"3D printer recommendations for technology challenged " Topic

I am looking for a beginner's 3D printer in the $200 USD – $400 USD range. I'm a technically challenged old fart who is looking to print primarily terrain and perhaps a few small scale vehicles. What does the experienced wisdom of TMP recommend and why?

I am looking for a beginner's 3D printer in the $200 USD – $400 USD range. I'm a technically challenged old fart who is looking to print primarily terrain and perhaps a few small scale vehicles. What does the experienced wisdom of TMP recommend and why?

I am looking for a beginner's 3D printer in the $200 USD – $400 USD range. I'm a technically challenged old fart who is looking to print primarily terrain and perhaps a few small scale vehicles. What does the experienced wisdom of TMP recommend and why?

Ender3 Pro by creality. Order the printer direct from Creality. Oh it will take 30 days to be delivered.

creality3donline.com

For your price range it is probably the Ender 3. Here is a link to a review: link

You will need to invest some time in leveling the print bed.

Another vote for the Ender 3, just picked one up.

ogreminiatures.blogspot.com

Very interesting how these have improved so quickly.

How does the price work out for a 15mm terrain piece – say a ww2 french village house?

I bought an Ender 3 Pro on Amazon. No issues, and prime shipping. Find some good videos on YouTube, and you'll be off to an excellent start.

No prior experience here, but I researched them for a month before buying, and got mine running beautifully in a day.

Hatchbox PLA is an excellent deal for the quality, btw.

I made some 15mm large bunkers for my Vietnam Firebase, with removable roofs, and the cost was about $.38 USD a bunker.

How difficult is it to assemble to Ender 3 Pro? I am not very mechanically nor technically inclined.

It's not difficult, but the instructions kind of suck. There's are several web pages with walkthroughs for assembly.

@PM: If your budget extends to $400 USD you "might" just be able to squeeze in an AnyCubic Photon SLA (UV resin instead of FDM). It produces amazing detail & print quality.

However … you'd need good ventilation, and the material costs for SLA printing are higher than for FDM.

Also, for your stated intention of mainly printing terrain, the Ender 3 FDM is probably the best budget option, depending on exactly what kind of terrain you wish to print.
I actually prefer the striations (print lines) of FDM printing for things like cast concrete structures, like bunkers.

Just wanted to throw that idea out there :-)

Flashforge Finder is a good choice. 8"X8" print bed and guided bed leveling. It is a "works right out of the box" kind of printer. link

I have an Ender-3X. I really like it and does a great job printing, especially small objects like 1/72 scale miniatures. However, it does require assembly. The bed leveling is not all that easy to get right either. Really not a beginner printer.

Who asked this joker – I had discounted the Flashforge Finder as the reviews said the print bed as smaller than the others. The specs on your link show 140mm x 140mm which is 5.5" x 55" or is there something that I am missing.

So you are right! I somehow misread that. :/

Da Vinci Pro Open Filament printer? link

Generally they have only proprietary printers and filament. But this one you can use any brand of filament. Worth checking into. I used a Da Vinci Jr 1.0 for about a year and liked it quite well. My only gripe was that I had to buy their filament. Like I said, the open filament printers do not have that restriction.

But beware that the Ender-3 has been cost-cutting with components recently in a way that creates fire hazards! Haven't heard any word about them correcting this yet.
YouTube link

I keep hearing from people who own 3D printers that they thought there hobby was going to be printing things, but it became keeping the thing going. Maybe those were older machines, but my son seems to be having a similar experience.

If you feel technically challenged, you may be able to handle things when they go well, but have trouble when there are problems. Obviously, lots of people are successful.

andy

If we are only willing to take on challenges when things go well how are we to learn new tricks? After all; calm seas does not a good sailor make.

I did get an Ender 3 and after some challenges during assembly ensuring that everything was aligned properly and several attempts at leveling the bed I am happy to report that it is running great. So far I have printed in 1/285th scale a Valentine II, an LCAC, and three buildings, and in 15mm I have printed a Challenger and an M5 Halftrack. I am still learning and have a ways to go but I have found it a treat to use.

The test will be, as Andy Skinner pointed out, will be when something goes wrong. But until then things are looking good.

miniMo: my power connectors are not crimped like the issues that are being shown in that YouTube link but thanks for pointing that out. I only print when I am around and will not leave it to print completely unattended.

I have the Monoprice Voxel, purchased from Amazon for $319. USD It is a re-branded Flash Forge Adventurer III.

It was pretty much plug and play, with a simple calibration process (took me about 5 minutes). The print volume is 150mm x 150mm x 150mm.

I have gotten good results with AIO robotics PLA (you will want to print an adapter or purchase Monoprice 700 gram spools to use the internal spool holder). I am very happy with it, and as I game in 6mm to 15mm scale, the build volume is not an issue.

The Longer LK2 is also worth a look. It has a few improvements over the Ender3 for less money.

I got an Ender 3 a few months ago – fairly easy to assemble with a little TLC and making sure everything is square.

BUT as 'miniMo' mentions my power wires were were only crimped at the connector and not soldered at all. The connector got hot enough to partially melt. I rewired and soldered it myself and it works great now.

I'm not sure any current 3D printer is ready for the truly non-technical consumer. You will have to learn a few things, but they aren't hard. You don't have to learn electronics or coding type things. You do have to learn setting things up right and there's some trial and error. So I have two suggestions…

Look for a printer with lots of good online support, one lots of people own, one with lots of walk throughs, tips, videos, one that has a printer-specific Facebook page, subreddit, whatever, so that when things go askew down at the mill you'll have somewhere to go.

Second, look for a person in your life who would love to help with this. There's quite probably a nephew or coworker or that guy at the game store who would love to do assembly or help you wort things out. We're all in this together.

Good luck!

PS I love my Monoprice Mini Delta, but it has a very small print bed ( a 4 inch by 4 inch cylinder, basically) and I though I think it's as easy to use as any (auto bed leveling!) I wouldn't recommend it for someone truly non technical. I don't think I could recommend any 3D printer for the truly non-technical.

Could you teach an old dog new tricks and become technical?

Anyway, I hope you have tons of fun…