Recommend me a cheap printer I can buy/build in pieces

Hello, I just made an account here to ask this question.

I need a printer I can buy in pieces over the course of a couple of months, (ex, buy electronics, then motors, then metal parts, etc.) reason is that school takes a lot of my money, and between one thing and another I cant save 3-400 bucks at once, not for this that is not a #1 priority for me right now.

I also want to build it myself, and I don't mind doing upgrades to it to make it better (although if I buy it in pieces that should not be a problem).

Around a 4x4x4 to 6x6x6 print area is fine for me

I was also looking at the qu-bd one or two up but for $220 and $300 respectively I think I can probably build something better for around the 3-400 dollar range myself (out of metal/aluminum or whatever is best, it may be kept outside in a shed every now and then!)

Let me know what you guys think, thanks.

I don't own one, but from what I've heard I wouldn't buy a qu-bd printer. The Printrbot simple is available in kit form for a good price. Maybe that would be a better fit. Unfortunately you'd have to buy it all at once.

If you wanted to buy components piece by piece, I'd probably go for a reprap printer, Prusa i3 of some sort.

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Originally Posted by paradiddle65

I don't own one, but from what I've heard I wouldn't buy a qu-bd printer. The Printrbot simple is available in kit form for a good price. Maybe that would be a better fit. Unfortunately you'd have to buy it all at once.

If you wanted to buy components piece by piece, I'd probably go for a reprap printer, Prusa i3 of some sort.

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Thanks for your reply, I had been looking at the i3 rework, decided to stick with that one and have already begun buying pieces for it.

Why not just buy a Geeetech Prusa kit? 260 USD excl freight.

I would say any Prusa i3 is fine, it is the same machine. Buying pieces, sourcing part of it is hella lot of time,.

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Originally Posted by oklok

Why not just buy a Geeetech Prusa kit? 260 USD excl freight.

I would say any Prusa i3 is fine, it is the same machine. Buying pieces, sourcing part of it is hella lot of time,.

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Its really not a lot of time at all to source the parts, I already have around half of the parts for an i3 rework at home, Today I just ordered the electronics and hotend, the only thing I have not ordered yet is a frame, total has been 360 without the frame. Including everything from endstops to lcd to sleeving for cables, now I just want to buy a metal/aluminium frame. Which will do in some weeks time, for now whenever I get a chance I will go assembling it.