It seems like they're all really expensive, with most halfway decent ones being over $1000. It also seems like they're really finicky and hard to get working consistently.

Are there any 3d printers that are actually a refined product, something you can just get and start using? I don't want to spend most of my time fiddling with the settings and having to buy a ton of upgrades in the hopes of getting it to be a functional machine that can actually be used to print out parts.

If there are any out there that are basically self-maintaining or highly automated in terms of configuring themselves correctly, is it only the really expensive ones, or are there more affordable sort of "get and forget" printers that you can just set up and start using?

  • ObamaSama [he/him]
    ·
    4 months ago

    For what purpose? Making your own fun? I don’t have much experience with FDM or resin fun but have a proper CNC I’ve made some projects on (purely for personal use of course). Really depends on the use case, if you just want some cool minis of your blender models structural integrity isn’t really a concern like it may be for other things. There are a lot of inherent limitations with 3D printing so I’d advise against it if it’s purely for fun. Pro tip: you can bend a flat for Mikhail’s masterpiece into shape with just a vice+jigs if you don’t have access to a full machine shop