Recently finished the OX Cnc build but now I am thinking of getting a 3D printer. As I have spent so long building the Ox and fine tuning it etc, I would prefer to purchase a pre built one or may consider a full kit version so that I dont have to spend the time hunting down parts. The main reason for the 3D printer will be to build additional parts for the CNC ie Dust shoe etc, plus I may adapt the Cnc to the Ox metal design which requires a fair bit of 3D printed parts, so the the printer does have to produce parts that are durable. The catch is I do not want to spend a fortune having spent a fair bit on the Ox, my max spend is £500/£600 UK, can anyone offer advice on what will do the job for me. I have found this on Amazon UK BEEVERYCREATIVE AAA011210 helloBEEprusa 3D Printer DIY Kit: Amazon.co.uk: Business, Industry & Science Seems to cover several diiferent filament types and has a dual extruder but only has one review which is so so. I would prefer to be pointed in the direction of something tried and tested so any help in that direction would be really apprectiated.
If you just want to put it together and want the all in one kit, you have a few options can buy any prusa style kit (the one you linked looked nice, a little high for a clone though) can buy the original prusa mk2 they are having a hard time keeping up, but you will get it in about a month. it's kind of the standard of that style printers. The clones use cheaper parts.... Plenty of plans to build it yourself if you want to save a buck or two.... Bob
The Wanhao Duplicator i3 is pretty highly reviewed, and has a stronger frame. Unless you have a very specific need for dual extruders, I'd just stick with the single. Wanhao i3v2.1 Duplicator; 3D Printer: Amazon.co.uk: Business, Industry & Science
Thanks guys for your advise, reallt helpful. The one I highlighted can print using various types of filaments including nylon, as I want to mainly print accessory parts for the Ox is this not really necessary?. What filament is best for durability and strength ie. making a dust shoe for the Ox?. 3D printing is a whole new world to me so any tips will be a great help.
Both printers look nice. That OX metal design is what got me looking into 3d printing too. I bought a kit in January. An Anet A8, it was about $160 usd. Not a real good printer out of the box but there are plenty of upgrade parts you can print, you tube videos and forums to learn from. Its printing well now but I cant say how it compares to better machine. I learned a lot but it was frustrating at times. I like the multi color printing idea but would not recommend multiple nozzles on a small bed. You loose to much print space. There are some multi color single nozzle upgrade options available. Its something Ill probably in the near future. The Original Pursa seems like a great unit and they also have one of the upgrade kits I mentioned. Probably even a bargin at the price but that was more than I wanted to spend at the time. I just wanted a cheap way to get started and find out if it was something I liked before spending more money. Its done that and more. I also wanted to print project parts and learned a bit of a bed size lesson. First part I tried to modify and print was the y plate that holds the x. My build plate was 15 - 20 mm to small. I think I have an upgrade - fix figured out. Anet has a 240mm x 240mm heat bed. Good luck!
Nylon is not what I would start out with. PLA is a good starting point to learn with to get a feel for the machine. It's cheap, moderately durable, and easy to print. ABS is the next step up. It's harder to print, but easier than nylon. Larger parts will be problematic with ABS and nylon, as they have a tendency to lift and curl as it cools. You will need an enclosure with either machine to keep the parts warmer as they print. If you are printing parts like dust boots and simple brackets where there will be minimal load, PLA and PET-G will be plenty strong and will be much easier to print successfully.
Thanks Rodm, Good tips there, yes perhaps best I start on the cheaper side but look for something upgradeable. Cheers
Good points. I have been looking at a few with enclosures but thought that the enclosure was there to contain the fumes, but what you say makes sense regarding the heat issues. Also, I didn't realise that some filaments where more difficult to print than others to I will take that all on board. Thanks again guys.
it's not so much that different filaments are harder to print, just when you are starting out in the 3d printing world you have enough to learn no need to compound it by having prints curl up on the bed. PLA and PET-G don't really smell... ABS smells a bit like burning tires, but if your room is vented a little totally manageable. The Anet A8 is the type of machine I was talking about in an earlier post. its a prusa style printer. Joseph Prusa is the creator of that style printer, he also sells printers the prusa i3 mk2s is his latest printer, I have one it's a good printer. But his printers are opensource so there are plenty of people selling copies of his printers (not the newest one yet) These places cut costs where they feel they can. (plastic frames, wood frames...) But this money savings usually come at a cost... That's why there are plenty of upgrades to the A8. So it comes down to what you want.... out of the box good printer but costs a little more, a good starting platform, or build what you feel you want. My first printer I built took quite a while to get it working (that was in the early days of printing) My 3rd printer I bought a out of the box working model monoprice select mini (great little printer btw.) 4-6 I built very few problems 7th I bought the prusa i3 mk2 8 and 9 I built. I don't think I had any problems (other than waiting on the slow boat from china, you can get the parts locally but expect to pay more) working on 10 now If you check my youtube there's a sneak peak to that on there, planning on publishing a build series on it. 11 is in the works. Honestly today it's pretty simple to source the parts and build a printer. Plenty of them in the gallery right here on open builds Bob
Thanks Bob, Food for thought there. I am tempted at building one but its the time issue that puts me off. Having spent since Christmas building the Ox and then learning how to use the software in order to create things, I really want to get into producing stuff, so I am split at the moment. Though I do realise, as with the Ox, that when making it yourself you gain far more knowledge of how it works, how to upgrade it and very importantly, end up with a product that would cost twice as much to buy off the shelf. I suppose if I am honest a 3D printer is not absolutely essential for me at the moment, but having read through this forum and on other sites it would prove to be a very useful tool to have especially when I get round to upgrading the Ox. Need to think it through a bit longer I think, but you are tempting me with the self build. Cheers
I would buy your first, even if it's a kit. With the kit at least, you get to see how it all goes together. Building your own can get expensive fast, as you will have a tendency to start adding features, then deciding that the first part you picked isn't quite up to snuff, and so on. It can run away from you pretty quick. Then you have to debug your own design. There are a lot of good printers out there for very little money.
That is very true, it happened to me with the Ox. I decided to go with upgraded parts from the off and I ended up with a very complicated build and basically tried to run before I could walk and in the end it took me longer to build and understand. Cheers for that.
So true! I've enjoyed the research, planning... but once I started the build, started to understand how and why things work together my plans changed. All for the better but I'll end up with enough extra parts to make the next build package a lot less expensive.
The products at amazon are high quality & efficient. I have purchased few filaments from Amazon, these are well packed and best quality material I have ever used. Thanks Amazon.
