Please help me choose a printer!

I've recently become fed up with my Cube 2, and have been saving for a while to get a new 3d printer. I have been looking at the makerbot 5th gen, as its specs suit most of my needs, but I've become very worried as more and more people are saying there are lots of jams, errors, and general malfunctions costing a hefty amount to fix. My budget is $3000 (a little over will be fine, I just want my needs met). I need something that can print large objects, preferably dual colors, looks nice enough to have in a modern office, a high resolution (about 100 microns) if possible support for colorfabb woodfill and ninjaflex, and finally user friendly enough for a person to operate without years of experience. I'm hoping to avoid cubify, but if they have something i don't know about that suits my needs, i might take a look.
Thank you, and please help.

Are you fed because of proprietary filament? Also, I thought some of the makerbot printer use its own brand filament only? One of my friend tech had to replace the makerbot's head 4 times within less than 6 months, because PLA jammed and leaked in the head itself. Repairing and maintenance was a completely fubar operation.

On topic,
to be honest, I think you should buy some open source and a brand that is trusted. For the sake of repairing the printer yourself. 3D printers will always have stupid problem, that is unless you are buying big stratasys machine. Yet, even with industrial 3D printer grade, you will have maintenance and repair if you are not careful. That is when you will pay a ton of money!

Get some open source in which you can access to the hardware easily and so the electronics. You will figure out how to repair. It is annoying in the beginning but it is worthwhile. The learning curve might be driving you mad, but when you understand your machine, repairing is a complete joke. As it happen with my ultimaker. I use to spend the whole day repairing it, now I can just repair within 20 minutes.

Have a look at airwolf, ultimaker, Prusa type. Only check rostock max delta and other delta type printer IF and ONLY IF you are experiment user.
While the ultimaker and rostock might be harder to print ninjaflex, i.e., you have to print in the 10-20mm/s because it use bowden tube.

Also, can you list more of your requirements? Basically, open source 3d printers can just do what you just listed above.
Anything that is definitely a must, optional, and whishlist?
It might solve the problem faster.

Thanks RichardPhat, both your posts were very helpful. To answer your question, I didn't mind the proprietary filament TOO much, but the real issue is that despite my efforts, my printer has stopped correctly reading models and will fail at the sizes of the model, sometimes doubling two instances of the model on top of eachother, and the small print bed. The makerbot 5th gen does have proprietary filament, but you can use external if you either create a slight mod or just wrap the external filament around the makerbot spool. I'll update the post soon with more requirements, and take a look at what you've suggested.

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Originally Posted by Superslimeboy

The makerbot 5th gen does have proprietary filament, but you can use external if you either create a slight mod or just wrap the external filament around the makerbot spool. I'll update the post soon with more requirements, and take a look at what you've suggested.

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I am assuming you meant to say that the Cube 2 has proprietary filament as I know they do and it also just isn't true with Makerbot Printers. Makerbot SAYS you should only be using their filament but you can use plenty of other brand filaments without any modifications at all and lots of specialty filaments with a bit of tweaking.

I personally own a replicator 2 (gen 4 line) and it has been great. I have moded it for more peak performance and I am able to run a variety of filaments through it. I also would be very wary of the 5th gen reps though as the smart extruder is more prone to clogging and seem to have multiple other issues. Also they seem priced too high for what you get. There are other makerbot clones out there that are simple enough to upgrade and perform as well as the rep 2's and rep 2x's, such as the flashforge and duplicator 4 or 4X. I have heard good things about a variety of less known printers and they would surely save you some cash but having not personally messed with them I can't recommend much outside of what I know.

I was addressing the fifth gen printers, they have top loading smaller spools.other filament spools don't fit, but I'm sure that soon someone'll make spools that fit in it.

Just don't buy a 5th Gen makerbot, it goes against everything you want in a printer.

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Originally Posted by Geoff

Just don't buy a 5th Gen makerbot, it goes against everything you want in a printer.

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Care to elaborate more ? I am ignorant when it comes to makerbot 5th gen.

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Originally Posted by richardphat

Care to elaborate more ? I am ignorant when it comes to makerbot 5th gen.

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You state that you want something that can print dual colors, - 5th gens don't
You state that you want something that can hit 100 microns, - 5th gens claim to but quality is not what you can get with other printers
You state that you want to be able to print with specialty filament, - 5th gens can't print with flexible filament and while probably can technically print other filament, you will also, according to Makerbot TOS, void any warranty you have by doing so, plus gen 5's are already temperamental with filament.

