Help choosing 3D printer

[gtx1060=value]

Hello, 

I recently took my first step into the world of 3d printing - and now i want my own 3d printer - and i might start printing on 3dHUBS as a verified amateur (anyone catch that reference??? )

My requirements are this:

400 CAD and below (including shipping and tax)

heated bed, and auto levelling (and other nifty features you guys think a noob in 3d printing should have to make his life easier)

double extruder would be nice 

and also, obviously, DIY IS A MUST unless you can somehow find a better quality pre built 

the printer should work well, be durable (shouldn't have to replace anything for a year)

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Big-size-Autoleveling-3D-Printer-kit-10-mins-install-24V-power-supply-metal-remote-feed-extruder/32756214903.html?spm=2114.30010208.3.73.0KEIT1&ws_ab_test=searchweb0_0,searchweb201602_1_10065_10068_10502_10000032_10504_119_10000025_10000029_430_10000028_10060_10062_10056_10055_10000062_10054_10059_10099_10000022_10000012_10103_10000015_10102_10096_10000018_10000019_10000056_10000059_10052_10053_10107_10050_10106_10051_10000053_10000007_10000050_10084_10083_10000047_10080_10082_10081_10110_10111_10112_10113_10114_10115_10000041_10000044_10078_10079_10000038_429_10073_10000035_10121-10502_10504,searchweb201603_3,afswitch_4_afChannel,single_sort_3_default&btsid=a0a2a6e0-4d18-4797-8722-e549dd40c415

looking at something like that - are those good or should i go for an i3 reprap?

thanks @manikyath @nerdslayer1@FloRolf@Hackentosher@VoyexTech- also, could you tag anyone who has experience with 3d printing? thanks

[DailyProcrastinator]

Whatever you do don't get the 101hero, it's a piece of Kickstarter garbage.

[The Sloth]

looks good, i only had a small amount of 3d printer experience mostly designing. i am not really sure about that 3d printer but if you trust it, shouldn't be that bad long as you get the promised product. fyi when you first boot it up do it outside to see if its safe, if that thing malfunction it will cause a fire because of how hot 3d printers get. 

[Hackentosher]

Just gonna leave this here. Again. Seriously, could a mod pin some of my guides to the top of Hobby Electronics? Pretty please? With a stick of DDR on top? 

 

[gtx1060=value]

7 hours ago, Hackentosher said:

Just gonna leave this here. Again. Seriously, could a mod pin some of my guides to the top of Hobby Electronics? Pretty please? With a stick of DDR on top? 

 

i know, i read your post all of the pages too, but i need recommendations for a printer that's not shitty and works great without too much adjustments for around 400 CAD 

[Hackentosher]

43 minutes ago, gtx1060=value said:

i know, i read your post all of the pages too, but i need recommendations for a printer that's not shitty and works great without too much adjustments for around 400 CAD 

I guess you didn't understand the core message then, if you want a proper machine that prints reliably with minimal fuss, you need to save up $700USD and buy an i3 mk2. You can try messing around with cheaper machines, but they're going to have some limitation(s) that makes it a burden. 

[bob345]

6 hours ago, gtx1060=value said:

i know, i read your post all of the pages too, but i need recommendations for a printer that's not shitty and works great without too much adjustments for around 400 CAD 

A trouble free fdm printer does not exist around $400 or even $1000 for that matter. Like @Hackentosher said, the best price to performance printer right now has to be the prusa i3 mkII, but even that printer will need to be tweaked and re-calibrated every now and then.

[gtx1060=value]

36 minutes ago, bob345 said:

A trouble free fdm printer does not exist around $400 or even $1000 for that matter. Like @Hackentosher said, the best price to performance printer right now has to be the prusa i3 mkII, but even that printer will need to be tweaked and re-calibrated every now and then.

well not exactly trouble free - but something that won't require constant repair and is fairly easy to setup and calibrate (as in youtube guides) - also, i should mention that diy kits are also ok @Hackentosher @manikyath

[gtx1060=value]

6 hours ago, Hackentosher said:

I guess you didn't understand the core message then, if you want a proper machine that prints reliably with minimal fuss, you need to save up $700USD and buy an i3 mk2. You can try messing around with cheaper machines, but they're going to have some limitation(s) that makes it a burden. 

what exactly are the limitations, if it's just something like printing in nylon im fine, but in terms of messing around with cheaper machines, do you know of any that are actually pretty good in the 500 dollar price range? - it's ok if it's not perfect like the i3 mk2 but it should work well without too many repairs within a year and a reasonable amount of calibration etc

[manikyath]

i just wanna mention a huge black flag: that thing has 3D printed *constructional elements* on the print head, that's gonna warp to shit over time...

