Instead of going all out and doing a custom build, I'm going to see what I can learn putting together a Prusa i3. I am wavering between buying a kit and piecing all the items together for the full BOM myself. I

I don't know that I'll save money piecing an i3 together, but I'm hoping to increase quality.

So, in terms someone who has never 3d printed could understand, what limits the quality of a 3d print? Stepper resolution? Pre-print settings? Temperature control? Frame stability?

On the note of temperature control: I've gathered that a heated bed is important/essential, especially with ABS. What about after the layer has been printed? What if were to rig up a controlled flow of heat around the item as it's being printed in an effort to maintain (reasonably) consistent temperature for all layers throughout the duration of the print.

I do plan on setting up some tilt correction. Any advice on what to go for there?

What do I need to spend a few more dollars on to get better overall performance? I don't want to send a tremendous amount of money, but I would appreciate any tips on where I should spend some extra money.

Thanks for your time.