Recommendations for picking a printer
Posted by Allnight
|
Recommendations for picking a printer July 13, 2015 02:42PM |
Registered: 8 years ago Posts: 16 |
Hey guys, I'm new to 3d printing and am wondering if you have any recommendations. I'm getting into the hobby to help me make prototypes so being able to print a flexible material is important. I've also realized I can make some really nice personalized gifts for my girlfriend and friends. Money isn't a huge factor but from what I've seen the prusa i3's seem to be able to make a nice print in a decent sized build area. I considered getting a Mendel 90 but the new one coming out had a bowden extruder so that doesn't sound like a good mix with having a flexible material option.
The two I'm considering are the Geeetech which claims to print ABS, PLA, Wood, Nylon, flexible PLA and new Hesine Prusa i3 which claims to print all of the previous materials along with HIPS, Polycarbonate, PVA, TPU and Luminous material at $100 cheaper. The catch for the Hesine is it says PLA recommended.
I'm not sure what the difference is other than the brand. I see that the Geeetech says they use a MK8 extruder and the Hesine is unknown. Zooming in I can see the Hesine's extruder looks smaller. Do you think they're pretty comparable? Any advice on choosing a printer? I'm open to new suggestions. Thanks
The two I'm considering are the Geeetech which claims to print ABS, PLA, Wood, Nylon, flexible PLA and new Hesine Prusa i3 which claims to print all of the previous materials along with HIPS, Polycarbonate, PVA, TPU and Luminous material at $100 cheaper. The catch for the Hesine is it says PLA recommended.
I'm not sure what the difference is other than the brand. I see that the Geeetech says they use a MK8 extruder and the Hesine is unknown. Zooming in I can see the Hesine's extruder looks smaller. Do you think they're pretty comparable? Any advice on choosing a printer? I'm open to new suggestions. Thanks
|
Re: Recommendations for picking a printer July 13, 2015 09:13PM |
Registered: 9 years ago Posts: 476 |
I am using geeetech prusa i3b type, I guess i could say the best acrylic kit from china with 8mm thickness. I myself never consider to go for exotic materials yet but seeing how their stock hot end perform compared to my e3d v6, it is quite subjective.
mendel90 I guess Nophead invented it and from what I can see, frames are all good, except the electronic provided are melzi board, I don't think you gonna have the ability to add lcd control unless you order a ramps1.4+arduino mega or soemthing similar (not sanguinololu)
MK8 extruder are good as it is quite compact but the geeetech standard nozzle won't allow you to switch to bowden type unless you buy another new hot end such as j-head or e3d type.
I saw hesine 3d printer, basically it is a migbot x sunhokey frames. The front and rear acrylic plate for y motor and idler are single plated and you will have risks of breaking it, geeetech are double plated, mine bent inwards most likely due to overtightening the y belt, hopefully it won't break because I already loosen it quite a bit at a point the belt I can press to touch another.
Here is my review about geeetech [www.youtube.com] I'm sorry the video probably not good. I bought mine on an agent and lcd screen and coupler, they ignored me so I only can print from pc directly. I have ramps 1.4 but problem was the cable resistance, someone said 16awg 5 meters rated at 0.4ohm are no good, although I'm going to use around 60cm. I'm going to compare the resistance with stock cable from geeetech (the bed draws highest power as high as 13-15amps)
So far, I haven't really printed my printer's part on my printer yet due to filament quality (china) and I am currently waiting for another one from china with different seller this time, I'm going to compare from different seller as I order them
Most hot ends out there especially stock hot ends, has ptfe/teflon tubing inside the heat break which is not good, making you limited up to about 250'c before the teflon tube started to disintegrate. I have 2 geeetech stock hot end and 3 nozzle end, pretty much all of them clogged because I've been turning on the temp most of the time without extruding plastic (this one a long story actually)
In overall (actually there's more than this =)), I've made some of the geeetech printer parts to be compatible with other printer (hopefully) with option to pick depending on what you got and what you want to use it. I think I'm going to recommend you to geeetech, buy directly from geeetech.com, not from an agent because agent might going to give you a silent treatment when you have problem arise like mine leaving me with some faulty equipment.
But mendel90 is good too (from picture) since you're able to move the printer easily due to bed structure, most likely a good quality or probably better compared to chinese
If you're going for geeetech and wanna upgrade to e3d or groove mount type hot end, I guess my thing here [www.thingiverse.com] are good, I am using the v2 extruder mount for my e3d v6, in overall, I don't have to do much adjustment especially on the z axis but I get extra 5-10mm x axis print area compared to before from 180 to 190-200 =)
Sorry for the gibberish up there, not sure you understand them or not, I tend to get carried away in these things =(
mendel90 I guess Nophead invented it and from what I can see, frames are all good, except the electronic provided are melzi board, I don't think you gonna have the ability to add lcd control unless you order a ramps1.4+arduino mega or soemthing similar (not sanguinololu)
MK8 extruder are good as it is quite compact but the geeetech standard nozzle won't allow you to switch to bowden type unless you buy another new hot end such as j-head or e3d type.
I saw hesine 3d printer, basically it is a migbot x sunhokey frames. The front and rear acrylic plate for y motor and idler are single plated and you will have risks of breaking it, geeetech are double plated, mine bent inwards most likely due to overtightening the y belt, hopefully it won't break because I already loosen it quite a bit at a point the belt I can press to touch another.
Here is my review about geeetech [www.youtube.com] I'm sorry the video probably not good. I bought mine on an agent and lcd screen and coupler, they ignored me so I only can print from pc directly. I have ramps 1.4 but problem was the cable resistance, someone said 16awg 5 meters rated at 0.4ohm are no good, although I'm going to use around 60cm. I'm going to compare the resistance with stock cable from geeetech (the bed draws highest power as high as 13-15amps)
So far, I haven't really printed my printer's part on my printer yet due to filament quality (china) and I am currently waiting for another one from china with different seller this time, I'm going to compare from different seller as I order them
Most hot ends out there especially stock hot ends, has ptfe/teflon tubing inside the heat break which is not good, making you limited up to about 250'c before the teflon tube started to disintegrate. I have 2 geeetech stock hot end and 3 nozzle end, pretty much all of them clogged because I've been turning on the temp most of the time without extruding plastic (this one a long story actually)
In overall (actually there's more than this =)), I've made some of the geeetech printer parts to be compatible with other printer (hopefully) with option to pick depending on what you got and what you want to use it. I think I'm going to recommend you to geeetech, buy directly from geeetech.com, not from an agent because agent might going to give you a silent treatment when you have problem arise like mine leaving me with some faulty equipment.
But mendel90 is good too (from picture) since you're able to move the printer easily due to bed structure, most likely a good quality or probably better compared to chinese
If you're going for geeetech and wanna upgrade to e3d or groove mount type hot end, I guess my thing here [www.thingiverse.com] are good, I am using the v2 extruder mount for my e3d v6, in overall, I don't have to do much adjustment especially on the z axis but I get extra 5-10mm x axis print area compared to before from 180 to 190-200 =)
Sorry for the gibberish up there, not sure you understand them or not, I tend to get carried away in these things =(
Sorry, only registered users may post in this forum.