Makerbot 5th gens are not the printer for you (or likely anybody for that matter)

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Originally Posted by wpilgrim

You state that you want something that can print dual colors, - 5th gens don't
You state that you want something that can hit 100 microns, - 5th gens claim to but quality is not what you can get with other printers
You state that you want to be able to print with specialty filament, - 5th gens can't print with flexible filament and while probably can technically print other filament, you will also, according to Makerbot TOS, void any warranty you have by doing so, plus gen 5's are already temperamental with filament.

Makerbot 5th gens are not the printer for you (or likely anybody for that matter)

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Not me, the author does ;P
I was just curious about the makerbot, never got involved with the policy BS from proprietary.
Thanks for the explanation though.

okay - so $3000.

Maybe Start looking at deltas - nothing else looks as good in an office environment.

As far as using ninjaflex goes - I can do this perfectly on a $800 flashforge creator with an unmodified extruder.

However you won't get the build volume you're after. Which is a shame as otherwise a flashforge creator pro would definitely hit the spot.

Have you thought about an ultimaker 2 ?
They have dual extruder kits and are, by all accounts are as good as they claim.

Failing that look at a delta a kossel non-mini might do the job.

The biggest problem you've got at the moment is that there are literally hundreds of different printers from small manufactureres and not that many users to say whether they're any good in the long term.

But if I were you I'd look for a dual extruder delta. Should be in your price range and they are just so much fun to watch working, and quiet :-)

Or go with the tried and tested and get an ultimaker 2 with the second extruder kit.
And as luck would have it ultimaker have just launched a us distributor and you get 3 rolls of filament in red white and blue :-)
https://www.ultimaker.com/blogs/news...-north-america

(looks at store) looks like the dual extrusion is only for the ultimaker originals at the moment.

How about the leapfrog machines ?
Altough looking they're not available in the states yet.

Basically in that price bracket, you're spoilt for choice but starved for experienced feedback.

Another option is to find a local maker group and get them to build you one.
Saw a truly ingenious setup at tct. Guy had a direct drive head but with the motor on the frame and a flexible driveshaft driving the extruder on the printhead. Gives all the advantages of direct drive with the low weight of a bowden setup. Ideal for a dual extruder on a delta.

And when I -eventually - build a delta It's definitely what I'll be aiming at.

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Originally Posted by richardphat

Not me, the author does ;P
I was just curious about the makerbot, never got involved with the policy BS from proprietary.
Thanks for the explanation though.

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Take a read of this great thread by American3Dprinting... good in depth first hand take down of the 5th Gen, basically.. long story short, anything you do that you would want to do in any other printer basically voids the warranty.

http://3dprintboard.com/showthread.p...ead-with-Rep-2

So far the biggest drawback for me is the time... and too many automated features. The flashforge might be simplistic but it heats up in like 2 mins and because the levelling is manual.. I DECIDE when I level, not the dang machine.
5th gen makes you go through hoops before each print.

http://bootsindustries.com/3d-printers/

Here's one delta with dual extruder and autobed calibration. That might be much more easier than delta with lesser config. My boss has taken order from them, we will be expecting the printer in the next 2-3 weeks.
There's an option for dual extruder, and a third (experimental)
There's also partial assembly, which might save you the hassle.

Edit: Holy cow,just read that one geoff! Such bs from makerbot....

wow those boots industries look good :-)
price is right too :-)

I know i have posted this in other threads but for the op, with your price range look at fusion3design.com. The f306. Probably one of the best printers you can actually buy currently. Corexy design. has the most rock solid z stage goin and a huge build volume. 12" in all axis. It can print all materials. Its also open source running marlin on a rambo board.

Have you looked at the SeeMeCNC Rostock kit? Nice machine for $1000 in kit form. Or you can pay to have it assembled by another company.

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Originally Posted by RAMTechRob

Have you looked at the SeeMeCNC Rostock kit? Nice machine for $1000 in kit form. Or you can pay to have it assembled by another company.

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Keep in mind despite they had their sucessfull kickstarter previously, they somehow changed their strategy this time. More components are being manufactured from China and so it is a question of time. Before everyone is getting their toys!

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Originally Posted by RAMTechRob

Have you looked at the SeeMeCNC Rostock kit? Nice machine for $1000 in kit form. Or you can pay to have it assembled by another company.

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I wouldn't recomment Rostock Max V2 TBH, I am currently using it and it is no easy seriously. Bed calibration is a complete joke.... As soon as you put those paper clip on the side, it will curve the glass, enough for the printed parts to unstick itself even with tape or even glue! Not to mention the belt backlash so much and requires every few days of checking. The learning curve of this machine is just brutal and I doubt OP will be pleased with the machine.