[gtx1060=value]

1 minute ago, manikyath said:

i just wanna mention a huge black flag: that thing has 3D printed *constructional elements* on the print head, that's gonna warp to shit over time...

ok, then do you have any recommendations? something that someone who doesn't have a mechanical engineering degree could mod, repair, and calibrate

[manikyath]

1 minute ago, gtx1060=value said:

ok, then do you have any recommendations? something that someone who doesn't have a mechanical engineering degree could mod, repair, and calibrate

https://nl.aliexpress.com/store/product/Wanhao-3D-Printer-Duplicator-I3-PLUS-Steel-Frame-Desktop-3D-printing/528206_32759032330.html?detailNewVersion=&categoryId=200003413&src=google&albch=search&acnt=479-062-3723&isdl=y&aff_short_key=UneMJZVf&albcp=266121556&albag=7593673036&slnk=&trgt=dsa-42862830006&plac=&crea=64152518716&netw=g&device=c&mtctp=b&memo1=2t2&gclid=Cj0KEQiA2uDEBRDxurOO77Cp-7kBEiQAOUgKV-pnbWE40iirsD5aFlb5se7FypSK69kIy_BmclO4bWcaAhhj8P8HAQ

 

this thing is pretty mod friendly, but i'm mostly recommending it because of how sturdy the chassis is over its technical capabilities.

 

it's a good "base" to start with, but there's lots of improvements to be done.

[gtx1060=value]

1 minute ago, manikyath said:

https://nl.aliexpress.com/store/product/Wanhao-3D-Printer-Duplicator-I3-PLUS-Steel-Frame-Desktop-3D-printing/528206_32759032330.html?detailNewVersion=&categoryId=200003413&src=google&albch=search&acnt=479-062-3723&isdl=y&aff_short_key=UneMJZVf&albcp=266121556&albag=7593673036&slnk=&trgt=dsa-42862830006&plac=&crea=64152518716&netw=g&device=c&mtctp=b&memo1=2t2&gclid=Cj0KEQiA2uDEBRDxurOO77Cp-7kBEiQAOUgKV-pnbWE40iirsD5aFlb5se7FypSK69kIy_BmclO4bWcaAhhj8P8HAQ

 

this thing is pretty mod friendly, but i'm mostly recommending it because of how sturdy the chassis is over its technical capabilities.

 

it's a good "base" to start with, but there's lots of improvements to be done.

like... i know you have one of those - so what did you add to it to make it a very good 3d printer?

[gtx1060=value]

3 minutes ago, manikyath said:

https://nl.aliexpress.com/store/product/Wanhao-3D-Printer-Duplicator-I3-PLUS-Steel-Frame-Desktop-3D-printing/528206_32759032330.html?detailNewVersion=&categoryId=200003413&src=google&albch=search&acnt=479-062-3723&isdl=y&aff_short_key=UneMJZVf&albcp=266121556&albag=7593673036&slnk=&trgt=dsa-42862830006&plac=&crea=64152518716&netw=g&device=c&mtctp=b&memo1=2t2&gclid=Cj0KEQiA2uDEBRDxurOO77Cp-7kBEiQAOUgKV-pnbWE40iirsD5aFlb5se7FypSK69kIy_BmclO4bWcaAhhj8P8HAQ

 

this thing is pretty mod friendly, but i'm mostly recommending it because of how sturdy the chassis is over its technical capabilities.

