3d printers

[Saint]

Anyone have any experience? I'm toying with the idea of getting something that could handle ad hoc stuff - not so much things I would design myself, more download from the internet for one of pieces of manufacture.

What should I be looking for?

[C69]

My Neice's savant husbant bought all thecompenets from China and made one himself when he was a teen ager a few years ago

It's as good a one as I have seen

[Niegs]

Have you checked your local library to see if they have one?

I used to work at a small town public library that has a very good one that only costs you what it costs them for the material. It's often kids making little toys, but also saw a couple of older gents making replacement parts for their 'toys' (one was a wildlife photographer making a camera mount... the other made a part for some bit of machinery that I just forget now).

My current location's library has an even better one and even with lockdown in place are taking people's orders, doing the work for them and transferring 'curbside' like they do books, movies, etc.

[Saint]

Have you checked your local library to see if they have one?

I used to work at a small town public library that has a very good one that only costs you what it costs them for the material. It's often kids making little toys, but also saw a couple of older gents making replacement parts for their 'toys' (one was a wildlife photographer making a camera mount... the other made a part for some bit of machinery that I just forget now).

My current location's library has an even better one and even with lockdown in place are taking people's orders, doing the work for them and transferring 'curbside' like they do books, movies, etc.

My locAl library here in rural Oxfordshire is only barely aware of the internet.

I have no real idea how much I might be prepared to pay at the moment, more a realisation that there's lots of "bits and pieces" that I need that a 3d printer could conceivably deliver for me more conveniently than any other source.

[fishfoodie]

Have you checked your local library to see if they have one?

I used to work at a small town public library that has a very good one that only costs you what it costs them for the material. It's often kids making little toys, but also saw a couple of older gents making replacement parts for their 'toys' (one was a wildlife photographer making a camera mount... the other made a part for some bit of machinery that I just forget now).

My current location's library has an even better one and even with lockdown in place are taking people's orders, doing the work for them and transferring 'curbside' like they do books, movies, etc.

My locAl library here in rural Oxfordshire is only barely aware of the internet.

I have no real idea how much I might be prepared to pay at the moment, more a realisation that there's lots of "bits and pieces" that I need that a 3d printer could conceivably deliver for me more conveniently than any other source.

It might be a good thing to rent some time & do some testing on someone else's dime before splashing the cash yourself.

The technology is continually evolving; & it's a lot like the early days of other technologies; where the asset you buy depreciates like a rock, & getting parts or supplies for it in just a couple of years item might be impossible.

I was even looking into building a DIY one; & one of the attractions was that you could then keep the frame & most of the hardware but just replace the printer head periodically.

[Niegs]

Have you checked your local library to see if they have one?

I used to work at a small town public library that has a very good one that only costs you what it costs them for the material. It's often kids making little toys, but also saw a couple of older gents making replacement parts for their 'toys' (one was a wildlife photographer making a camera mount... the other made a part for some bit of machinery that I just forget now).

My current location's library has an even better one and even with lockdown in place are taking people's orders, doing the work for them and transferring 'curbside' like they do books, movies, etc.

My locAl library here in rural Oxfordshire is only barely aware of the internet.

I have no real idea how much I might be prepared to pay at the moment, more a realisation that there's lots of "bits and pieces" that I need that a 3d printer could conceivably deliver for me more conveniently than any other source.

Not close to this? https://www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/resident ... makerspace

[Saint]

Have you checked your local library to see if they have one?

I used to work at a small town public library that has a very good one that only costs you what it costs them for the material. It's often kids making little toys, but also saw a couple of older gents making replacement parts for their 'toys' (one was a wildlife photographer making a camera mount... the other made a part for some bit of machinery that I just forget now).

My current location's library has an even better one and even with lockdown in place are taking people's orders, doing the work for them and transferring 'curbside' like they do books, movies, etc.

My locAl library here in rural Oxfordshire is only barely aware of the internet.

I have no real idea how much I might be prepared to pay at the moment, more a realisation that there's lots of "bits and pieces" that I need that a 3d printer could conceivably deliver for me more conveniently than any other source.

Not close to this? https://www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/resident ... makerspace

I live about 5 miles from the Berkshire border. Getting into Oxford is HARD.

