Best low/mid budget 3D printer for private usage?

[curious aardvark]

it's on kickstarter - so you've got at least 12 months before anyone knows whether it's any good or not.

The question is: do you want an actual real printer now ?
Or a virtual one in 1-2 years time ?
I say virtual as many kickstarter printers either fold before main production or just trundle on with delays and 'improvements' for years, never quite getting to the point of sending printers to all the people who gave them money.

The duo looks good - but then the point of a kickstarter campaign is to make the product look good.

Personally owning a 3d printer I wouldn't now be without one (checked out my pop up awning yesterday, needed a new coupler clip. I've now got a design file and can make spare couplers in 40 minutes - even made mine stronger than the originals). So I'd opt for the buying one now approach.
You can always get a tiko later - if they actually manage to go full production.

The duo looks good - but you can't buy one now.

There are any number of virtual printers out there you can throw money at. Me I'd get a cheap replicator clone now. And put a few euros/pounds/bucks aside every month for when the kickstarter machines actually stop being virtual and become real.

[richardphat]

Errr, let's not bring back the story of Makibox.
They end up failing so miserably.....

The actual goal for the Tiko was 100 000$ and ends up 2.6M$ +
I'd be surprised if they can manage that ammount of printers to deliver.

[mugdha]

I've just Pre-ordered a CreoPop 3D printing pen. I wasn't looking for anything big and fancy. Just for something cool to play around with. It's only for $119.

Moderator note: hyperlink removed

[awerby]

Kickstarter is more like a betting parlor than a department store. If you want an actual 3D printer and not a chance to be an investor in a project that may or may not ever result in an actual product that works as advertised, you're much better off paying for a machine that's already on the market and has a track record of successful performance than buying what's essentially a lottery ticket. If this machine really does get to market, it will still be cheap. If you want to wait for it, go ahead. But a lot of projects ask for crowd-funding by promising more than they can really deliver; then the delivery date stretches out further and further and sometimes never arrives.

Andrew Werby
www.computersculpture.com

[curious aardvark]

Errr, let's not bring back the story of Makibox.
They end up failing so miserably.....

The actual goal for the Tiko was 100 000$ and ends up 2.6M$ +
I'd be surprised if they can manage that ammount of printers to deliver.

Did I mention makibox ? ;-)
Or the phoenix, or theb half dozen others that probably won't deliver in the next 12 months.

Makibox was slighlty different. They actually got past the crowd funding stage and were delivering units - what they didn't do was budget for unforseen costs. And they just ran out of money after spending the postal money on replacement hotends and wages for people they hadn't envisaged needing.
That and making a machine that couldn't print pla.

It's often not the mechanical side of things that lets crowdfunding down - but the fact that the people involved just don't know how to run a business or budget properly.

[richardphat]

Did I mention makibox ? ;-)
Or the phoenix, or theb half dozen others that probably won't deliver in the next 12 months.

Makibox was slighlty different. They actually got past the crowd funding stage and were delivering units - what they didn't do was budget for unforseen costs. And they just ran out of money after spending the postal money on replacement hotends and wages for people they hadn't envisaged needing.
That and making a machine that couldn't print pla.

It's often not the mechanical side of things that lets crowdfunding down - but the fact that the people involved just don't know how to run a business or budget properly.

I'd be kicking myself if a printer can't even print one of the easiest to print filament.....

[mugdha]

After a lot of research, I just ordered a CreoPop 3d Pen for this same purpose.

Moderator note: hyperlink removed