Short Review of the Dremel IdeaBuilder 3D20 Printer

[TheGeeker]

Intro and Software

Ill make this review short and simple. Its a great printer which can produce very detailed results in only PLA with some fine tuning and work. The printer does not natively accept STL files. you need to convert it using Dremel's software which is a bit like corsair's line of RGB mice and keyboards. It just plain sucks. It defaults at 220c and 80mm/s which is too fast and hot for good prints. I use 45mm/s and 200c. It won't let you compile things that it deems will fail in printing like a cup or bowl. To bypass, you need to add supports to objects using other 3d software or their meshmixer from Autodesk. 

 

Hardware

The design of the printer is very nice in an enclose space with a magnetic door and removable top cover. It does get slightly hot in the printer and I leave the door and top of for my prints to cool faster. I usually stand a fan facing in if I am printing things like this. It came out just fine and was surprisingly detailed. I scaled it down and it came out just fine. I am now printing a larger version. The head is capable of many great prints.

 

 

Unboxing and Support

It was packaged extremely well. No chance of damage during shipping and had foam everywhere in the printer. They did not tell me you need to lift the base up to get the bottom foam out. I was able to print a few tests like a pencil holder in 10 minutes of unboxing. The foam will shed everywhere when you take it out. You are able to have two spools in the printer at a time, but you need to buy an extra mount for it. I tried to print one but once I was done I did not have the screws and was too lazy to find the correct screws at home depot. 

 

The support line is fantastic. If you call ask for Adrian and he will help you out. I got filament stuck in it and they helped me get it out 2 hours after he was supposed to go home. They are very nice people and will work after hours to help. When I was fixing it I needed to keep the fan on the print head on and got my wrench in it and broke the blades. He sent one out the next day for me. 

 

Conclusion

Being my first print I cant compare it to others but I can say it is a great printer for the price and I would recommend it. I know people who have 400$ China printers and they cant get anything decent off of them. I would say that this printer beats the DaVinci that my buddy owns. Its an all in one printer capable of great results with some knowledge of how pla works and what temps are good as well as knowing a bit of 3d modeling. Even free online stuff works too.