Hey guys, the cheap Anet kit got me into researching too.
I ended up buying the Prusca i3 MK2, which is at 739,00 in parts and 999,00 fully assembled. I know this is not exactly a "cheap" printer but it is definitively worth the price, I have been very happy with it!
I also like the idea that my money goes to a small company which is a putting a lot of effort into constantly improving the printer, there are always firmware updates and the slic3 software you can use runs a slic3 Prusca edition which is tailored to be used with this printer!
I always wanted to put up a little clip on me assembling the kit and throw some thought in on buying the kit vs the assembled printer, plus some stuff I learned while building and calibrating it, I should just do it for this forum so you guys can see me putting some time into building something that changed my robot building forever!
Prusca is an independent company just like EzRobot, and they have great customer support, check them out! Only taxes in the US could be something that might make it hard to get this done...I am crying all the time when ordering something from the states!
Hi Patrick,
Let me get Skype running and I will try to give you a call soon.
I need to hunt down and be sure my Skype sign-on and laptop still works.
I will send you my Skype address and we can set a time by communicating here. I live on the East Coast of the US. I think you are about 5 or 6 hours ahead of me?
Once we get running, I can show you both my printers and the modifications I have made.
I have been looking at some of the printers offered. I have found most inexpensive printers do not have a heated bed. A heated bed is needed when you print ABS. Some people may say they have printed parts without one, but I never tried it.
Frame stability is important. If the extruder flops around, poor quality prints occur. A ridgid frame with smooth movement allows good quality prints. Some printers can be simply modified to add a bearing block to the Y axis behind the extruder to make it operate better.
Most inexpensive printers use printed parts for their axis supports and other items. Often these parts are PLA which doesn't last. They warp and quickly degrade. I printed spares out of ABS once I got my printer operating well and changed them out. This eliminated many problems.
I found extruders using a PLA or ABS drive tensioners to not be reliable at all. I had many problems in this area. My fix was to upgrade to an all aluminum drive block which has adjustable spring tension. This was not an expensive conversion. I bought the complete unit with motor heater and thermistor for around $15 USD, and mounted it with very little work.
A level bed is critical when using a 3D printer. I still manually adjust mine by hand, and check it often. I will someday upgrade to an automatic bed leveler.
Lastly, routine maintenance such as cleaning, greasing the rods, checking tightness of screws, checking and tightening electrical wiring and terminals must be done regularly.
andy roid
indeed i check the link from RR.better to spend a little more. thanks for the contact me .ron.
creality-cr10
Hey guys, the cheap Anet kit got me into researching too. I ended up buying the Prusca i3 MK2, which is at 739,00 in parts and 999,00 fully assembled. I know this is not exactly a "cheap" printer but it is definitively worth the price, I have been very happy with it!
I also like the idea that my money goes to a small company which is a putting a lot of effort into constantly improving the printer, there are always firmware updates and the slic3 software you can use runs a slic3 Prusca edition which is tailored to be used with this printer!
I always wanted to put up a little clip on me assembling the kit and throw some thought in on buying the kit vs the assembled printer, plus some stuff I learned while building and calibrating it, I should just do it for this forum so you guys can see me putting some time into building something that changed my robot building forever!
Prusca is an independent company just like EzRobot, and they have great customer support, check them out! Only taxes in the US could be something that might make it hard to get this done...I am crying all the time when ordering something from the states!
http://shop.prusa3d.com/en/17-3d-printers
andy roid
where can i find your contact adres.
mickey666
thanks for the link
Yeah, I thought since you are living in Belgium this could be interesting for you... Residents of the US might have to consider import tax!
Hi Patrick, Let me get Skype running and I will try to give you a call soon. I need to hunt down and be sure my Skype sign-on and laptop still works.
I will send you my Skype address and we can set a time by communicating here. I live on the East Coast of the US. I think you are about 5 or 6 hours ahead of me?
Once we get running, I can show you both my printers and the modifications I have made.
andy
great looking forwart
I have been looking at some of the printers offered. I have found most inexpensive printers do not have a heated bed. A heated bed is needed when you print ABS. Some people may say they have printed parts without one, but I never tried it.
Frame stability is important. If the extruder flops around, poor quality prints occur. A ridgid frame with smooth movement allows good quality prints. Some printers can be simply modified to add a bearing block to the Y axis behind the extruder to make it operate better.
Most inexpensive printers use printed parts for their axis supports and other items. Often these parts are PLA which doesn't last. They warp and quickly degrade. I printed spares out of ABS once I got my printer operating well and changed them out. This eliminated many problems.
I found extruders using a PLA or ABS drive tensioners to not be reliable at all. I had many problems in this area. My fix was to upgrade to an all aluminum drive block which has adjustable spring tension. This was not an expensive conversion. I bought the complete unit with motor heater and thermistor for around $15 USD, and mounted it with very little work.
A level bed is critical when using a 3D printer. I still manually adjust mine by hand, and check it often. I will someday upgrade to an automatic bed leveler.
Lastly, routine maintenance such as cleaning, greasing the rods, checking tightness of screws, checking and tightening electrical wiring and terminals must be done regularly.
hi andy
so pla is degradeble abs needs a heated bed.the cr-10 has a heated bed.