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Best Printer


gazza

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I've got a 2nd hand Creality Ender 3 Pro and I am really happy with it.

I have only just started dabbling in 3D printing, but it seems to do everything I have needed and has a lot of community support.

I use Cura for my slicing software. I also have Meshmixer too.

I work with a 3D engineering program, so I have some experience with working with 3D. We don't have the additive manufacturing suite, so going from screen to print takes some messing around, but nothing too major.

I'm also very green when it comes to editing/ modifying designs downloaded off the net to prepare for printing, and don't have enough time to spend on learning/ experimenting as I would like, but that part is definitely a 1st world problem!

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Like everything else in life 'best' is usually proportional to cost. I had a budget and the Ender 3 Pro was the best in that budget. There's a lot of free stuff you can add to improve this machine from various 3D file sites.

 

As far as software is concerned, I'd spent a few years working with 2D CAD in Engineering albeit 15 years ago so wanted something better than drag & drop and went with Fusion 360. I use Cura for slicing.

 

...I built my machine last week and printed my first chassis design the same day...

Life is like a box of Slot cars...B)

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I too had a budget & was about to buy from a Kiwi importer a Ender 3 but a friend advised Creality were having a sale on their own website, and for the same money I could bring in a Ender 5.

It arrived in two weeks. Took a few months to sort out a dedicated space in my shed - including a massive tidy up.

Like Kevan - when I got to it - it was assembled and I was printing in a day. Very happy with it. Experimented with chassis's, a car body, figures and scenery items so far.

But I've just finished the sample roll of PLA. B) Only more week of lockdown here - so will now get an order in for some more.

I knew a little of 2D cad and did a quick course a few years back on 3D solidworks. Just been playing with the browser based Tinkercad.com - But when time allows I've installed FreeCAD so will start to learn that.

Cheers

They are only toys .... until you pull the trigger.

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Ive got a Prusa MK3S, it does have all the bells and whistles but it is at the high end of the market. with slicing programs i just use the prucaslicer to slice and Cusa to print. 3d design well you need to download all the different packages and try them, they all do the same but they do if differently. i use Fusion 360 with a free education licence. but there's some things that blender and freecad do nicely aswell. if all depends on what you want to do? myself i print mostly @ .05 (high quality) with PLA to do molds for vac forming.

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I bought the Ender 5 Pro and am really impressed. There is an Ender Facebook group which has been quick to respond and resolve any learning needs I have had. I am using Freecad and find it very easy to use once I got the hang of it and is extremely capable

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After Cura update it won't load on my PC, I can't update the graphic drivers and there isn't a slot for a graphics card. I ordered a new modern PC today but meanwhile downloaded PrusaSlicer, there is a profile for the Ender3 and this program runs fine on my PC although Cura is easier to use.

Life is like a box of Slot cars...B)

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I see the Ender 6 was announced a few days back - no price yet, I guess they're testing the demand appetite for new tech in a post-covid world.

 

The speed claim is a bit vague - anyone know how 150mm/s compares with the 5 Pro and with other 3D printers.

For that matter, whats the main difference between the Creality Ender Range and the CR10 range.

The specs look pretty much the same.

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Recovering Lapsed Slot Addict :ph34r:  *  Custodian of many used screws (mostly loose :rolleyes:)  *  Total kidder  *  Companion of other delusional slot addicts :lol:  

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I don't think it will be that expensive. It appears to be one more step up from the upgraded 3 and 5, and is about 50% faster than the CR10 from what i can see, but still the same base technology. I am thinking maybe US$650 ish.....

 

I'd just like to get some comparisons with other brands from someone who have used other brands as well in some kind of commercial situation or one of those shared labs.

Recovering Lapsed Slot Addict :ph34r:  *  Custodian of many used screws (mostly loose :rolleyes:)  *  Total kidder  *  Companion of other delusional slot addicts :lol:  

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This will probably go against the grain but Gazza you did ask for value for money as well.

 

I can certainly vouch for an Anet A8 clone, I bought mine back in 2016 for about AU$222 and it has certainly seen its fair share of work over the years, the exchange rate was better back then but you can still pick one up for AU$290.

 

This compared to the Ender5 at about AU$620.

 

I'm not saying this is perfect but depending on what you want to get out of it it is pretty great.

