are there any $500-$700 printers that are decent print quality and low maintnence?

3D Printing
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1

are there any $500-$700 printers that are decent print quality and low maintnence?

2

It depends on what you consider “low maintenance”. Most popular recent designs are what I would call low maintenance, but none of them will simply be plug and play ready at all times with no required maintenance necessary aside from changing filament.

By the same token, you don’t need to regularly fully disassemble anything or stand by oiling joints… But you’ll have to tinker and fuss and redo and clean failed prints and occasional jams etc etc.

3

To add to what @Stephen_Baird said, if anyone trying to sell you a printer tells you differently, run away. There aren’t machines that are better than that, but there are ones that claim to be, and their customers are not happy. A company that’s honest about the maintenance and general printing issues you will encounter is also more likely to be willing to help you deal with them when they happen.

4

thanks, butare there any $500-$700 3dprinters that have good print quality?

5

With patience and the right print settings my M3D has come up with better prints then these $1000+ printers running around out there. Gotta have patience though,lots. This little guy is slow.

6

Aaron, again this depends on your application. What is good quality to you? Layer resolution, accuracy, precision? Personally as long as the printer has a decent amount of repeatability I’m fine…I just mess with the CAD files till things fit just right. But I’m not printing intricate small parts either. I’m using mine for larger scale RC aircraft, robotics components, and toys for the kids.

7

In that price range I always love to say the Printrbot simple metal. It’s just solid. Lots sold and lots of people print with them. It tends to be pretty reliable as far as I can tell.

8

@Neal_Grieb precision, I’m just using it for a desktop printer, just printing phone stands and simple stuff, maybe a little experimentation.

9

@Griffin_Paquette The Simple Metal is a good printer, but if I were doing it again I’d buy something else. There are much cheaper options out there today with the same or larger print volume.

10

I would buy the printrbot(again), it is worth the extra cash. I have a few friends who have purchased the “cheaper options” there are a lot of little features that go a long way to improving usability.

Like a decent controller board, auto tramming, and the well vetted cheap hot end. My 2¢

11

@Aaron_Moser ​ I have 2 friends from work that both have the Printrbot Metal Simple 3d printers and love them. With just a small amount of initial setup and tweaking they get excellent results and it’s only $599. I have an UP Plus 2 that is spectacular, but it was $1299

12

also @Brook_Drumm is active on g+ and its his company, but you can get them from @Adafruit_Industries here:

13

Our printers are a good option. Upgrades can increase the build size.
Biased
Brook

14

from my buddies Printrbot Metal Simple:
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/OekjU9KYHSXjWpqKV8qycnLx9SjwN3ak-MwCPjAzxtckL0jl520mDYj5npTcyd-8R-jNrsYeUn8y7kNegthYpJxbwTHaTZPstgquYaUDTqxywZiJusLZnle6D2SWfR5yvehFwqvJ1a4d8SVSOAEuzmxPvYannj6KOZFa9nPcs1jpZgxDoBQAg4xjqCXzqQZD4Nq80bId5csaHGjULD67TU4jR_KswIglBEcLwJw4v3pg5t95aBgKSdwFYCqRYK2-9zYN5fMhKQsoCrGgUvLu8aOM4Y_gK4aU1LIZgyiBZuGsmBU2uAmT3ud0ElCWTr2NB-fDZ_dK9vfWw38GL82x9ospLVZqJEx0OSg-E4GKeQam1uN3r4_LXnaLMx5v2MdqyDrdczwYIIPoWMXDpcfuyHDWdLhnwPAUDvg1hV41zc-s8Xmes1R1pz9kuRM3HXLRtAkHl3btGOHExyVNazMcZ5JZbzaszNczSQFBvN7vjAP12cOM2McS66o1WmsWmMFvbg2G4t5dTzsmqldobPI8o2v_Tp0ZVdOG7f7cBCmdZ3oWa7XzHb5CAOq8yY06U_3ijEKPJEV6oZZC3KtI-Z56nw=w1266-h949-no
and
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/4kNch-HBZk0GGR8Ufe5PhIEzueKDO9KCoDBOtebnBnr7M0VRbncxz2t0YK_byaoa7-ipbnBBh50JdNFKVPbYxQ7iXa8dZTVAolcnoDFejHVnDAY5wik4iFthTi_9VqK-38MxTEojS1odrv8SgxPVFn9YLINe9QAXVIVUwhWC2174A7jK7fBA6OwXF-k9QskqLtvdKlcqFTyQ7xAR_l8mmlhb3iig_d6gNUkfrTucSk4E2idHgMtRAFW4l-pOjZoypVqWWalTEdljvUrokgTPHSbttXmQrZtEigELu1hn4xHgDJuGdQ6P-L-_4rtzgcme0VvBbPzj45_EslTsWQraIn2o1uhmhG1rnHIeVk2lrOjVIb7ZgpWkL5CBk2PJ57V03lxFXlryYX3jBJFhzhpbXNVxgqW-U3SOAPfqjKjlJBNtBSIPKiJtJZQ9A9tBxWwNKLJkcCMBUl4T53lP0ZEXYU3cHhR3-cev6jNLRcFfjFP_FxUR26SEWnT1hISN1BEkDZiKBaDiHLAZbvj_3eawBcOXw6oqeaEihtIArhxqm819fsFAEzoIiat3IzrLq59ZXMkULFyFhmHCHqx4KCKJ-A=w1266-h949-no
if you get it buy the handle too, makes it easily portable. I am at work so I just grabbed this off his desk. Printed by @Gray_Wine

15

Thanks! I think the printrbot simple metal is my best option!

16

All Printrbot Simples come w handle and spoil holder (for the last year, now)
:wink:
Brook

17

To expand on my earlier point, the Simple Metal is a good printer, but if you have any plans to start upgrading it, you should consider the alternatives that are out there for similar money.

Completely stock, you get a 6"x6"x6" build area and no heated bed. Add a heated bed and that tacks on about another $100 at minimum. If you start looking at upgrading the build volume, figure on another $200. Personally I have close to $1000 into mine after the Matrix Precision XYZ upgrades. It is fairly compact printer, particularly with the Matrix Precision upgrades – it’s probably the smallest 8"x8"x10" printer out there.

That said, if I knew I was going to spend $1000 on a 3D printer by the time it was all said and done I would rather have something with a more sophisticated design. Printrbots are inherently pretty limited in print speed just because the of the design.

If I could do it all over again I would probably buy something like a Folger Tech Prusa i3. It has a 8"x8"x6" build volume, includes a heated bed and only costs about $270. You can then use this cheap printer to print the parts for a Eustathios Spider, etc.