# Specific 3D Printers, Scanners, & Hardware > Other 3D Printers / Scanners / Hardware >  what 3D printer do you own/would buy?

## srguy

Hey guys i wanna talk about my disappointment in my 3D printer, unfortunately I own the M3D Micro. I was even a backer on Kickstarter.I am sorry to say I am utterly disappointed by this printer They brag about this being "the first truly consumer 3d printer".They claim the auto-leveling feature.Well.... but This 3d printer is basically just a glorified piece of sh.. !It is completely unreliable. A print can succeed once and then, without changing ANY setting at all fail the 2nd time.The bed leveling just does not work. You will still need to do it manually and that is a huge pain in the ass.So stay clear. I am sure there are better printers out there for the same amount of money.﻿

Can you help me out get something better ?

----------


## printbus

Let's try to narrow this down a bit.  Give people some info that helps clarify what you are looking for.

What filament material(s) are you hoping to print? PLA, ABS, PETG, Nylon, something special, etc.  Single extruder OK, or hoping for dual extruder?

What kind of print volume are you shooting for, or what kind of objects do you want to print? 

Do you have a ballpark budget in mind?

Are you hoping for something pretty much turn-key?  Or on the other extreme, eager to put something together yourself, say from a kit?

----------


## Barnard

Hello,
I'm not trying to hijack the thread, but I run a small library in a small village.  I feel it's important for our rural kids to get exposure to technology.   

I'd like a "turnkey" 3D printer.  Easy to set up, maintain and safe (enclosure is nice).

The village is either young or old - so I need it to be easy for the seniors to use.  I would use PLA primarily and possibly ABS.  One extruder is fine, two is nicer.

Print volume is hard to determine, but I am imagining kids would want to print little toy things, some of the guys might print airplane parts (ABS), I would hope people would use it for modelmaking.

The grant I wrote is for $1999, but I do had planned on spending around $3oo with a cart to move it to the community center for Makerspace times.  Let's say under $5K for the entire project so I get a nice range.

I wrote a grant with the purchase of a Makerbot Replicator in mind, but a LOT of people who have 3D Printers have told me to stay away from them. 

Features I like:  onboard camera to be able to monitor prints;  pause using smartphone;  easy to level (or self-leveling); uses any kind of PLA; easy to program/load print files.

Thanks in advance for your help, I know asking for a 3D printer recommendation is like asking your favorite engine oil on other forums I'm on!

----------


## curious aardvark

srguy - have a look at the wanhao duplicator i3 plus: $499 and about as good an entry level machine as you could hope to find.
http://wanhaousa.com/products/duplic...us-steel-frame

Barnard - cameras on desktop 3d printers are a gimmick. Kind of like laptop manufacturers offering stupid amounts of ram - it's there because it looks good on the advertising and is cheap, while serving no useful purpose at all. 

You can buy gadgets that sit between the printer and act as a sort of print server, some come with cameras all come with smart phone apps. 
Were I you, I would aim for a better printer and not one stuffed with cheap gimmicks.
The print servers are pretty cheap. Or get a cheap ip webcam and a cameraless print server. 
here you go $249 and does everything you wanted and can be added to just about any printer: https://www.matterhackers.com/store/...rcontrol-touch
Or $199 for one that somebody decided they didn't want and sent back: https://www.matterhackers.com/store/...ter-controller
:-)


Avoid makerbot like the plague. Even when the 5th gen extruders work, you don't have a heated bed and pay about 5x what the machine is actually worth. See above for a better machine at just $500.   

My favourite mid range machine is still the bnc3d sigma: https://www.bcn3dtechnologies.com/en...g/bcn3d-sigma/
Matterhackers do them for less than the makerbot 5th gen: https://www.matterhackers.com/store/...20Assembled%20
Actually looking at it, that matterhacker store has just about every type of printer going. have a perusal and come back with us when you find some you like :-) 


The bnc3d sigma has very good build volume, dual independant heads for two items at once or hassle free dual material printing.  And built like a tank. If I had the money and space I'd buy one yesterday. Alas I currently lack both :-)

And don't spend all your money on the machine and cart - don't forget you'll want some filament as well - and I can thoroughly recommend some printbite, for - as near as dammit- hassle free printing without any glue, spray, scrapers or tape :-)
Read through my thread for more printbite info: http://3dprintboard.com/showthread.p...ntbite-surface

These days I could not imagine being without  3D printer and i wouldn't have a 3d printer without a sheet of printbite to print on. In the 6  months I've had it, it's probably saved me double the original cost in: glue, wasted and failed prints, swearing and broken prints from too vigorous an approach with a metal scraper.
It's not perfect, but it's probably as close as you can currently get.

----------


## Barnard

Great information!  Thanks so much.  There is so much to look at, a lot more than I remember seeing only a year or two ago!

----------


## Henry G

Have you  looked at Robox by CEL. Currently about $1400. The auto bed level works great. Fully enclosed with a door latch. They have both a single head dual nozzle and a dual material head version. As close to plug and play as you can get.

----------


## Sanzana

I understand what You are saying but before buy a good 3D printer we all should follow some rules materials used to print, safety, quality, obtaining a 3D model, STL files, slicing software and so on. I'm looking at these guides: https://3dforged.com/good-cheap-3d-printers cheap but good. Does anyone use Dremel Idea Builder ?

----------


## Gaver1974

Just to refresh this thread, I want to suggest *Novio 3D printer*. This 3D printer is easy to setup and with changeable nozzle extruder. Their Model  106 is upgradeable into Dual nozzle. And if you are also into CNC Milling and Laser engraving, it is amazingly transformable into CNC Lathe, CNC Mill or Laser Engraver machine. You will surely love this 3D printer.

----------

