Nub With question to brand new products

[pappabear1973]

I am looking at getting into the 3d realm as a small side business to both make scale replicas of cars, but also mold for the wife for candles and chocolates. I have been looking at the information to the rigid bot big bot with a bed that measures 12x16x10. Supposedly very comparable to the maker bot. Also eyeing the photon scanner by matterform.. Aladdin interested in the filastruder filament maker and the 3d refiner by 3d express. Does any one have Knowles of these companies or these items. I want to know if these would be a good viable but frugal way to get in on the market. Thank you thank you

[PrinterNinja]

Can't say anything about the printer because I have no experience with it, but regarding the 3D Refiner..While they develop that you could consider acetone vapor smoothing. Looks to give the same results with a very simple set-up. You can look it up on YouTube. (Personally I wouldn't want to run an electric motor that close to solvent fumes. I hope those 3D Refiner guys don't blow themselves up.)

I don't think you'd want to even think about making your own filament until you master making your own prints. When you see how many variables are in play to get good results, you'll understand why the filament sold on the market is from very specific plastic formulations. The idea that you can grind up your used milk bottles and extrude quality filament will have to be proven to me. Quality filament manufacturers don't even use reground ABS to make their filament.

[pappabear1973]

Thank you for the insight. Making the filament I don't think u would get right away, but if production stepped, might consider. I would buy the abs beads instea d however. For the refiner, I figured the motor set up must be fairly enclosed and water right. But being used to painting indoors, I know there is a concern with electric and fumes.

[Kirschner3D]

Still thinking that later on with just the beads it's still a longs progress for making your own filament, because to get good and decent prints that, you want to use as molds or replica's of cars, you don't want any offset in your filament. A home based filament extruder has a large error margin when you want to make 1.75 or 3 mm filament and this comes back in your print with not enough or too much extrusion.

[pappabear1973]

I'd there that much variance. Ok. Yes wanting finger print, I would not want much variance. I know right now I have fanciful daydreams and once I get involved, the reality will hit with learning programs and error margins and variances as it is as long as time needed. Thanks

[PrinterNinja]

Put your money into a good printer and make sure you get one big enough for what you want to do. (The miser pays twice.) Master that first with some good off the shelf filament and then look at some of the other things you mentioned. I wouldn't be surprised to see someone develop a machine that takes the plastic beads straight into the printer and extrudes them right out the nozzle. Extruding it twice is not efficient.

I offer some quality ABS and PLA filament on my site and have printed with it for months without issue. Have really grown to like printing with PLA - there is no odor and the parts come out looking nice. Look for 3DPrinterNinja on Thingiverse to see some examples of things I've printed with my filament.

Good luck!

[pappabear1973]

Thanks. Right now I know nothing of programming and to little on 3d. Plus my desire it's too upscale pieces, so priority is good large printer and good scanner. I'm looking at a new bout that is 12 x 16 x 10 and a new photon scanner. Anything else would come later as you said. I will take a look at that filament. Thanks