3D printers

[aaronoto]

Bambu Lab A1 user here and I've been super impressed with it. I use Fusion 360 for custom designed parts and they transfer over seamlessly. Only using PLA at this point though. I print a little bit of everything - kids toys, pencil holders, wire keepers, headphone stands, watch holders, gun racks, counter scrapers and a ton of ham radio parts. Well worth the investment and the Bambu Labs stuff is legit - been very trouble free and reliable.

 

[pacoalcracker]

Most people that buy them screw around with them for a while until the newness wears off and then it sits and is never used again, or they have issues with it, and they get frustrated and that's the end of it.

I know a guy who has a side business of buying them for next to nothing and resells them......that's where the real money is.

 

[PredatoryProwler]

Most people that buy them screw around with them for a while until the newness wears off and then it sits and is never used again, or they have issues with it, and they get frustrated and that's the end of it.

I know a guy who has a side business of buying them for next to nothing and resells them......that's where the real money is.

I know a few people like that. This is one of many reasons why I wouldn't go all in on an expensive printer and go for a more budget one.

 

[ni7ne]

The value prospect of a 3d printer is more in maintaining your CAD skills in perpetuity.
Same reason you would own a $150 welder at home.
Not because the poor quality junk you make with it is worth the cost, but because maintaining ability to do so in perpetuity is worth the relatively small investment, and because these skills evaporate.

I'd have trouble justifying one if I was just downloading stl files to print.

 

[BBob]

The value prospect of a 3d printer is more in maintaining your CAD skills in perpetuity.

That’s pretty what interests me. My CAD skills feel like they are just about gone. Once upon a time I was fairly good with CAD/CAM but it’s been awhile.

 

[crich]

I have one but don't have the time or mental capacity to tinker with it and figure out why some prints either don't stick well, the first few layers are off and it cuts corners or the print goes haywire half way through and ends up in a balled up mess.

Id love to have the skills to whip up a solution to a problem in 30 min then print it. However, CAD skills take time to develop and right now I don't have it. So for me it's printing useful models I find online ready to download. Small hardware bins for toolbox drawers, hornady comparator set holder, battery holders etc.