Seriously, I have jobrwal idea on budget here. I could be persuaded to spend over 1k - at the same time I could be persuaded that 200 is far too much to spend.

I have an idea of requirement that could easily grow, and not much beyond that. I don’t even know the differences in tech yet and I'm hoping to short circuit some learning. The Prusa MK3S seems to get a lot if praise, but I don't know why really

[mat the expat]

One of my students prints ear-savers for us to wear masks longer.

I did a contract at the NSW Dept of Education a few years back and they had a great setup with a glassed off room next to reception that printed off all the schoolkid's designs from remote schools

[Quade]

Anyone have any experience? I'm toying with the idea of getting something that could handle ad hoc stuff - not so much things I would design myself, more download from the internet for one of pieces of manufacture.

What should I be looking for?

I use a lot at home and for work.

Good starting model is the Creality Ender 3. Cheap, massive community and easy to mod when you're more experienced. If you have more cash, get a Prusa I3 Mk3.

https://www.thingiverse.com is decent for finding stl's, but there's heaps of other sites.

If you do decide to design (it's pretty easy), Fusion 360 is very good and is also free.

[Sandstorm]

Anyone have any experience? I'm toying with the idea of getting something that could handle ad hoc stuff - not so much things I would design myself, more download from the internet for one of pieces of manufacture.

What should I be looking for?

So are you printing a new front wing for McLaren or designing a whole rear diffuser for the Italians?

[.OverThere]

A few years ago I looked at a lot of 3d printers including one that was trying to make a human ear out of live cells.
As I said to the guys that were presenting it, no doubt the ambition is to progress to hearts/livers/kidneys. They agreed that is where things might be in 20-30 years. 6/7 years ago now, so I wonder how far they've gone.

The problem with suggesting any machine brand is that it really does depend upon the finished product. Many machines are only capable of working with a narrow range of input materials, which lead to a narrow range of finishes.
A machine that prints rubbery/bendy type models/toys will print a rubbery/bendy type of "gun"
A different type of machine can produce a more robust porceline type finish, but canncrack easily.
If you are looking for a rigid hard plastic type of finish, there are many machines that can give this.
Handling multiple colours was coming on stream when I was looking, but the best machines were then only able to produce a single piece in 3 colours at most.

Back then these guys were doing demo evenings which were very educational. I also attended a few trade shows.
https://www.imakr.com/uk

The machines themselves can be relatively cheap but I never settled on anything I thought I could make commercially viable.
I've not been keeping up to date since.

[Torquemada 1420]

A friend uses a DMP in his business which is basically a very clever laser cutter. And very expensive.

[fishfoodie]

A few years ago I looked at a lot of 3d printers including one that was trying to make a human ear out of live cells.
As I said to the guys that were presenting it, no doubt the ambition is to progress to hearts/livers/kidneys. They agreed that is where things might be in 20-30 years. 6/7 years ago now, so I wonder how far they've gone.

The problem with suggesting any machine brand is that it really does depend upon the finished product. Many machines are only capable of working with a narrow range of input materials, which lead to a narrow range of finishes.
A machine that prints rubbery/bendy type models/toys will print a rubbery/bendy type of "gun"
A different type of machine can produce a more robust porceline type finish, but canncrack easily.
If you are looking for a rigid hard plastic type of finish, there are many machines that can give this.
Handling multiple colours was coming on stream when I was looking, but the best machines were then only able to produce a single piece in 3 colours at most.

Back then these guys were doing demo evenings which were very educational. I also attended a few trade shows.
https://www.imakr.com/uk

The machines themselves can be relatively cheap but I never settled on anything I thought I could make commercially viable.
I've not been keeping up to date since.

My dream machine would be a 3D printer that can deposit a mixture of a binding material, & metal suitable for sintering.

You could then effectively 3D print metal parts !

[Saint]

Anyone have any experience? I'm toying with the idea of getting something that could handle ad hoc stuff - not so much things I would design myself, more download from the internet for one of pieces of manufacture.

What should I be looking for?

So are you printing a new front wing for McLaren or designing a whole rear diffuser for the Italians?

[Torquemada 1420]

You could then effectively 3D print metal parts !

That's what the laser one does ^^^^