Is a 3D printer really something that you can take apart and put back together?

[3DPrintingNerd95]

I'm definitely a newbie to 3D printing. I have a 3D model that I wanted to get printed But the thing is, i learned that it'd be over $100 to have it printed so i figured i'd just be better off getting my own 3D printer instead BUT the place i live in is VERY small and I don't have much space to store a 3D printer that's set up.I would have enough space to fit it in a bin or something like that and I'd be able to make some space to pull it out and use it, but not enough to always keep it pulled out.I'm just wondering, can you disassemble and reassemble a 3D printer over and over again? i was just worried about it getting damaged. I don't think I need an extremely big one BUT the largest object I wanted to print with is was going to be 1 foot tall so i'm assuming it would have to be a big printer.But which one would u guys recommend me getting?

[curious aardvark]

tricky one.
Some of the better i3's come in large pre-assembled chunks. So yes you could dissassembly them. But the more you do the more you risk damaginf the wiring and connections.

Have you though about a delta ?
Very space compact, great for tall models and the bigger ones can always be uised as a small table when not in use :-)
Have a look at the tevo little monster: https://tevo3dprinterstore.com/produ...3d-printer-kit

To turn it into a table you'd just need to print/make a drop on top that protected the electronics - pretty simple.
Hell make the top strong enough and you could use it as a stool :-)

Here's a smaller one that'll do 360mm height : https://www.amazon.co.uk/FLSUN-Pre-a...9520326&sr=8-5

Has the advantage that the electronics are stored in the base - so even easier to tunr it into a stool/table :-)
Much cheaper in tha states too: https://www.amazon.com/FLSUN-Pre-Ass...9520497&sr=8-2

[3DPrintingNerd95]

tricky one.
Some of the better i3's come in large pre-assembled chunks. So yes you could dissassembly them. But the more you do the more you risk damaginf the wiring and connections.

Have you though about a delta ?
Very space compact, great for tall models and the bigger ones can always be uised as a small table when not in use :-)
Have a look at the tevo little monster: https://tevo3dprinterstore.com/produ...3d-printer-kit

To turn it into a table you'd just need to print/make a drop on top that protected the electronics - pretty simple.
Hell make the top strong enough and you could use it as a stool :-)

Here's a smaller one that'll do 360mm height : https://www.amazon.co.uk/FLSUN-Pre-a...9520326&sr=8-5

Has the advantage that the electronics are stored in the base - so even easier to tunr it into a stool/table :-)
Much cheaper in tha states too: https://www.amazon.com/FLSUN-Pre-Ass...9520497&sr=8-2

that one actually seems pretty awesome. I read on one of the links that it can print things up to 360mm tall (which translates to roughly 14 inches) so that one could work I also think i could even fit that in my bedroom too i have some space for it. it seems to be about a foot in diameter so that should fit in the corner of my room i guess


However, one thing i'm curious about is how much is the fuel for it? As in the material that the stuff it prints is made out of?

And also, is there anything else i should know about owning a 3d printer before getting one?


I didn't really need a super advanced one. as in, im fine with printing stuff in one color, because anything i would print that i'd want to color in, i would just paint it after.

[curious aardvark]

'fuel' - filament is relatively cheap, or really expensive if you look at it another way.

Going by what I oay in the uk, you're looking at around $15-$25 a KG for pla (poly-lactic acid). The most widely used type of plastic and the most versatile.
Now initially that sounds really expensive. But the thing about 3d printers is that you can make the interior of a model of any density you like.
It can be a hollow shell on up to totally solid. So weights for 3d printed items tend to be much lower than for an injection moulded model - while maintaining strength and integrity.

There's one common example that you can print several hundred chess pieces from one roll of filament.

Hence, yes it's expensive for 'raw' plastic - but actual 3d printed things tend to be pretty cheap as they don't use much material :-)

[3DPrintingNerd95]

'fuel' - filament is relatively cheap, or really expensive if you look at it another way.

Going by what I oay in the uk, you're looking at around $15-$25 a KG for pla (poly-lactic acid). The most widely used type of plastic and the most versatile.
Now initially that sounds really expensive. But the thing about 3d printers is that you can make the interior of a model of any density you like.
It can be a hollow shell on up to totally solid. So weights for 3d printed items tend to be much lower than for an injection moulded model - while maintaining strength and integrity.

There's one common example that you can print several hundred chess pieces from one roll of filament.

Hence, yes it's expensive for 'raw' plastic - but actual 3d printed things tend to be pretty cheap as they don't use much material :-)

how sturdy is it though? like if i printed a hallow plastic statue, would it be able to break easily?

[curious aardvark]

not that easily. But what you actually do is print it with maybe 15-25% infill and a thickish skin. so there is an internal matrix makes it very strong while still not using a lot of filament :-)

Here's a hinged mould I made for use with pretty stiff clay, This is 1.5mm skin over 25% infill.
Short of taking a hammer to it - you won't break this and it's designed to be used by hoary handed sons of odin - or 'slingers' as I call them :-)
The only bit I don't print is the hinge - learnt by experience a printed hinge will break. So Now I use off the shelf steel hinges and these moulds will - probably - outlast the owners :-)

25pcntinfill.jpg

Normally I use 15% infill for most things - but these I wanted to make strong :-)
Oh yeah, my main go to printer is a cheap delta :-)

[3DPrintingNerd95]

not that easily. But what you actually do is print it with maybe 15-25% infill and a thickish skin. so there is an internal matrix makes it very strong while still not using a lot of filament :-)Here's a hinged mould I made for use with pretty stiff clay, This is 1.5mm skin over 25% infill. Short of taking a hammer to it - you won't break this and it's designed to be used by hoary handed sons of odin - or 'slingers' as I call them :-)The only bit I don't print is the hinge - learnt by experience a printed hinge will break. So Now I use off the shelf steel hinges and these moulds will - probably - outlast the owners :-)

25pcntinfill.jpg

Normally I use 15% infill for most things - but these I wanted to make strong :-)Oh yeah, my main go to printer is a cheap delta :-)

ok thank you

Just a couple more questions, about this printer that you suggested to me here: https://www.amazon.com/FLSUN-Pre-Assembled-Platform-Printing-%CF%86255X360mm/dp/B07GJQHZ3P/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=FLSUN+QQ-S&qid=1579520497&sr=8-2


does it have a dual extruder?


i remember online someone typed to me that if im getting a 3d printer it's important for it to have that. just wanted to double check



Also, is there a way of knowing how much filament you need to print an object? is there a program that lets you know how much?

[curious aardvark]

nope - no dual extruder.
To be honest, it sounds like something that would be really useful.
I do have a dual extruder (well 2, on one I simply replace the second extruder with a plastic 'model') - but it pretty much just gets used for flexible filaments.

Unless you can afford an IDEX (independant dual extruder) setup, dual extrusion is somewhat problematic and nowhere near as useful as you think it's going to be.

[3DPrintingNerd95]

nope - no dual extruder.
To be honest, it sounds like something that would be really useful.
I do have a dual extruder (well 2, on one I simply replace the second extruder with a plastic 'model') - but it pretty much just gets used for flexible filaments.

Unless you can afford an IDEX (independant dual extruder) setup, dual extrusion is somewhat problematic and nowhere near as useful as you think it's going to be.

so are you saying that i'd be able to print a 3d model like this perfectly fine without a dual extruder?
the only reason why i was asking about it is because someone on reddit told me that i should get a printer that has one.

[curious aardvark]

all the dual extruder would be for is soluble supports. Which has it's own issue.

The cape, collar and elbows would need supports.

But it's just as easy to do that with one extruder as two - often much easier.