Month: October 2016

New to 3D printing, have my eye on the MakerGear M2

Hi I’m new to 3D printing, I’ve saved away ~$2k that I can put towards a 3D printer, I’ve got my eye on the MakerGear M2. So I guess the reason for this post is two-fold 1.) should I buy the kit or fully assembled model? my girlfriend has amazon prime so I can get free 2 day shipping on the assembled version but think it could be a good idea to assemble it myself as a way to become familiar with my printer 2.) am I off the mark on this, it has great reviews on amazon and seems to be what I want from a 3D printer, mostly looking to make parts for things and trinkets, models of things from games and movies, etc. Not really business, but would like to sell some prints to recoup some of my cost if possible.Thank you in advance, I’ve been agonizing over this decision for way to long now haha http://ift.tt/2eeusWB

Please recommend a printer/software

Sorry for the wall of text! I might be overthinking this. Or underthinking it, not sure. I’ve read the FAQ, but I still have some questions.I’m looking for a 3D printer; I have used one before, but it belonged to my university, and I don’t really know what distinguishes printers from each other.I’m trying to stay under $1000; around or under $600 would be great.I’m really into ultralight backpacking, and one big use of the printer would be making lightweight camp gadgets; I’d like to be able to print things that are small, light, and have decent structural integrity. I think that means I need to use ABS plastic with high fill, but I don’t know whether filament size or resolution are relevant. I would love some input on that.Other than that, I’d probably just make trinkets and math-art. I’d like to print my own designs, so I’d like to use software that includes almost “free-hand” design, but can also use parameterization. I wanna say I used sketch-up last time, and I think it had both of these options.One thing I’m unclear on is how compatible printers tend to be with different filaments and software. I see not all printers will work with all design software: is this something I should consider when selecting a printer, or should software choice be secondary? Am I correct in my understanding that printing ABS is harder than printing PLA, and requires a heated bed, and that some do only PLA but others do both?I’m not sure I understand the qualities I should be looking for in an extruder.I guess some other potentially significant details are:I would be using this printer in a small apartmentI’m on WindowsI’m in North AmericaI would be willing to assemble the printer, but I’d prefer not to have to.A few printers I have been considering are:Duplicator 4XMaker’s Tool Works FusematicMaker’s Tool Works MiniMaxMonoprice Maker Select 3D PrinterUP MiniA little above my preferred budget, LulzBot MiniAny and all advice is appreciated. Thank you! http://ift.tt/2dJEi0c

What is the most popular 3D printer controller?

What is the most popular 3D printer controller?There are lot so far different controllers out there. Which one works best for you?Vote ButtonPoll OptionsCurrent Vote CountVoteArduino/RAMPS14 VotesVoteSmoothieboard4 VotesVoteDuet0 VotesVoteMegatronics0 VotesVoteAzteeg2 VotesVoteBeaglebone0 VotesVoteArduino Due / RADDS0 VotesVoteOther? Tell us about it!1 VotesInstructions:Click Vote to Register Your Vote.Note: Vote Count in this post will be updated real time with new data.Make Your Own Poll Here redditpoll.com.See live vote count here http://ift.tt/2dDZ5mB