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Home 3D printers? Best of the budget ones...?


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I started with a Photon, twice I’ve needed parts on warranty (main board and touch screen), and they’ve been very quick both times. No consolation here though, obviously!

 

That said I do prefer the Elegoo printers. The Mars 2 is a great printer, I’d definitely have one over a Photon now, particularly with the Mars 2 at £180. 

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Yes, there’s more metal in the Photon, it’s heavier and stays put better, where my Marses can move around a bit more easily. I do personally prefer the hinged lid too marginally. But it’s so much easier to replace a screen in a Mars, and the sprung build plate is a much better idea. On balance I do think they’re the better machines. 

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My Photon (upgrade from a Zero) Mono arrived a couple of days ago.

It did take a few emails to sort out exactly what was happening with Anycubic.

 

I haven't fired it up yet for a couple [*]of reasons.

1: I haven't cleared a suitable space to place it and the wash/cure machine.

2: I haven't drawn anything yet - but I have acquired a suitable .stl file for ian ongoing project. I'm currently looking at suitable 3D drawing programs.

3. [*]I can't count. Lack of time to re-learn CAD - I did 2D stuff a number of years back.

 

I already have a wishlist of small parts I want to make repeatably - such as an item that is about 15x15x6mm and I need about 30 of them for a H0 project.

Next up will be a minimum run of 64 10x6x4 (or so) items to improve a 00 model.

 

I know I could create a master and then resin cast, but due to their small size, I guess that 3D resin printing is more time/cost effective and suitable for the detail that I require/need.

 

I do have an idea for an item that is better suited to acrylic resin casting, so a master of 12/16 on a sprue will be created and a silicone rubber mould produced.

(Junior NB has recently discovered the hobby of acrylic casting!)

 

 

Edited by newbryford
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On 24/02/2021 at 21:57, njee20 said:

I started with a Photon, twice I’ve needed parts on warranty (main board and touch screen), and they’ve been very quick both times. No consolation here though, obviously!

 

That said I do prefer the Elegoo printers. The Mars 2 is a great printer, I’d definitely have one over a Photon now, particularly with the Mars 2 at £180. 

Please say where you can get them for £180.

Duncan

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On 04/03/2021 at 22:41, newbryford said:

My Photon (upgrade from a Zero) Mono arrived a couple of days ago.

 

Before using, investigate whether it is prudent to fit a screen protector. Mono screens do not tend to have a protective glass layer on top.

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7 hours ago, drduncan said:

Please say where you can get them for £180.

Duncan

It’s not the standard price, the post preceding mine said they’d got one for £180 from Amazon. 

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11 hours ago, MikeTrice said:

Before using, investigate whether it is prudent to fit a screen protector. Mono screens do not tend to have a protective glass layer on top.

 

Hi Mike,

Thanks for the advice - I shall investigate.

 

Cheers,

Mick

 

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41 minutes ago, crackedmember said:

Does anyone have any experience with the Phrozen Sonic.

 

I am considering purchasing one as it has a slightly better xy resolution.

 

Previous experience with 3D printers is with FDM.

 

I go a Phrozen Sonic Mini 4X a few weeks ago and it has worked well from day one.   I've run a few tests - like the rook and the Amerilabs test - and have done about ten runs of a NER hopper body which I'm developing at the moment with no problems.  I had one failed print but I put that down to a dodgy file for the printer since I've picked up faults in subsequent slicer outputs which I've corrected before printing.    I'm using the Phrozen Grey 4X resin and I run the printer in an ambient temperature of 26C - 27C,  having built a cabinet to house the printer with a 100 watt temperature controlled fan heater based on examples shown on YouTube.

 

My previous experience was with a Phrozen Shuffle 2018 which was also pretty reliable with few failures.

 

Jim.

Edited by flubrush
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3 hours ago, monkeysarefun said:

Did you print that flat on the bed? Just assuming due to the slight elephants foot.

 

 

Yes. I was interested to see what would happen. I'll either use supports or undercut the model although if I use thicker ties the "flash" would be under the ballast :)

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On 07/03/2021 at 12:53, flubrush said:

 

I go a Phrozen Sonic Mini 4X a few weeks ago and it has worked well from day one.   I've run a few tests - like the rook and the Amerilabs test - and have done about ten runs of a NER hopper body which I'm developing at the moment with no problems.  I had one failed print but I put that down to a dodgy file for the printer since I've picked up faults in subsequent slicer outputs which I've corrected before printing.    I'm using the Phrozen Grey 4X resin and I run the printer in an ambient temperature of 26C - 27C,  having built a cabinet to house the printer with a 100 watt temperature controlled fan heater based on examples shown on YouTube.

 

My previous experience was with a Phrozen Shuffle 2018 which was also pretty reliable with few failures.

 

Jim.

Hey Jim will you be getting the new Phrozen Sonic Mighty looks pretty tempting slightly bigger build plate than the Saturn and Mono X

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7 hours ago, woko said:

Hey Jim will you be getting the new Phrozen Sonic Mighty looks pretty tempting slightly bigger build plate than the Saturn and Mono X

 

I think I'll stick with the Mini 4K - for a start I've run out of room for any more equipment and my old Shuffle is on the floor at the moment. :-)   I have tended to print small objects like wagon springs and axleboxes so the smaller plate size is no problem and my cleaning and curing process is geared up to small items.  If I got a printer with a larger plate I would have to get a larger ultrasonic bath to match the plate size.  And the pixel size of the larger plate machines is not as small as the Mini 4K and I like the improved resolution on the smaller parts.

 

Jim.

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