So the company im doing work for wants to buy a small 3D printer. Im obviously thinking to use this for my own means, namely designs found on this site 🤣

As they are not decided on brands or models (cheaper end tho), i thought i'd ask here which brands/models people here have.

And also is there any special features/settings that needs to be found on the printer if printing things like extension rings (assuming this is more setting focused than zoom gears)?

As the prices for printers are getting lower, investing in one and printing 3 or so extension rings can offset the price already if buying privately (thanks @Dave_Hicks ).

Edited Thursday at 04:41 AM3 days by Sokrates

1 hour ago, Sokrates said:

So the company im doing work for wants to buy a small 3D printer. Im obviously thinking to use this for my own means, namely designs found on this site 🤣

As they are not decided on brands or models (cheaper end tho), i thought i'd ask here which brands/models people here have.

And also is there any special features/settings that needs to be found on the printer if printing things like extension rings (assuming this is more setting focused than zoom gears)?

As the prices for printers are getting lower, investing in one and printing 3 or so extension rings can offset the price already if buying privately (thanks @Dave_Hicks ).

Seriously, you can buy a good 3D printer for the cost of ONE zoom gear! That's just $250 USD for an Bambu A1 Mini. For well under $1000 you can buy an amazing machine that will pretty much tackle any material and any scenario you can imagine. If I were to buy a 1st printer today it would be a Bambu X2D and an AMS combo for under $900. At least for created functional prints. (like camera, scuba, and household items)

If you just want to print multicolor flexi-dragons, there are other choices.

I have a Bambu X1-Carbon, but if I was buying now, as @Dave_Hicks says, the Bambu Labs X2D would probably be at the top of my list. One of the nice things about the Bambu Labs products is that you are buying into a whole ecosystem that all work well together. I would plan on buying one or two (at a minimum) AMS units as well, especially if you think that you might want to print any multi-color designs.

Obviously i had it stuck to my head for some reason that you need a high end expensive machine to do any of the prints. Maybe that was the case years ago.

If i had realised that something like A1 can do most (if not all) of the printing i need, i would have bought one long time ago. And to be honest, that X2D isnt too pricey either.

Have to see what the company decides and maybe ill just buy one for myself.

It is amazing how far the technology has come, and how inexpensive the machines are now.