Any 3d printing nerd that can point me in the right direction? The amount of brands out there is overwhelming.
I'm not hugely invested in the 3D printing world, but here's my setup:
Printer: Creality Ender 3 pro v2 Filament: Mostly Matchbox Upgrades: just stiffer springs for the bed holder to help keep it level longer
Software: Cura for slicing FreeCAD for part design My kids also use Blender for making designs
As long as you check the bed leveling every so often (I don't have an auto leveler) it does just fine. I make all kinds of technical parts and models along with other stuff for fun.
What can I say? It works and it's a reasonably low maintenance setup.
I'm not good enough to give recommendations, but meanwhile some questions might make it easier. What is your budget? Is open source important to you? What's the biggest thing you want to print? Are there any special features you're looking for? Do you want to tinker with it or rather have it "just work"?
creality ender v3 se is a good entry level printer. I bought one earlier this year. Despite its low price, It's easy to assemble, has auto leveling and makes decent prints. You cant go wrong for the price.
Yea i am inclined to go for this one based on other responses, i have no clue about the materials used to print so ill figure it out by using one of these ender printers and engaging with communities.
I started with an Ender 3 Pro. It's a great printer to start with and learn how 3d printing works. Last year I upgraded to a Bambu X1 Carbon. Since then, there has been no more tinkering, no more bed leveling, no more manual calibration, no more ferrying microsd cards back and forth, hardly any troubleshooting, and what few issues I've had were easily solved. The Ender is great to learn on, like a first car. You beat it up, fix it, break it, fix it again. Once you outgrow it, I'd recommend a Bambu.