DIY 3D printer enclosure guide :)-D Here's a walkthrough a guest writer wrote about building a DIY enclosure for his delta. Of course, his delta is pretty big, but there are tips and considerations that will essentially be the same no matter how big your enclosure will have to be that's quite useful. A good read to get you thinking about an enclosure if you don't already have one! Do you have more tips on enclosures? Any experiences you can share about building your own? [blog.pinshape.com] https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,628012,628012#msg-628012 Tue, 06 Oct 2026 08:53:27 -0400 Phorum 5.2.23 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,628012,730896#msg-730896 Re: DIY 3D printer enclosure guide :)-D https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,628012,730896#msg-730896
I had the exact same idea, to use drywall on the inside and wood on the outside. After all, wood and heat dont go together well. X(

Could you please post some photos of what you did? I would really appreciate it.

Because I live in a small apartment I dont want it full of fumes either, so I plan to build in a scrubber and extractor fan.

Thanks :)]]> donesposito Printing Thu, 15 Dec 2016 16:18:40 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,628012,628832#msg-628832 Re: DIY 3D printer enclosure guide :)-D https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,628012,628832#msg-628832 dtwrv6 Printing Fri, 19 Feb 2016 06:37:59 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,628012,628711#msg-628711 Re: DIY 3D printer enclosure guide :)-D https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,628012,628711#msg-628711 There are different grades, the standard stuff has a desnity of only about 15kg per m³.
High density foam has up to 200kg per m³.
In home depots you can often get so called hard foam sheets - they are higher density polystyrene.
If labeled for insulation as well it means they are treated to be fire and flame retardant.
On those sheets you can walk without leaving footprints, so they should do well enough for an enclosure ;)

You can also get "oven sheets" - sorry no clue about the real name as I have only seen them with that one.
They are thin aluminium sheets with a compressed layer of rock wool between them.
Only about 8mm tick but good insulator and extreme structural qualities compared to any foam.
Downside is the added labour in makin an enclosure as you either need a slot system to slide the sheets in or cut them so you can fold the corners for riveting.

IMHO opinion and if money is no issue I would always opt for aluminum profiles and clear acrylic sheets.
You can add proper hinges, door seals, even safety switches if you want to go nuts.
But it is alo the best looking option with the best comparison to industrial quality.]]> Downunder35m Printing Fri, 19 Feb 2016 02:00:41 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,628012,628314#msg-628314 Re: DIY 3D printer enclosure guide :)-D https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,628012,628314#msg-628314

That enclosure was insulated well enough that the bed heater elevated the temperature inside the box to about 45C which allowed printing ABS without delamination or warping.

That box was huge because I did not design the printer to be enclosed. Had I known it was necessary to enclose the printer and have a warm chamber to print ABS, I would have designed the printer to be easier to enclose from the start. When I redesigned and rebuilt the machine, I designed it for easy and compact enclosure and moved the electronics outside the warm print chamber. I used a rectangular frame for the printer which allows easy attachment of flat panels to the top, bottom and sides of the printer. I hold them on with magnetic tape strips which seals the printer almost airtight yet allows easy access to the machine for adjustments, etc. This is what it looks like now- insulation panels on four sides, clear polycarbonate on two:


]]> the_digital_dentist Printing Thu, 18 Feb 2016 08:50:18 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,628012,628148#msg-628148 Re: DIY 3D printer enclosure guide :)-D https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,628012,628148#msg-628148 www.youtube.com]
Polysterene foam, well it's quite fragile material, but as a cheap emergency...perhaps.

Polycarbonate price here about 50€ / $ 950 * 1250mm / 2mm.]]> Plasteroid Printing Thu, 18 Feb 2016 03:46:37 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,628012,628089#msg-628089 Re: DIY 3D printer enclosure guide :)-D https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,628012,628089#msg-628089 Easy to cut with a hot wire and as easy to create finger and notches to fit the parts together with self support.
Will create some instructions if I finally managet to get enough free time again to do some serious work on the machine.]]> Downunder35m Printing Wed, 17 Feb 2016 23:52:34 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,628012,628012#msg-628012 DIY 3D printer enclosure guide :)-D https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,628012,628012#msg-628012
Do you have more tips on enclosures? Any experiences you can share about building your own?

[blog.pinshape.com]]]> pinshape Printing Wed, 17 Feb 2016 17:10:27 -0500