Looking for a good mid grade 3d printer to get started with.

[GiroDyno]

Support from Qidi has been great for me, they even email my periodically asking if I have any new questions for them. Other than replacing a hotend that had a bad connection on the thermocouple (they actually sent me an entire new dual extruder head) it has been printing reliably without me having to run a million test prints.

 

[dgfoster]

I tend not to write negative reports on purchase experiences, but I will comment on a purchase I made from 3DPrinters Online Store
Don't use 3DPinters Online Store
On Nov 30 I puchased online an AnyCubic printer from them. They instantly charged my account but they waited one full week to process the order and turn the order over to FedEx for delivery. I finally got the printer today.

While waiting for the order, I tried to inquire via the website's "chat" feature. But there was never a response. Then I wrote two messages to their supplied contact email system. I finally got an answer blaming FedEx as being strained by weather and the holidays. And that was just so much BS. FedEx performed flawlessly once they finally got their hands on the order.

So, the transaction records show 3D simply sat on the order for a week and then lied to me blaming slow delivery on FedEx. If you like to have your orders processed a week after you place them and then have the provider try to pass off the blame for their slowness, 3D is the company for you. Otherwise, buy from someone else.

Denis

 

[longoriaa]

We started the search months ago and ended up purchasing a Pantheon HS3 to use for our machines and robots. The HS3 can print extremely fast with great results. The materials included are Chopped carbon fiber nylon, chopped carbon fiber PETG, and glass fiber nylon. It uses a prusa slicer with Klipper firmware.Print head can get up to 500 C.

 

[usolutions]

Would not call that mid grade printer for 10k, esp in 2023
I got M5C from ankermake, works as a tool, not a toy. Does everything you need out of the box, yet can be configured very very detailed. 300C hot end, good enough for internal utility and RnD

 

[BugRobotics]

An additional data point here...been 3D printing for over 15 years and recently (4 months ago) purchased the Bambu Labs X1 Carbon. Game changing speed, quality and simplicity. Just stellar how well the hardware and software works together.

 

[rbent]

An additional data point here...been 3D printing for over 15 years and recently (4 months ago) purchased the Bambu Labs X1 Carbon. Game changing speed, quality and simplicity. Just stellar how well the hardware and software works together.

I have one personally, they are great. Printing in ASA/ABS/PLA/PETG/PC Blend, it works quite well.

One feature I didn't realize how much I would use is the AMS for material swapping, it's fantastic for labeling fixtures/jigs. I've modeled in lots of text for labeling, but the color change being effortless makes me utilize it much more.

 

[604Pook]

I have still been holding out on buying a printer. I have been leaning towards the Bambu. Just have been investing in other areas of the shop still, so money's been tied up. Maybe Santa will deliver one this christmas.

 

[Conrad Hoffman]

We've been playing the should-we/shouldn't-we game for several years on getting a printer. Finally just ordered a Bambu X1E, so we'll see how that goes. What I just recently learned is that IGUS offers about ten of their bearing materials as filament. That means you can put a layer of low friction material on parts, or just make them out of the stuff. No doubt there are pitfalls, but it seems to open up some interesting possibilities.

 

[michiganbuck]

This looks like a leader , but I cant find a price.

VX200 HSS: Price, features, news...

Compare the Voxelab VX200 HSS on 3Dnatives and find out more about the cost, resellers, features, and the latest news from the manufacturer

www.3dnatives.com

Here is the big boy for sand cast mold ptinting.

VX4000 - 3D printer for sand molds and cores | voxeljet

The VX4000 large-format 3D printer is suitable for the production of sand molds and can be used for series production.

www.voxeljet.com

OT:
Has any PM members tried sand cast mold making with a printer?

 

[rbent]

What I just recently learned is that IGUS offers about ten of their bearing materials as filament.

I had no idea, really neat! I'll have to keep that in mind and maybe order some to have on hand.

 

[burdickjp]

I am not at all a fan of Bambu's business practices or how they have assembled their product. I won't buy their product.

