Can anyone recommend a good beginner 3D printer?

[Tryptych]

I've bought so many little knick knacks for my three EUCs that I think it's time to invest in a 3D printer.

Can anyone recommend a decent printer for a beginner?  It should be well suited for printing stuff for my EUCs: flypads, bumpers, etc. 

Got any other tips for a beginner?

 

[Tawpie]

4 minutes ago, Tryptych said:

Got any other tips for a beginner?

Find a friend who already has a 3D printer? (kidding, just a joke, honest!)

But. I understand that they are a hobby unto themselves and are still working on set-it-and-forget-it. Heed the advice of the wise though, not me.

[.....]

16 minutes ago, Tawpie said:

Find a friend who already has a 3D printer? (kidding, just a joke, honest!)

But. I understand that they are a hobby unto themselves and are still working on set-it-and-forget-it. Heed the advice of the wise though, not me.

I think the prusa is a good start with less initial problems than some. @Tawpie is right, it is kind of limiting and somewhat a hobby. Usefull for some things for sure, and fun to tinker. However, Im pretty sure its enough a pita to learn and print, you neednt go the cheapest or largest route. I only speak for residential inexpensive printing. Commercial printing is an entirely different ballgame.

Edited April 27, 2021 by ShanesPlanet

[Unipilot69]

I purchased a Prusa MK3 three years ago. It's my first and only 3d printer. It was not cheap but I needed to use it as a tool. I've been printing rc aircraft parts, electric unicycle parts, and bicycle parts. I have many hobbies and one day I will probably scratch build a delta style 3d printer. I got the kit version. As with all 3d printers they can be fiddly. The Prusa is very reliable and simple. It's now mature and most of the first run teething pains are solved. The 3d printing community is very helpful regardless of printer owned. One thing to keep in mind is keep the filament dry. It is very hygroscopic. I usually dry mine in a food dehydrator for a few hours before printing. That solves quite a few problems.

 

[floki]

Ender 3 v2 is also highly recommended with lots of help etc online and on youtube if you run into issues. 

[EMA]

ender3
alfawise u30pro

artillery genius or x1 <-- recommended

[RockyTop]

1) Prusa $1,000 +
2 ) Ender 3 $250 or other Creality 

3) A very common printer. 

I have watched at least 50 “Top 10 3D printers” or “ Best 3D printers of 2021” on YouTube and they are awful. They are just trying to sell their product. If you want a good example of this just type “best Electric unicycle 2020 or 2021” They give really bad advice. 

As a reference I keep 10- 14 Ender 5 plus and two Prusa printers running 24-7-365. The beauty of the Prusa is that it is great out of they box. The beauty of Creality is that you can easily modify them to perfection. The problem with others is support and aftermarket parts. There are definitely other great brands. 

Here is my problem. 
I need a good small printer > Prusa , I don’t want to spend $1000 on a small printer > Ender 3, add glass bed and and second Z screw $340. I should just buy a CR10 > $450 ............. I can get an Ender 5 plus for that!!   > buy another Ender 5 plus. 

Edited April 27, 2021 by RockyTop

[RockyTop]

2 hours ago, EMA said:

alfawise u30pro

 

Have you had good luck with this? It looks pretty good for a small printer. Glass bed. Solid setup. 

Creality just came out with a new CR 10 smart. It is duel Z screw and WiFi ready for $400- $500. I think it might be a better value than the Ender 3. The Ender 3 is a great place to start but I just hate buying a single screw machine. Keep in mind that I run these things to death. 
 

 

Edited April 27, 2021 by RockyTop

[floki]

37 minutes ago, RockyTop said:

1) Prusa $1,000 +
2 ) Ender 3 $250 or other Creality 

3) A very common printer. 

I have watched at least 50 “Top 10 3D printers” or “ Best 3D printers of 2021” on YouTube and they are awful. They are just trying to sell their product. If you want a good example of this just type “best Electric unicycle 2020 or 2021” They give really bad advice. 

As a reference I keep 10- 14 Ender 5 plus and two Prusa printers running 24-7-365. The beauty of the Prusa is that it is great out of they box. The beauty of Creality is that you can easily modify them to perfection. The problem with others is support and aftermarket parts. There are definitely other great brands. 

Here is my problem. 
I need a good small printer > Prusa , I don’t want to spend $1000 on a small printer > Ender 3, add glass bed and and second Z screw $340. I should just buy a CR10 > $450 ............. I can get an Ender 5 plus for that!!   > buy another Ender 5 plus. 

Interesting. I was thinking about picking up the Ender 3 Pro, but I wonder if I should just get the Ender 5 pro instead...

[RockyTop]

16 minutes ago, floki said:

Interesting. I was thinking about picking up the Ender 3 Pro, but I wonder if I should just get the Ender 5 pro instead...

If you get the Ender 5 pro you will need to add bed braces. The bed is not quite stiff enough for larger prints. They are easy to print out. You can find them on many 3D sites. 

[RockyTop]

To be clear. There is an Ender 5. That is the base model. Then you have the Ender 5 pro. This is the Ender 5 with extras. Then you have the Ender 5 plus. The Ender 5 plus is way bigger and comes with BL touch. I have 14 of the Plus. I did have an Ender 5 and it was great. I should have kept it. I needed larger printers at the time. Now I need dedicated support printers that print small accessories. 

[EMA]

1 hour ago, RockyTop said:

Have you had good luck with this? It looks pretty good for a small printer. Glass bed. Solid setup. 

i have one and it works nice with no issue, but i recommend a genius or an x1 for the direct drive, it worth the money.

Artillery x1 it's an amazing printer out of the box, no need to spend more $

[RockyTop]

16 minutes ago, EMA said:

i have one and it works nice with no issue, but i recommend a genius or an x1 for the direct drive, it worth the money.

Artillery x1 it's an amazing printer out of the box, no need to spend more $

The direct drive is nice. If a printer is not direct drive it will be when I get it.

I have heard good things about the artillery X1. My only concern is the wires going to the hotend. They bend quite a bit. (Flat ribbon cable 180 degree bend) The Ender 5 wires do not bend as much and after 1.5 years of continuous use the wires are breaking. I completely expected them to break sooner. I am converting them to a cable with connectors that I can unplug and replace every year. I am sure the same could be done with the artillery X1. It might even be easier with the Artillery. Just keep extra ribbon cables.

Disclaimer: I am using hobby printers in a commercial setting. Of course they are going to wear out. So far just broken wires because of endless bending. I am amazed