Hello everyone, I'm a new user in this forum and I created this thread to see some opinions from more experienced users (anyone that already touched a 3d printer is more experienced than me haha).
So let me explain: I'm a brazilian mechanical engineering student and since I was a kid I'm involved with DIY projects, art, woodworking, so prototyping is a strong part of my life, and a 3d printer would be a incredible tool for me. I want a 3d printer mostly for actually usable parts, such as supports, moving parts, knobs, gears..this kinds of stuff. Print beautiful things would be really nice, but is not the most important point here.
Here in Brazil, ABS is half the cost of PLA, and its properties seem interesting to me, so I was thinking about having a decent ABS printer, so I would be able to leave PLA when I feel more confident haha
The problem is that printer and parts are insanely expensive here in Brazil (a original prusa i3 cost almost 2500 dollars, that is more than I spend in a semester to live), so buy anything here is not an option.
Bigger international packages (above 50 dollars) have a more than 60% in taxes and take forever to arrive..So I live in a hole
The happy part is that i'm going to visit my girlfriend in France, in this christmas...So I want to buy everything that is critical, and leaving the less important updates for the future.
I was thinking about buy a prusa i3 2020 aluminum frame by folgertech because the frame itself looks good to me, modular, resistant, easy to modify. The kit would cost 340 dollars with shipping, and the start upgrades would be: E3D V6/LITE6, auto bed level (any kind), Igus RJ4JP bearings for silence, IMC2100 drivers for silence, and stepper motor dampers for silence (silence is important, it will be in my bedroom).
The question is: Is a good idea to buy this kit? Do you know similar kits in Europe, to cheaper and easier deliver? Do you think build from scratch would be (a lot) cheaper and possible?
The upgrade ideas are good? I accept sugestions.
Thank you!