Wall of text; long read

Let’s start with reviews#

All3DP keeps an updated list of what they recommend as the ‘best FDM printers’ which includes both FDM/FFF and resin picks, and they also have a ‘best budget resin printers’

I have, in order of purchase/build (not install - lead time and all that) (local-hostname)

  • Ender 3 V2 - purchased end of December 2020, first printer (octoprint2)
    • name: N/A
  • MK3S+ - ordered first weekend of January 2021, delivered mid-February 2021 (octoprint1)
    • name: N/A
  • MINI+ - ordered April 2021 and delivered May 2021 (octoprint4)
    • name: teeny-weeny
  • Voron Trident 300mm - ordered parts in November 2021 and finished build first weekend of December 2021 (voron1)
    • name: Trident
  • Voron V0.1 - ordered kit in December 2021 and finished build third weekend of December 2021 (voron2)
    • name: pr-purpz (pocket-rocket purples)
  • Voron V2.4 300mm - ordered kit in February 2022 and finished build thirdweekend of March 2022 (voron3)
    • name: Ms. Green
  • Voron V2.4 300mm - ordered kit in February 2022 - build not started (voron4)
    • name: Ms. Emerald
  • Voron V0.1 - ordered kit in May 2022 for Jason as a gift but then it was delayed and I tried to cancel it while ordering a different kit from a different vendor. And wouldn’t you know it? The OG kit arrived the next day and the new kit arrived the day after. Ah well, decided to build it anyway and is enclosed printing ASA mostly. (voron5)
    • name: pr-gs (pocket-rocket gray-scale)
  • Voron V2.4 350mm - this base machine was gifted to me August 2022 and I completely rebuilt it. (voron6)
    • name: Citrus Squirter
  • XL - pre-ordered Novemember 2021, delivered November 2023 (biggus-dickus)
    • name: biggus-dickus

If you want a small farm easy to maintain and relatively inexpensive printers I would suggest a bunch of MINI+ units or the new Prusa MK4.

Want the caddilac in this space (bed-slinger)? MK4

I would not change how I fell into this hobby but now that I am here there are some things I would do differently considering the amount of money I have sunk:

  • plan to do some ROI as I have a couple grand in filament and a lot more in printers
  • do a better job of filament storage and organization
  • decide on a base platform and build farm out of that
  • look at more ‘special’ printers for ‘special’ things (I now have 2 resin printers)

Want to buy something now and skip reading?#

START: deprecated until new opinions are released Add the following Ender 3 V2 item to your cart and go pick up.

  • Ender 3 V2 via Microcenter or via Amazon or via Creality

    • see modifications below for better quality of life

  • Hatchbox3D PLA filament direct or via Amazon

    • inexpensive and quality control has been fantastic
    • doesn’t have all the fun variations of other manufacturers but you’re just starting out anyway so easier to use with decent consistency matter more at this point

END: deprecated until new opinions are released

Slicing software#

You have STL files, now you need to get them to your printer

From here on to the end#

If you are just diving in the above links will get you going. From this point forward is recommendations, pro/cons, and quality of life modifications

First printer? Read all the options before making a choice! Hit me with questions or if you want to see them in action let’s get together and you can come visit The Snucking Dungeon and Larry the Loft!

Any printer#

Precision cutters (A MUST! These are awesome) Ender 3 V2 comes with one, it is decent but these are better In fact, I just bought a 5 pack so I’ll give you one but you gotta pick it up

filament dryer:

  • SunLu Dryer (watch for sales in the $40 or less area - SUNLU specifically for brand, work, cheap)
  • very handy for PETG and ABS and for when you leave the filament out a long time (hydroscopic - absorbs from the air)

Storage containers: Iris (gotta store’m all!) (I have a lot of these) (~10 spools per 44l)

Stable power for 2 RPIs: USB-C Power Brick (RPIs are sensitive to fluctuations and this works well and drives all my units) (kits come with a wall-wart that delivers what needs to be delivered, only do this if you are going down the path of multiple PIs and such)

FILAMENT: ADVICE: stick with PLA to start as PETG has many other challenges

Inland :

  • Microcenter sells their Inland brand and I’d stick with the PLA+ version - it’s $18-$20/kg and works very well. If you want to try PETG (read up on the differences!) then stick with the PETG+ version as well. Just has been better for me than the non-+ versions
  • REMINDER: PLA+ or PETG+ - not lite (horrendous quality issues), not regular (the + version just is more consistent)
  • ADVICE: stick with PLA to start as PETG has many other challenges

eSun: great stuff though somewhat expensive but works fantastically; check Amazon

3D-Fuel out of North Dakota so US made and orders by 1500 hours by me show up the next day via UPS Ground.

  • Pricing is a little higher than others (like Inland) but their regular stuff (standard, pro) has been awesome
  • their re:Fuel (remixed, recycled) has been a dream to work with, cheap and on-sale often, no color choices but burning through spools while playing is cheaper this way
    • Recycled PLA (watch for sales when it is closer to $15/kg) (more info below)

Every filament is sacred, every filament is safe.. what I mean is that there is a chance you will need a different filament profile for every brand and type.

I have dialed in a single PLA and single PETG profile that works very good overall but I still need to tweak from time to time. Sticking to one brand and its variants can be helpful. I have printed the most with Inland followed by the 3D-Fuel re:fuel followed by Sunlu brand (cheap, and it’s cheap for sure; not the most reliable), Matterhackers PRO (for the TicTac guns and such), eSun (expensive, very nice), and Proto-Pasta (rant below).

At times I have grabbed other, random, brands like silky rainbow but sing with me, again, every filament is sacred…

Now, one of my favorite filaments is .. Proto-Pasta but at ~$80/kg it isn’t something you would use day to day but instead use for specialty projects. Prints fine with brass nozzle unless you move to the carbon fiber, metal versions, or heavily glitter version then you would use the plated/hardened nozzle as a single spool can tear apart the brass.

ProtoPasta can be had at Microcenter as well, pricing is about the same as direct but selection is far less as I assume you understand

For spring time and mothers day: spring and mother’s day