What 3D Printer Should I get?

This squirrel is 0.588 inches, just to give you an idea of how tiny it really is!

We have been getting a lot of questions regarding the differences between low cost 3D printers, so here is a brief summary of this emerging market today.

There are several new companies that aren't yet shipping their printers. We recommend going with a printer that has been shipped and tested. For example, the Solidoodle looks really good, and local folks are working on building a Printrbot. For more detailed information check out this great breakdown here:  http://www.3ders.org/3d-printer/3d-printer-price.html.  We run several Makerbots in their production, but they are quickly getting out of the entry level market and into pro-sumer territory.  Also go ahead and check out the forums for the respective printer to get and an idea of any issues you may face.   Assume some "reserve" with any of the really cheap machines because they do tend to have problems/ steeper learning curves.

Depending on your interest in the project the best value is still to build the RepRap (Prusa Iteration 2) yourself. The plastic parts kit we sell is $65 plus shipping in a dozen different colors of ABS and $5 off for natural. You can then order the electronics and hardware from a variety of sources that have already done most of the work:

Electronics -- $130 Printrbot

Hot End -- $60 Printrbot

HBP -- $35 Printrbot

Motors -- $100 UltiMachine

Prusa Mendel Hardware -- $70 UltiMachine

Prusa Belts -- $26 UltiMachine

LM8uu bearings-- $14 SuntekStore

If you build a RepRap, the total cost for the plastic printed parts, electronics and hardware is approximately 500 dollars. If you choose this option, you get a larger build area and more flexibility because it's compatible with the open source version instead of having branched off.  MendelMax is another variant for slightly more, but you gain machine rigidity.  Obviously this is the Do-it-yourself approach, but it's a fun project. One advantage of the RepRap is that since you build it yourself, you also have a good idea of how to fix it.

Not ready to invest in a printer, but still want to see your creations in 3D?  Click the link above or email us to submit your parts and we'll quote a custom print cost.  At the cost of even the cheapest machine, a large amount of parts can be produced at higher quality and bypass the learning curves as well.

If you are in the market for a 3D printer, hopefully this article was helpful to you. If you have made the leap and purchased a pre-contructed machine or built one yourself please leave a comment and let us know about your experience.