75 mm diameter.
I do want to be able to use multiple types of material to complete my Rc car. I might decide to just buy prefrab tires dipending on the cost for like ninjaflex and such.
A hexagon head will let me do that right?

[Drone]

The MakerFarm is a good choice. It is the most active printer group on the forum and that's worth the price alone. If you have a problem there is always well informed help, and there are lots of good how-to's on you tube... including a complete set of build videos from Colin of MakerFarm. I built mine following Colin's build videos step by step on an iPad with those vids. I just played the vid and paused and played through the vids and built with Colin. Definitely gets you over the hump of learning 3D printing. Build volume is really good, especially with the new 12x12. They have very good filament and if you order filament with the kit purchase it's only about 27.00 a roll for quality filament. Take advantage of that and buy a few rolls so you don't have the frustration of trying to print with cheap sub-standard stuff. Learning 3D printing is hard enough without wondering if your ABS or PLA is the problem. And if you really get stuck just reach out to Colin and he will personally get you sorted very quickly. He's great like that.


With the wood frame it might not be the prettiest printer, but honestly, I concentrate on the prettiest prints and don't really care if the printer is fugly. But I will say the printer has held up perfectly for me after a couple hundred hours of printing. Nothing has worn out, so build quality is solid.