 

Things have broken sure, my hotbed went (AU$13 to replace), a few sensor wires broke, couple of buck to replace, nozzles 0.4 is OK I have a 0.4mm drill bit to clean them out but 0.2 I just replace at a few cents each.

 

And because you build it you get a better idea of what is what and if something goes wrong how to fix.

 

Over the past 3.5 years of printing I have a much better understanding of setting up for even the most difficult of objects and lately because of lockdown and trying to think of something for the kids to do have been printing out D&D creatures for them to paint, they look as good as the $10 each resin ones from Zing. So quality isn't that bad.

 

It has been running 24/7 for the past 5 weeks and I have one nozzle blockage only, and the bed as not gone out of plumb.

 

It does take a bit of work to get the bed level though it is not automatic and on a cold bed it can be a pain to get a print to stick.

 

And where it does fail you improvise, like with the Wyvern in the photos below, added a bit of a toothpick to a munted claw.

 

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The wyvern hasn't been smoothed yet, I do this by "painting" it with a cool soldering iron, they come out great if you spend the time.

 

Additional to the above as these are just a new thing, I have designed a 50's diner, a rail overpass, fences, rubbish skip, transmission towers and slot car chassis's, printed out slot car bodies and a lot of prototyping work.

 

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Sorry for the photo bombing, probably not warranted, but to someone looking to get a printer it is good to see the quality produced.

 

Fun times for not much of an outlay.

 

Guess it really depends on what you want out of it though and how much of tinkering/automation ratio you want.

Edited by ZeGas
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Flamin' 'eck Grant... there are just too many clever bunnies around this neck of the woods, I think I'll just crawl back under my track and pretend it's a pup tent and play with my torch.

 

Or pretend it's my cave, and I'm a troll and ambush the wife when she comes looking for me . . . that sounds like more fun...... You can tell we've been in lock-down a few weeks eh........

The last thin piece of elastic connecting me to sanity appears to have snapped.

Recovering Lapsed Slot Addict :ph34r:  *  Custodian of many used screws (mostly loose :rolleyes:)  *  Total kidder  *  Companion of other delusional slot addicts :lol:  

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Nah Mark, not a clever bunny, not even close, not when you see some of the brilliance out there.

 

FYI though, if you are going to ambush the missus and you are a troll, lets see ....

 

First off you need to see if you actually hit her, now trolls ain't the brightest and elves, which I am granting upon your betrothed, have agility, so their dexterity will be up there although their armour class won't be the greatest, let's say 14ish.

 

Roll a D20 if you get above 14 then you have hit her, I am guessing you are going to be using a melee weapon, so that will be a D6+2 to calculate damage, but her dexterity .....

 

Oh Crap what am I doing ...... no you will have to roll 2D6+4 for damage

 

Oh crap, now look at me, you think you have lost your marbles .... oooo marbles, might play that with the kids in the .....

 

Stop, stop, stop. I'm in a lockdown here with you, lalalalalala. :wacko:

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No Trains DM, just a bridge/crossing for the slot track, the engine is a 2 buck jobby from an el cheapo store.

 

This was it in its infancy.

 

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  • 1 year later...

IMG_20190831_215723.jpgSo "best" is subjective, depending on what you want to do.  Resin printers definitely have a resolution advantage over filament.  Resin also is more expensive, has odors, and requires washing and curing.  Not impossible, just the process.

Filament is cheaper but does not have the same resolution.  However....if you tune the printer you can get pretty good resolution with a low layer height.   I run an Ender3 and have had good results with Nimrod's files as well as several files I have purchased.

This D Type took less than 5 minutes of sanding.

IMG_20210518_130132.jpg

Edited by Chappyman66
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  • 1 year later...

When researching 'best' printers you always hear the name Prusa mentioned...I gave up on my Ender in late 2020 and got a Qidi X-Plus...I gave up on that in late 2021 and got a Prusa i3 and realised after the first print that I'd wasted a grand on the first two machines.

 

As far as resin printers go, the Mars Pro was OK but small and was replaced in 2021 by an Anycubic Photon Mono X which has a big enough plate to print most 1/32 bodyshells (the Ghostbusters Ecto1 had to be tilted at 45 degrees though.

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Life is like a box of Slot cars...B)

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Filament printed bodyshells are definitely better printed at about 45 degrees but resin printed bodyshells print just fine flat on the bed or inclined a couple of degrees.

  • Like 1

Life is like a box of Slot cars...B)

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