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Have You considered getting a 3D printer

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Q: Have you ever considered getting a 3D printer for your workshop?

Y - already have  
48%

 
 

Y - but cost  
2%

 
 

Y but quality  
2%

 
 

No - got no use  
10%

 
 

No - just toys  
1%

 
 

No - got no interest  
8%

 
 

Yes - but other tool  
5%

 
 

yes, this year  
3%

 
 

Yes - in future  
21%

 
 

(155 votes)


Chris Gill11/12/2020 17:12:44
avatar
74 forum posts
29 photos

I bought a Creality Ender 5 recently and I like the machine

First job - more parts for the printer. Second job - fix toys for the grandchildren.

Now, I'm sure I had a project or two in mind ...

Jeff Dayman11/12/2020 17:13:45
2356 forum posts
47 photos

Same as me Pete, the only thing on my Ender 3 that I keep reasonably clean is the glass bed. Quick alcohol wipe for that, quick brush off of the way surfaces the carriage wheels roll on, and away it goes. Certainly NOT a super clean environment, and plenty of great parts off the Ender 3. Drop of iso 32 oil once in a while on the Z axis screw.

Edited By Jeff Dayman on 11/12/2020 17:14:14

Thomas Cooksley11/12/2020 17:14:05
55 forum posts

Hi everyone. I haven't got a 3D printer yet. The idea sounds good but I wouldn't have a clue where to start or how to use one. Tom.

Jeff Dayman11/12/2020 17:17:00
2356 forum posts
47 photos

Hi Thomas, plenty of great how to 3D print video on Yout Ube. Michael on Teaching Tech channel in Australia has some excellent ones. Link below.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbgBDBrwsikmtoLqtpc59Bw

Rockingdodge11/12/2020 17:17:15
avatar
396 forum posts
111 photos

I've got 3, one 220 x 220 x 200mm filament printer plus an Elegoo Mars and Saturn resin printers, all very very useful. smiley

Roger

Edited By Rockingdodge on 11/12/2020 17:17:59

Rod Renshaw11/12/2020 17:17:38
438 forum posts
2 photos

I think what most puts me off getting a 3D printer is the thought that my general lack of IT skills would make it difficult for me to use one effectively.

Rod

Jeff Dayman11/12/2020 17:27:54
2356 forum posts
47 photos

Rod, can you do the following:

1. download a pre-designed file set from Thingiverse.com, (file is in stl format)

2. load a slicer program like Cura to your PC (Cura comes free with the printer if you buy a Creality one like Ender 3, not sure if other makers give out a free slicer)

3. follow the online tutorial for the slicer, or a yout ube video on how to use it and open the stl file, position it in Cura, and slice it, generating a g-code the printer can read

4. put the g-code file made by the slicer program on a micro SD memory card

5. Load the memory card to the slot on the Ender 3 controller

6. Select the file with the controller, push start.

If you can do these things and do basic allen wrench assembly on the machine itself, you can run an Ender 3 3D printer.

Myfordboy has some great videos on yout ube also, for both Ender 3 printer and Elegoo resin printers, and others.

Edited By Jeff Dayman on 11/12/2020 17:30:14

Brian G11/12/2020 17:39:38
912 forum posts
40 photos

I suspect in a few years time the question "Have you ever considered getting a 3D printer for your workshop?" will seem as obvious as "Have you ever considered getting a lathe". I suffer episodes of paralysis and mine are ideal for my situation as they mean I can keep modelling or printing when I cannot safely use other tools.

Brian G

Brian H11/12/2020 17:55:20
avatar
2312 forum posts
112 photos

I have wondered about 3D printing for patterns but might be more interested if the capability to print in metals

was cheaper. Otherwise, I would rather go down the cnc route.

Brian

Rod Renshaw11/12/2020 18:08:34
438 forum posts
2 photos

Jeff

Thanks for the instructions, but most of them mean little or nothing to me. It's probably laziness but I just don't seem to learn effectively about IT matters unless I am actually shown what to do, almost keystroke by keystroke, and then use it frequently.

