Considering 3d printing

[ReadingBob]

Okay. To kick off this new category what would be a good introductory 3d printer for a newbie? Pros? Cons? Help!   Software? YouTube videos? 

[deemery]

To answer a question with another question:  What 3D design software are you considering, Bob?  I think in general there's good interoperability between 3d software and 3d printers, but if you've invested the time to learn a design application, you'll want to make sure your printer choices support it.  

I spent an hour or two looking at a couple highly recommended package, spent about 10 minutes trying two of them, and said, "Ugh, learning one of these will be a -serious- investment of time.  But I don't want a repeat of my SketchUp frustration, where I spent 3/4 of my time fighting the app, to get my project done."

dave

[Jim Donovan]

A new category 3D printing, I love it! First, 3D printing can be a hobby all to itself. I got into it to help improve my structure modeling such as unique windows and such, so I have learned as much as needed to accomplish this. However it can do far more if you invest the time and money. Second, there are two main methods of 3D printing, filament, where the resin comes on a roll, is fed into a nozzle, heated and placed on a platform. It can produce fairly large, complex items fairly quickly. The other is using a liquid resin in a vat having a clear bottom. A diode screen under the plate produces UV light in a pattern which hardens the layer formed between it and a vertical moving platen. It produces very fine detailed parts but is slower. That is what I use so my recommendations will be for that type of printing.

I started with the Anycubic 4K entry machine. Cost is about $150 from Amazon. It is a great machine to start with. Another similar quality machine is made by Elegoo, actually the Elegoo is a little better quality. There are rapid advancements happening with all 3D printers. I currently have on order my next machine that will be 14.4K. Higher K, higher resolution.

For resin I have settled on the Anycubic tough resin, cost is $27 a litre from Amazon but I wait for sales and stock up, usually at $20 a bottle.

You also need a UV dryer, they go for about a $100. The parts are only about 75 percent cured from printer and the dryer completely hardens the parts. Finally wear nitrile gloves so you don't get an allergy from the liquid resin.

As for programs I use Chitubox to make the design file useable to the printer. I use Tinkercad, which is free, for designing my parts. Took me about two weeks to understood the basics of it but it gets easy as time goes by. Also, and most importantly you don't need to design parts to print parts. There are many sites like Thngverse and Cults that have free or inexpensive files you can down load and go straight to the printer.

There are a ton of YouTube videos available, check the 'how to start' ones and you will quickly see what it can do for you.  Hope that helps.

Jim

ANYCUBIC Resin 3D Printer, Photon Mono 2 3D Printer with 6.6" Monochrome LCD Screen Fast Printing, Upgraded LighTurbo Matrix, 6.49'' x 5.62'' x 3.5'' (HWD) 3D Printing Size https://a.co/d/1aJ9mLb

[ReadingBob]

Thanks for the comments and suggestions, Dave and Jim.

Before I purchase a printer, supplies, etc. I just want to make sure that the software side of things isn't going to discourage me.  I'll look for some of the videos on YouTube and play around with the free software a bit.  This is one of the things I want to look into once I retire so it won't happen until May at the earliest. 

[Keep It Rusty]

Some great replies here already.

I own both filament (PLA) and resin (SLA) printers. They both serve specific tasks.

Filament is perfect for printing accessories I may need around my shop. Be it a sorter box, vacuum adapter, painting handle... you name it. It's the perfect tool for the job.

For all my detail parts that I include in my dioramas and kits, that's where resin comes in. SLA cannot be beaten for resolution here.

Elegoo is an excellent brand. The Mars lineup are true workhorses.

As Jim mentioned, there are many sites to source files from. Sometimes they are fit for purpose, other times not. You may find it frustrating sourcing what you really need. With that in mind, first learning CAD software is the first real step. Teach a man to fish and all that. Tinkercad is an excellent, free and easy to learn tool to get started.

[GPdemayo]

This looks like it will develop into an interesting topic that some of are completely unfamiliar with.....looking forward to all the posts. 

[Rollin]

Bob, you might want to try out TinkerCad. It is free, runs in the browser, not as a stand alone application. Chrome is recommended for this. I have messed around just a little with this. My results have been mixed, but that is to be expected when just starting out.

When I had a finished file project, I sent it to my local library system, which has some tech labs in some locations. For just the cost of the filament, I got back printed objects. While I might consider buying a machine in the future, this is a great way to try out the process.

A quick look online shows that the Seminole County library has this service. Other folks check your locale. There are also 'Maker Spaces' that cater to hobbyists in their communities.

I'm eager to see what this topic will grow into.

[Rail and Tie]

I got my first resin 3d Printer back in 2014. $5000 dental printer that does less than today's Elegoo Mars 3Pro. It had 25micron resolution and a print area of 1.3" by 2".  After a number of different printers along the way, we have settled on a farm of Elegoo Mars3Pro's and 4Pro's. Great little workhorses and never skips a beat. Same resolution, but a fraction of the price.

 Here is a PDF of a powerpoint I did a couple of years back on Laser cutting and 3D printing. A bit dated because of the speed at which resin printer resolution is changing, but all still relevant for getting into 3D printing.  Hope it helps.

[deemery]

That's a nice overview, Darryl, thanks!

dave

[Keep It Rusty]

I made a post on my website some time ago that may provide interesting reading for some of you: 

https://keepitrusty.com/3d-printing-for-scale-modeling/