this post was submitted on 17 Nov 2023
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3DPrinting

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I have never 3d printed anything before. These days I'm working on a small home automation project, and I will require some enclosures. So I thought why not buy a 3d printer ? That way I can also learn about 3d printing when I get some time.

Also please suggest an affordable 3d printer.

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[–] AA5B 3 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Thanks, this fits my scenario. I’m interested in getting into 3d printing but have neither the time nor inclination for tinkering. I’d rather spend a little more if I can get right to printing

Another question is whether size matters. If you got one called a “mini”, I guess they make bigger ones. At what point is it big enough for typical uses? Do you regret not getting bigger?

[–] PlutoniumAcid 3 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago)

Yes, check out Prusa's website to see the size difference. Generally, 3d printers look like a" car wash" with a column on each side and a carriage that moves between them. The Prusa Mini only has one column, so it takes up a lot less space on the desk / in the cabinet.

The mini still has a respectable print volume of 18cm (cubed), most printers have 20cm. That can be a drawback because some ready-made models expect the print volume to be 20cm, so such models can't be printed on the Mini, or would have to be scaled down to fit. I have never had that situation though, so no, I do not regret this size.

More importantly, the Mini is like 500 EUR which is a lot for a small printer, but a regular Prusa is at least 900 EUR so there's a significant savings involved. Speaking of prices, of course you can get a 100 dollar printer, but that's not going to be the "Mercedes Benz experience" which the Prusa certainly is.