Hi KDog, Thanks for the good tips.

For now I'm pretty much dreaming of all the things I could print around the house from thingiverse I think my first big project will be to upgrade my paintball gun - I think it's something I could customize myself instead of buying expensive upgrades.

I understand what you mean by getting used to the printer with a single extruder, however my budget is balanced like a corporation's finance departement - money is unlocked once per year for a project, so better spend more now than being stuck single-color for the next 4 years

I've been watching the Tricolor i3 variant from He3D for a while now, it seems to have a nice bed, multicolor capable (I'll start by one at a time at the beginning), and I think it'll be pretty good for a few years until something comes out in the color mixing area. The Kraken-quad also seems pretty impressive, so I'll keep it as a future upgrade.

Now my next batch of questions:
I heard some people having problems with the X-axis that bends over time under the weight of the nozzle-extruder assembly, is that a common trouble? wouldn't upgrading the X-axis rod to a bigger one fix that? because I might as well upgrade it right away beforehand.

What's a Wade/Greg extrusion gear?

What are the most common upgrades made by enthusiasts after they get used to their printers?

Besides the i3, is there another printer that is as user-friendly and future proof?

How solid can the creations be? I don't see anyone building something as big as, say, a patio table or a gazebo. Is it because of costs or rigidity? How well can a creation stand in -40° temperatures?

Thanks!
philwire