Cheapest 3D printer on the market NOW?

[3DPBuser]

Some of the more exotic filaments are cold bed printable

Like PET? Seems PET can replace ABS in most cases.

[curious aardvark]

I thought pet needed a hot bed.
Nylon, laywood and some other filaments don't need a hot bed.

[sam007]

I thought pet needed a hot bed.
Nylon, laywood and some other filaments don't need a hot bed.

thank you for the reply

[curious aardvark]

don't thank me too soon - I was wrong :-) Pet will print on a cold bed. Some info from the MadeSolid website on their pet+ filament.

MadeSolid’s PET+ is an engineering grade filament. It is a strong and flexible material derived from a different strain than the few existing PET filaments on the market. PET+ is stronger than many ABS filaments and has the high print success rate of PLA. It is ideal for functional objects that need to combine toughness with flexibility, such as phone cases, wearables, robotics, and mechanical parts. Some of PET+ properties include:

• Engineering quality
• Flexible strength
• 100% recyclable
• Glossy surface finish
• High transparency (Clear Only)
• Easy adhesion (No heated bed required. Sticks to blue painters tape)
• Hydrophobic: Doesn’t absorb water like nylon does
• Good chemical resistance
• High qualify spooling and extrusion. Consistent diameter and no bubbles
• More flame resistant than PLA and ABS

Bit more info on printing with pet:

• Extrusion temp 220-255C
• Suggested initial printing speed: 30mm/s for perimeters/outlines, 60mm/s for infill
• Suggested top/bottom (roof/floor) thickness: 1.5mm, or at least 6 solid layers.
• If layers are not adhering to each other well, try extruding at a higher temperature

• Clear PET+ has a higher melting point than the Opaques. Try printing at a higher temperature
• Bed surface: Blue painters tape works well, with a heated bed you can also use glass with gluestick applied
• Heated bed temperature: 80C
• For a more glossy/transparent look with the clear filament, try increasing your layer height to 0.2mm or higher, printing faster, and only use a single perimeter.

[3DPBuser]

Looks like a heated PET bed then, since I'm not going to be dealing with tape.

[kathmorgan12]

A cheap printer may not last you for a long time and aside from that, you might not get the desired results. But if you really need it ASAP, try looking at online shops and look for second-hand 3d printers. There might be sellers who aren't satisfied with the kind of printer they bought and may sell it at a lower price.

[MiniMadRyan]

Getting back to the 'cheap' printer debate, I too would recommend the Printrbot Simple Maker's Kit (http://printrbot.com/shop/simple-makers-kit/) ($349) I have one of the earlier releases of this printer, and it's honestly very good for the price. The build platform may be a bit small, and it's PLA only, but it consistently produces prints that are comparable with many other printers, with minimal fuss and setup. A lot of the upgrades on my MakerFarm were printed on that printer. Another nice feature is there are some great upgrades for the printer, including a build volume upgrade that gets you a good 7" x 4" x 7" and countless upgrades and revisions on Thingiverse. I don't think you could get any better for the price.