this post was submitted on 04 Jul 2023
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3DPrinting

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I am very interested in 3D printing and I want to get into it. What would be a good printer for a beginner that is also of reasonable quality.

I don't want to make anything huge but I don't want to limit myself to any size that's unreasonably small.

Edit: Wow, you guys were all so helpful. While I haven't made my decision I have a lot more to go off of, I'm gonna do a bit more research into it based on what you have all said.

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[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

I typically split my recommendations into 2 camps. Do you want to learn a ton about 3D printers, how they work, how to troubleshoot, etc. Or do you want to "just enjoy printing things"?

While the ender isn't a fantastic printer, it's a great starter printer with loads of mods available that will turn it into a decent printer with some time and effort. This route will help you learn about tuning, troubleshooting, and building to the point where you'll know your stuff once you're happy with it. Plus, it's not a large investment to just get started.

On the other hand, some people want to print for the sheer joy of being able to make things with a printer with minimal fuss. Completely understandable! If this is the case I'd echo others here in saying go with a Prusa mini. Prusa gear is amazing if you want to hit print and walk away and come back to a great finished print. If you want to have a taste of the world of the mechanics of 3D printing, grab a kit and build it yourself. It's a great way to get to know your setup and it will help you troubleshoot when the odd (albeit rare) problem arises.

I don't think there's a wrong answer with either route here. You just need to decide what you want out of the hobby!