As an example, Bambu blatantly reskinned PrusaSlicer to the point that it was sending telemetry back to Prusa:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1542259514828791811

They've had some pretty alarming problems: https://www.theregister.com/2023/08/24/bambu_lab_3d_printer_crazy/

I believe their disregard for community efforts extends beyond that, and likely includes firmware code.

 

[1032screw]

My vote is for Prusa as well. I own a MK3S+ and it has worked flawlessly out of the box. Prusa slicer is pretty easy to use and support / the knowledge base is excellent.

 

[Mike Henry]

I bought and have been using an assembled Prusa Mk4 for the past week or two and was a bit surprised at how much faster it is at printing than my old Prusa Mk3. Some projects print in 1/2 the time or less of what they do on the Mk3 and the auto 1st layer adjustment on the Mk4 saves a huge amount of time and annoyance when I change print beds or filament types.

 

[goldenfab]

This looks like a leader , but I cant find a price.

VX200 HSS: Price, features, news...

Compare the Voxelab VX200 HSS on 3Dnatives and find out more about the cost, resellers, features, and the latest news from the manufacturer

www.3dnatives.com

Here is the big boy for sand cast mold ptinting.

VX4000 - 3D printer for sand molds and cores | voxeljet

The VX4000 large-format 3D printer is suitable for the production of sand molds and can be used for series production.

www.voxeljet.com

OT:
Has any PM members tried sand cast mold making with a printer?

I have an old zcorp 310 powder bed printer I tried to make sand cast molds with. I did a very basic test with using hydroperm (plaster) media with ok results casting aluminum. I abandoned the idea and went to traditional sand molds because I was getting core blow which I later found out my issue was my mold designs (had the same issue with green sand) and not necessarily the 3d printed mold. I've been wanting to explore this more so if anyone would like to discuss it more let me know. Maybe start a new thread and tag me in it so as not to hijack the original thread.

Right now I'm looking at a midrange 3d printer for for my son to get started with. I'm leaning towards a used ultimaker 2+ on fleebay or a prusa mk4. I've done a lot of reading online forums but if anyone has anything else to add let me know.

 

[rbent]

Right now I'm looking at a midrange 3d printer for for my son to get started with. I'm leaning towards a used ultimaker 2+ on fleebay or a prusa mk4. I've done a lot of reading online forums but if anyone has anything else to add let me know.

Prusa MK4 or a Bambu Labs machine.

 

[goldenfab]

I was pretty set on a MK4 but I'm leaning more towards the X1C. I've got it in the cart, just need to pull the trigger...

 

[LOTT]

I was pretty set on a MK4 but I'm leaning more towards the X1C. I've got it in the cart, just need to pull the trigger...

The Prusa Mk3 is on sale, old technology but bulletproof. That's what I'd get for a kid.

 

[Freedommachine]

I was pretty set on a MK4 but I'm leaning more towards the X1C. I've got it in the cart, just need to pull the trigger...

Same here. I'm glad to see that others have had good success with the X1C.

I have one personally, they are great. Printing in ASA/ABS/PLA/PETG/PC Blend, it works quite well.

One feature I didn't realize how much I would use is the AMS for material swapping, it's fantastic for labeling fixtures/jigs. I've modeled in lots of text for labeling, but the color change being effortless makes me utilize it much more.

View attachment 415065

That print looks excellent. Is there anything weird about the AMS or does it just work?

Do you buy filament from them as well?

 

[rbent]

That print looks excellent. Is there anything weird about the AMS or does it just work?

Do you buy filament from them as well?

It generally just works, occasionally you get a failure to retract but that's a pretty uncommon thing for me. I run their filament along with hatchbox, matter hackers, IIIdMax, prusament, overture, esun, and some others I'm sure.

Best part about the ams is you just leave stuff loaded in and select what you want in the slicer. I think I've got petg, asa, and pla loaded right now. If a spool runs out and you have a second identical one in it you can have it switch and keep printing.

If your just printing pla and petg the Prusa mk4 is a great machine but if you want to run the higher temp stuff an enclosed machine is much nicer.

 

[Seesecurity]

Same here. I'm glad to see that others have had good success with the X1C.



That print looks excellent. Is there anything weird about the AMS or does it just work?

Do you buy filament from them as well?

I find the AMS just works, it does not support all filament types though.