Newbie trying to get into quality 3D printing looking for hardware advice

Hi @ll!

I have been thinking about getting a 3d printer for various purposes. What is important for me is the level of detail. For example, I would like to be able to print figurines with this level of detail:

http://www.gambody.com/3d-models/chaplain-warhammer

The model specification says that it was tested with an Ultimaker 2 in PLA material. This option seems a little pricey, however. I would like to spend less than 2000$ if possible.

Thus I would like to ask you if you know potential budget printers capable of this level of detail.

Second, I have also been thinking of getting a high-resolution 3d scanner to complement the printer. If anyone can think of a 3d scanner capable of scanning a figurine with the same level of detail and convert it into a perfect 3d model for later printing, please recommend this here as well.

Thank you a lot for your advice!

Cheers
Joe

well forget the scanner.
There are really only 2 consumer priced ones around.
scan-in-a-box - which would be my personal choice. https://www.scaninabox.com/

That's probably near $3000. And is pretty amazing, I have seen one working.
Alo there is the einscan: https://www.einscan.com/Which is
a little cheaper but also not as high a resolution scan.

Everything else that's cheaper just isn't currently up to the job.

Printer wise, just about every fdm printer will print at 0.1mm layer height.
To a certain extent you get what you pay for.

The prusa i3 mk 3 will give you at least as good a quality print at an ultimaker at a fraction the cost with a lot more features. https://shop.prusa3d.com/en/3d-print...-mk3-kit.html#

If you want to try out fdm here's a very cool little machine for bugger all money, small print volume - but all the festures of a really expensive machine and excellent print quality: https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=21666
$159.
Stick a 0.25mm nozzle on it and it could come close to resin level detail.


Another option would be to go for a resin printer.
There are some cheapish ones around. But bear in mind that they are pretty messy and involve a fair bit of washing and curing AFTER printing.
And when you inevitably spill the resin, it's a right bastard to clean up and it smells :-)
But quality wise - way way better than fdm.
http://www.flashforge.com/hunter/
https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=21824

There's a couple.
But before buying a resin printer - watch a few youtube videos on using them and post processing.

Guess at the end of the day it depends how large the figures actually are :-)

If they're for gaming (Warhammer 40k, I'm guessing) they're going to 28mm scale miniatures (hereinafter "minis" or "figs"). And seriously, if you want that sort of detail save your coin and get a resin printer. As stated, if you make a mess you won't enjoy cleaning it up.

The Monoprice Ardvark listed is $500 USD. I'd also look at the Anycubic Photon for $520 USD. Bulk FEP is available, so you don't have to pay Anycubic's rather high price. Resin is around $50/500g, and the Photon will take any brand of resin.

Post processing for resin prints is to remove any uncured resin in an alcohol bath, then cure under UV light, or in bright sunlight. Very important to wear examination gloves while handling the uncured resin minis or refilling the resin tank. Also important is to build an enclosure for your resin printer to contain the fumes.

My advice is to get an FDM printer for war/tabletop gaming terrain and accessories, and get a resin printer for minis.

You can build a $30 USD laser scanner. Plans are here.

a cheap laser scanner (and I have one) is pretty much useless for any kind of detail. Actually, just useless :-)
Realistically you need a structured light scanner setup.

Now there are some cell phones appearing on the market that have this capability. The software is not there yet, but the hardware is in the pipeline.

There's also the intel Realsense system. Not sure what happened to it, couple of years ago it was going to be incorporated into a number of tablets and phones - but for some reason that doesn't appear to have happened.

There is another option for resin printing of small models.
The ono : https://store.ono3d.net/collections/all
Now this is under ?100 - but it needs a cell phone as well. That said a really decent cell phone can be had for as little as ?70 - or $90 https://www.amazon.com/DOOGEE-X30-An...rds=doogee+x30
Had my x30 for about 9 months - brilliant bit of kit.
So you can have a small scale resin printer for under $200.

Obviously a dedicated printer would be better and have a much larger print volume. But should you just want to try stuff out.
For under $500 you can get a decent fdm kit: https://www.ebay.com/itm/2018-Flsun-...oAAOSwRkBalT03
AND a little daylight resin printer.

Sweet! Thanks! I'm looking at getting the photon next year, but if I could dip my toes in resin printing first that'd be good.

The results from the ovo depend on how high the resolution of the phone screen is and how bright it is.
Pretty sure my x30 would be fine on both counts.
plus has really long battery life.

For the money, the ovo is certainly worth a punt.

Any idea when the OVO will be available? I noticed the Web site said "preorder".

Edit:

Nevermind, site says "Expected Delivery: Summer 2018"

I went with the Makergear M2. I did not know what I would be printing but wanted a quality machine that would last me years and produce accurate sized items.
After getting the machine a coworker asked me about printing D&D miniatures. I said sure I need to learn how to master the slicer software and what better way then by printing tiny detailed miniatures. I had purchased both the .5 and .25 nozzle to compliment the stock .35 that came with the printer.

The detail is not going to be as good as a SLA printer but it is really very good when you think about how the process works.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by curious aardvark

The results from the ovo depend on how high the resolution of the phone screen is and how bright it is.
Pretty sure my x30 would be fine on both counts.
plus has really long battery life.

For the money, the ovo is certainly worth a punt.

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After looking more closely at the OVO I'd have to say it's only worth taking a look at if you already have an extra phone laying around (which I do).

Phone resolution limits the printer to, the case of the phone you recommend and my old Samsung, 1280x740 pixels. That's 1/4 the resolution of the Photon, but for 1/4 the price I can't gripe too much. I am somewhat concerned that the actual pixels may be visible on the final print. That is emphatically NOT what I plan to deal with the headaches of resin printing for.

just buy a cheap phone.
You don't need microscopic pixels.
On a small screen even a moderate resolution will have really teeny tiny pixels.
This is my phone: https://www.amazon.com/DOOGEE-X30-An...70_&dpSrc=srch
I'd defy a human being not looking through a microscope to tell the difference between my creen and one on a $1000 iphone.
I have compared the two - and I like mine better lol