Sub $500 kit what to choose

Hi all,
I want to get a good kit for sub $500 including shipping to Egypt as i have a tight budget and i still will pay for customs and tax
NB it will be my first 3d printer (technical knowldge will not be an issue as i am an electrical engineer)

I am now between 3 kits as following
Folgertech i3 2020
It's main advantage for me that it is frame and support
Price including lcd and shipping $380

Replikeo steel frame 3mm
Main advantage it's frame
Total price including lcd also $345

Finally geeetech
It's frame is acrylic 8mm
Total price $420

What is your recommendation from the three above or any other suggestions

I've only had my folgertech printer for about 2-3 weeks but so far its been pretty decent. I still have a little tweaking left because I was a complete noob to this but my prints are getting close to perfect.

Quote
Slaghton
I've only had my folgertech printer for about 2-3 weeks but so far its been pretty decent. I still have a little tweaking left because I was a complete noob to this but my prints are getting close to perfect.

could you please upload a few prints from your printer?

If i add this one what will be the choice

[smartfriendz.com]

Hi guys,

Folger's kits are cheap, in the wrong way. Definitely.
The SmartRapCore is obviously a CoreXY printer, and that's a good point.
Be aware it uses 6mm rods, so it won't be able to handle a lot on the printehead.
Please consider the WanHao Duplicator I3, but it's not exaclty a kit.
There's a lot of good points with it, and it's under $400.

As I used to say, there's no perfect kit, even if you have a reasonable budget.
I think you'll be able to get a better printer while sourcing better parts by yourself.
Self build is less expensive through (+-$300).

++JM

Quote
J-Max
Hi guys,

Folger's kits are cheap, in the wrong way. Definitely.
The SmartRapCore is obviously a CoreXY printer, and that's a good point.
Be aware it uses 6mm rods, so it won't be able to handle a lot on the printehead.
Please consider the WanHao Duplicator I3, but it's not exaclty a kit.
There's a lot of good points with it, and it's under $400.

As I used to say, there's no perfect kit, even if you have a reasonable budget.
I think you'll be able to get a better printer while sourcing better parts by yourself.
Self build is less expensive through (+-$300).

++JM

ok folger is out now specially after reading some reviews
smartrapcore vs prusa i3 what are the differences (i know the mechanical differences) but what will be the impact on the printing process
WanHao looks good
what about makerfarm Pegasus 8" Kit
if i made my budget up to $600 bq prusa i3 or orginal prusa (from [www.prusa3d.com])

to source parts by my self is not cost effective as i am in Egypt and i will have to import every thing by my self as local market had only cheap chinese parts
for example bad quality Chinese mk8 extruder kit is about $46
fake ramps shield only for $11
NEMA 17 - 4.2 Kg.cm $22
and i can't source a lasercut frame locally

that's why i want a good kit as it will be hard to upgrade

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/12/2015 02:41PM by Yoko.

Hi,

Well, most of the kits uses cheap chinese parts anyways, even the BQ.
These days most of the things comes from china.
I believe you can order stuff from Aliexpress.com if you like. That's what we do.
You have good and bad from china, but you can source good parts from there too.
Direct Wade Extruder
Bowden geared extruder
Single board 32 bits genuine MKS Sbase
2020 aluminium profile frames for various repraps
5 nema 17 motors
and so on... It's no big deal, you just have to source the right parts.

But I can understand you're more confident with a kit.

Original Prusa's don't take advantage of (not so) recent reworked parts,
it still have a 5mm threaded rod for Z axis, threaded rod Y chassis and so on
What I mostly dislike about the Pegasus kit, is the cheap threaded rods for the Z axis.
Compared to the WanHao which uses 8mm ACME screws and bonze bushing,the Duplicator i3 is much better !

The SmartRapCore uses the CoreXY technology, it allows faster moves on XY and the bed moves only on the Z axis.
It's realy simple to be mounted too.

Did you considered a delta printer ? As it uses less parts and simple architecture, kits are generaly better than i3 ones (except maybe the WanHao).

++JM

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/12/2015 05:26PM by J-Max.

Quote
J-Max
Hi,

Well, most of the kits uses cheap chinese parts anyways, even the BQ.
These days most of the things comes from china.
I believe you can order stuff from Aliexpress.com if you like. That's what we do.
You have good and bad from china, but you can source good parts from there too.
Direct Wade Extruder
Bowden geared extruder
Single board 32 bits genuine MKS Sbase
2020 aluminium profile frames for various repraps
5 nema 17 motors
and so on... It's no big deal, you just have to source the right parts.

But I can understand you're more confident with a kit.

Original Prusa's don't take advantage of (not so) recent reworked parts,
it still have a 5mm threaded rod for Z axis, threaded rod Y chassis and so on
What I mostly dislike about the Pegasus kit, is the cheap threaded rods for the Z axis.
Compared to the WanHao which uses 8mm ACME screws and bonze bushing,the Duplicator i3 is much better !

The SmartRapCore uses the CoreXY technology, it allows faster moves on XY and the bed moves only on the Z axis.
It's realy simple to be mounted too.

Did you considered a delta printer ? As it uses less parts and simple architecture, kits are generaly better than i3 ones (except maybe the WanHao).

++JM

Yes i took a fast look on delta printers but alot of threades on the net says start with cartesian and leave deltas for expert

Then now to sum up things
Source from aliexpress good parts (build a witson ts for example)
Wanhao duplicator
A delta printer
Smartrapcore (wich i think i can source parts for it from aliexpress or get a kit)

Ok mainly for home use and few prototyping and mainly to tinker with it what will be your suggestion

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/12/2015 05:51PM by Yoko.