New to 3D Printing, Need help

[UGARod]

Merry Christmas to everyone, and a happy New Year. I'm interested in getting a printer to aid in my modeling hobby, something to make wheels, gears, and other parts. I'm sure there is all the info on the forum I need, but so far I haven't been able to find it. As a rookie, I was thinking of something small to start with, fully assembled if possible, and less than $600. Any ideas will be greatly appreciated.

[wackyvorlon]

I'd be inclined to direct you to a Prusa i3 kit at that price.

[richardphat]

When speaking of wheels, gears. What are the pitch diameter, any idea how small they are?

I printed myself several gears and the teeth is too small, you're just going to get awful results.

[wackyvorlon]

In general, features close to the size of your nozzle are approaching the limits of the machine's resolution. An SLA printer like the Form 1 can do much higher resolution prints, however the resin is expensive(around $100 a liter), and the finished print isn't as durable.

[UGARod]

Thanks for your input. I've still got a lot of research to do,so I'm a long way from a purchase. So far, it seems that a printer in my range might be put to better use building parts that don't require a lot of strength or precision. I am also thinking about a small mill to make wheels and such, maybe just buy the gears. I like the Form 1 printer, but it is out of my price range at this time. Thanks for your help, and I look forward to learning more.

[GOC]

- I've printed quite a few gears for a small hobby helicopter and have had good results. It does take a bit of refining to get right, but very possible. I wrote a small article HERE on how to get the best results with them.