Difference between a $1000 3D printer and a $350 3D printer?

[Johnmakuta]

I was looking at something like a M3D or an Ultramaker Original. What's the actual difference in performance?

[iamdarkyoshi]

Performance will likely be similar but the accuracy and reliability of the ultimaker will kick ass

[manikyath]

it mostly comes down to accuracy, and ease of use. (ease of use takes engineering, which costs money)

[DaltonM]

I'd be willing to bet a $350 printer doesn't come assembled too. 

[Enderman]

print resolution and print size

[Johnmakuta]

5 minutes ago, DaltonM said:

I'd be willing to bet a $350 printer doesn't come assembled too. 

I'm fine with that 

[Johnmakuta]

7 minutes ago, manikyath said:

it mostly comes down to accuracy, and ease of use. (ease of use takes engineering, which costs money)

What do you mean by accuracy? Are you talking about when that plastic stringy material is accidentally made?

[iamdarkyoshi]

Just now, Johnmakuta said:

What do you mean by accuracy? Are you talking about when that plastic stringy material is accidentally made?

That can usually be fixed by adjusting retraction.

 

One of the issues I had with my 280$ printer is that the gantry sagged, and needed constant attention to keep it calibrated.

 

With my new printer in my signature, the issue is completely gone. The frame is much sturdier, the parts are to a much higher tolerance, and plenty of other things

[Unhelpful]

1 hour ago, iamdarkyoshi said:

Performance will likely be similar but the accuracy and reliability of the ultimaker will kick ass

How do you measure performance if not by accuracy? 

[Hackentosher]

A lot of times it's print quality, mechanical quality, and build volume. I can guarantee you will have much fewer issues and much more success with an ultimaker original. Once I got the settings figured out on mine, it prints with almost 100% success rate.

[tommy-b-10]

with a $350 printer, you are going to have to spend alot of time constantly calibrating it and checking on it, whereas a ultimaker is generally pretty reliable.

 

Most people with $350 printers have a success rate of 50% with their prints or lower! An Ultimaker is going to be better.

[Hackentosher]

9 minutes ago, tommy-b-10 said:

with a $350 printer, you are going to have to spend alot of time constantly calibrating it and checking on it, whereas a ultimaker is generally pretty reliable.

 

Most people with $350 printers have a success rate of 50% with their prints or lower! An Ultimaker is going to be better.

You're totally right. Honestly those looking for a printer cheaper than what printrbot offer would be better off building a reprap or doing what @iamdarkyoshi did and hope for the best. But with all the calibration, hardware issues (the thing that plagued my prusa i3 build), and just random bull shit that all 3D printers have to offer, it's much easier just to have someone build it for you or make a nice kit for you. #ultimakermasterrace

[tommy-b-10]

21 hours ago, Hackentosher said:

You're totally right. Honestly those looking for a printer cheaper than what printrbot offer would be better off building a reprap or doing what @iamdarkyoshi did and hope for the best. But with all the calibration, hardware issues (the thing that plagued my prusa i3 build), and just random bull shit that all 3D printers have to offer, it's much easier just to have someone build it for you or make a nice kit for you. #ultimakermasterrace

 

Exactly, I built my i3 rework a year ago, and I still havent managed to get it working 100% yet, every 2nd print or so fails or the hot end gets clogged. I would have much rather end saved for the year and got a more expensive one haha. Isn't worth the time!

[Hackentosher]

5 hours ago, tommy-b-10 said:

 

Exactly, I built my i3 rework a year ago, and I still havent managed to get it working 100% yet, every 2nd print or so fails or the hot end gets clogged. I would have much rather end saved for the year and got a more expensive one haha. Isn't worth the time!

I often get issues with filament jams, try lowering your temperature 2-5 degrees after your first layer.

[You_are_a_cunt]

max printing size, speed, accuracy, component durability

 

I'm still waiting for @iamdarkyoshi to release the plans for his DIY 3D printer so I can start working on mine

[iamdarkyoshi]

2 hours ago, revsilverspine said:

max printing size, speed, accuracy, component durability

 

I'm still waiting for @iamdarkyoshi to release the plans for his DIY 3D printer so I can start working on mine

Yah sorry I have been busy

[Hackentosher]

On 3/9/2016 at 2:30 AM, revsilverspine said:

max printing size, speed, accuracy, component durability

 

I'm still waiting for @iamdarkyoshi to release the plans for his DIY 3D printer so I can start working on mine

Why not just build a less janky Prusa i3? Also Ultimaker releases all the plans for their printers.

[ManWithBeard1990]

I own a Velleman K8200. It's finnicky at first but once you get it going it kicks ass. It comes as a kit so how well it performs is somewhat up to you but I have mine running pretty well. I did put some steel wire on to brace the frame to stop vibrations from being transmitted to the gantry at high print speeds, but the gantry itself is quite robust. This makes it so that it can not only be used for 3D printing, but you could easily affix a rotary tool to it and have a CNC mill. It also has a heated bed, which is handy. I believe you could find it for as little as 450 euros nowadays although I paid about 550 at the time.