Search for a 3D Printer

[scatman]

Guys, looking for a 3D printer for a 13year old. It’s a Christmas gift, the child has been wanting one for two years. Any suggestions? Something to get started in 3D printing.

Thanks

[Changing-Gearz]

[scatman]

Thanks.

[ccobra]

My preferences are a lot more expensive. I started out with a sollidoodle for around $600 but its operating costs were high just to keep it printing. The I got a Lutzbot Mini where the only high operating cost is buying more filament, so in my opinion I wish I had started off with the Mini for it has been more reliable with better quality prints. With Both Printers I have used Autodesk Inventor to make my files to print. Since we're on a slotcar forum, I am assuming that the printer with be used to make slotcar chassis and some day the trickier bodies. With the chassis expect a learning curve of around a month or so to dial in the printer and learn what sizes to print. For example I found that when I do a tubular chassis, I make the tubing with a 3/32 diameter with a 9/64 radius if I want the print to come out somewhat detailed. Then I found that a wall thickness of 0.050 would work with motor mounts. By no means am I an expert on this subject for I am changing my chassis designs with each print so that I can find a new combination of specs to get more detail on the chassis. But one important thing to research on the printer is its print size. If you want to print 1/244 scale, forget the Mini or any printer with that size of print area, it just won't do it unless you're printing out Sprites or TR4's for your track. Even some of the other 1/32 scale you have to angle the part to get it to print and when you do that it can take up to six hours to print. That was one thing I learned real quick on the Solidoodle, it would only print continuously for about 45 minutes before it would decide it had done its share of printing and just quit printing. You may remember the Ugly Falcon that I printed a few years back, it had to be printed in sections and then glued together which made it one really Ugly Falcon. Anyway its best to do a lot of research before getting into the printer to make sure it is what you want in a printer and if possible, send out a file and have the printer company print it out for you to see if that is what you expect. Sorry about rambling on, just didn't want you to experience the same mistake I made when I first got into the 3d printer scene.

[chappyman66]

I lucked in to a Dremel 3d20 at Rockler for $400. As a newbie, it's perfect....load the filament and go. It's not Shapeways quality but it's plenty good enough for my home use. Be prepared to get a slicer (the software that makes the toolpath) but that's true for all printers.

I have done chassis, guide flags, and motor pods with success. I have leared enough of Tinkercad to be able to change chassis wheelbase. Bodies are a "not yet" thing, as are gears.

The Dremel was going for about 800 or so a few months ago when I got mine. It's PLA only but good enough for me right now.

[mattb]

Can you guys do roll bars, radius rods and bumper bars for sprint cars and midget racers? If you can do them, do they need a little sanding and then look good. Can you scan? a master piece like that and copy it. I see some rough pieces and some that look pretty good. I have no desire to get into it (famous last words) but would like to know more about it's capabilities.

thanks guys
mb

[ccobra]

I think it depends on the weather or whatever.
and then other days I get;
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And I still trying to figure out what makes the prints differ. One item that I had found was a fan in the room can affect the print but these were with the fan off.

[chappyman66]

Finish depends on a variety of parameters. The Dremel is a closed box so minimal air currents, but the cooling fans on the extruder head do move air. The layer height matters, and I have heard that the precise filament diameter matters also, but I don't have a good handle on that yet other than noticing that some colors print differently even though they are supposed to be identical diameters (any extrusion varies, it's just a question of how much).

Analogous to casting, sometimes you have to print a few to get a smooth one while you optimize the settings.

[ccobra]

I also noticed the color filament made a difference in the print. I prefer the green and then the orange for that reason. But I still get a roll of the blue and the results at times are a shot in the dark.

[mattb]

thanks guys, keep practicing!!