 

it's a good "base" to start with, but there's lots of improvements to be done.

something that doesn't cost 160 for shipping would be nice  but what are the specs for a good 3d printer

steel frame

auto levelling

etc

[manikyath]

1 minute ago, gtx1060=value said:

like... i know you have one of those - so what did you add to it to make it a very good 3d printer?

well, the thing has a "duct" with a fan to blow air on the freshly printed plastic to cool it... which is probably the first thing you'll replace because its terrible , down the road upgrading to a full metal nozzle is SO MUCH worth the mess, and it also kinda has the tendency to overheat on long prints (~10 hours) without figuring out some "actually acceptable" cooling

 

beyond that.. mine came out the box with pretty much every screw barely fingertight, and if you dont protect your desk, i guarantee the "feet" on this thing will damage whatever it's standing on.

 

putting it in a nice sound-dampening box also helps with the cries of pain the bearings like to make, can of lube strongly advised

[gtx1060=value]

1 minute ago, manikyath said:

well, the thing has a "duct" with a fan to blow air on the freshly printed plastic to cool it... which is probably the first thing you'll replace because its terrible , down the road upgrading to a full metal nozzle is SO MUCH worth the mess, and it also kinda has the tendency to overheat on long prints (~10 hours) without figuring out some "actually acceptable" cooling

 

beyond that.. mine came out the box with pretty much every screw barely fingertight, and if you dont protect your desk, i guarantee the "feet" on this thing will damage whatever it's standing on.

 

putting it in a nice sound-dampening box also helps with the cries of pain the bearings like to make, can of lube strongly advised

the issue is that it costs too much - i need to find a budget friendly option that's good - 

[manikyath]

2 minutes ago, gtx1060=value said:

steel frame

auto levelling

etc

well.. i dont really care what they make the frame of (for example, ultimaker uses plexi) it's about how they make it, and most of the cheaper ones... look like a wobbly nightmare..

 

auto bed leveling is very good, if it works, and i trust ultimaker to know what they're doing after so many years, i dont trust random chinesium to auto bed level better than i can eyeball it.

[manikyath]

1 minute ago, gtx1060=value said:

budget friendly option that's good

you need a cheap car that's also a supercar, that's essentially what you're asking.

 

either it's gonna be shitty, or it's gonna be expensive. for the kind of printers a wanhao can measure itself against "after some love", it *is* the budget option

[gtx1060=value]

1 minute ago, manikyath said:

well.. i dont really care what they make the frame of (for example, ultimaker uses plexi) it's about how they make it, and most of the cheaper ones... look like a wobbly nightmare..

 

auto bed leveling is very good, if it works, and i trust ultimaker to know what they're doing after so many years, i dont trust random chinesium to auto bed level better than i can eyeball it.

i literally just need some printers that are good in the 400 to 500 CAD range - even used ultimakers would be ok

[manikyath]

4 minutes ago, gtx1060=value said:

i literally just need some printers that are good in the 400 to 500 CAD range - even used ultimakers would be ok

well, you can always look around locally, i noticed that a lot of people are selling off their original ultimakers (what is now called the "ultimaker original") to go for bigger and better things, chances are you can shovel one up on the cheap and give it some love.

[gtx1060=value]

6 minutes ago, manikyath said:

well, you can always look around locally, i noticed that a lot of people are selling off their original ultimakers (what is now called the "ultimaker original") to go for bigger and better things, chances are you can shovel one up on the cheap and give it some love.

all of the used 3d printers i can find are shit - the wanhao duplicator doesn't ship to canada and the stores that carry it here over price them, what other 3d printer is a good alternative? Because i really don't have the money to spend on a very expensive i3 mk2 or an ultimaker 

[gtx1060=value]

@Hackentosher - i know you recommended that i save up for a prusa i3 mk2 - but are there any cheaper alternatives that are still reasonably good with a few mods that won't break the bank?

[gtx1060=value]

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1124861-REG/xyzprinting_3f10axus00a_da_vinci_1_0_3d.html/?c3ch=CSE&c3nid=98

@manikyath - this one look good?

[manikyath]

1 minute ago, gtx1060=value said:

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1124861-REG/xyzprinting_3f10axus00a_da_vinci_1_0_3d.html/?c3ch=CSE&c3nid=98

@manikyath - this one look good?

i saw one of those in a store, you know to avoid like the plague when the test print they put next to it looks like shit.

[gtx1060=value]

2 minutes ago, manikyath said:

i saw one of those in a store, you know to avoid like the plague when the test print they put next to it looks like shit.

i dunno looks really professional -