Regards, Rod

Ady111/12/2020 18:41:24
avatar
6137 forum posts
893 photos

Superclean environment is a relative term where Ady1 is concerned

Edited By Ady1 on 11/12/2020 18:43:20

not done it yet11/12/2020 20:12:34
7517 forum posts
20 photos

Myfordboy has some great videos on yout ube also, for both Ender 3 printer and Elegoo resin printers, and others.

Fraid myfordboy (engine builder on here) promotes these things (gets them delivered FOC long before they are available to the public (for a favourable review?) so that likely contravenes the COP for the forum.

That said his demo (along with others) persuaded me to get the SV01.🙂

martin perman11/12/2020 20:52:38
avatar
2095 forum posts
75 photos

For me its just another expensive toy that I've no use for.

Martin P

Dave Smith 1411/12/2020 21:14:59
222 forum posts
48 photos

I have an Anycubic Photon for 4mm scale work and a Malyan 150 for other stuff the Anycubic cannot do. Martin, my wife said why do we need a buy a tablet a few years ago? She is on her third now! My Malyan is second hand and cost £75 with a truck load of upgrades on it.

Dave

Robert Atkinson 211/12/2020 22:48:03
avatar
1891 forum posts
37 photos

I've thought abouIt it, but having seen the output of professonal machines at work am not convinced by the quality. From listening to others they also seem to be capable of consuming large amounts of time and filament plus a fair bit of money and space.

I'd get more use out of a small CNC mill

Robert G8RPI.

duncan webster11/12/2020 23:06:17
5307 forum posts
83 photos

I'm waiting for #2 son to buy one!

Pete Rimmer11/12/2020 23:28:46
1486 forum posts
105 photos
Posted by Robert Atkinson 2 on 11/12/2020 22:48:03:

I've thought abouIt it, but having seen the output of professonal machines at work am not convinced by the quality. From listening to others they also seem to be capable of consuming large amounts of time and filament plus a fair bit of money and space.

I'd get more use out of a small CNC mill

Robert G8RPI.

Once you learn the limitations you'll find it easy to work within them and discover that there's a world of stuff you can make which isn't possible to the home machinist. Here's a small sample of stuff I have made:

Cable clips for my computer desk to hold my phone charger leads

Cable clips for my DRO install

Coil bobbin for ignition pickup

Door sliders for metal garden shed

Model intercooler for RC drift car

Coolant drain nozzle for surface grinder table

Square nut with built-in lugs for lathe E-stop button & 1mm pitch thread

New tap handle for the burco boiler at work which you push with your mug instead of pulling the lever with your hand. This was to stop them from removing the hot water boiler from the site canteen as a covid measure back in the spring.

That's just a few examples. It's true, you won't get injection-mould quality but that doesn't make them useless.

P.S. I'd love a small cnc mill too, but you're not getting one of those new in the box ready to go for £200.

Henry Brown12/12/2020 08:11:41
avatar
618 forum posts
122 photos

A friend keeps looking at them and saying he is going to get one so I haven't bothered! Another friend has one but it's flat out printing his stuff so maybe in the future but where to put it?

jimmy b12/12/2020 08:12:25
avatar
857 forum posts
45 photos

I've had 2 Aldi printers for almost 2 years.

I keep a log of the prints (this started as a bit of fun, but can't seem to stop now!), so far the totals on both printers are-

  • 1,152 prints
  • 3,812 hours
  • 7,804 meters of filament (23.4 kg)

in that time, I've used around 10 print mats, 20 bowden tubes/nozzles

 

I have probably had less than 10 prints fail.

Printed things range from workshop items (brackets, tubs, tools etc etc), house items (a surprising amount looking at the log), work items (makes it easier to quote parts when you can hold a physical item.

 

Mine get a check over once a month (oiled, alignment check and dust blown off).

If the wife would let me have another, I would get a dual extruder to add to the fleet.

 

Jim

Edited By jimmy b on 12/12/2020 08:16:48

Chuck Taper12/12/2020 09:31:12
avatar
95 forum posts
37 photos

I have a Rostockmax V3. Got it a few years back as much for the build as the use.

Don't use it as much as I should but its a glory to behold in action.

Well worth a quick youTube search if you have nothing better to do.

FC

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