Not available to skype but I’ve been using Printrbot equipment for well over a year and many thousands of hours (our one machine hit 2000 hours not too long ago) and across around 20 machines.Their products last and the quality is really impressive. If you want to get in under $500 the Printrbot Play is great brand new for $399, or you could get a refurbished Simple for $449. Their refurb machines are in really nice condition like @Brook_Drumm said. Metal framed machines are the best way to go. If you get either of those then immediately pick up a Rapsberry Pi 2 or 3 and set up Octoprint for wireless printing. Worth every penny.
Consider the Emergin Trium delta. Kickstarter earlier this year, available soon. Solid frame. Good team behind the product. Contact them and do your own research.
I’m really liking this community. I wrote a blog post: https://makermeka.wordpress.com/ on buying my 1st printer. Enjoy!
https://makermeka.wordpress.com/
@Griffin_Paquette Appreciate that. @Nelis_Willers Thanks.
Cool! Thanks for considering us. We are geeks and regular folks who are passionate about building a great company. We are thrilled that we have struck a chord with people new to this strange wonderful world!
Brook
I have thousands of hours of printing under my belt, have printed parts most people would consider either impossible or at best improbable with an interesting selection of materials, and having heavily modded my Ultimaker 2 I would highly recommend you go for a tried-and-tested model with good support, even if means waiting a bit longer to save up.
When some of my bearings started grinding Ultimaker sold me a new set for less than I could buy garbage on ebay. They went out of their their way to solve a problem the machine developed, even though it was well out of warranty. When there was a problem and the machine was in warranty they sent me a whole head kit rather than just the part I needed, just to be sure.
I have never used a Printrbot myself, but they get really good reviews from people I respect.
The CEO hangs around here, and is the only 3D printer vendor I know of who actually tells you 3D printing is hard. In a video. On his website.
So, buy one of his used printers rather than get almost any other brand I can think of brand new. You will get a far gentler experience, and Printrbot’s support is up there with the best.
Disclosure: I have absolutely nothing to do with Printrbot, Brook Drumm or anyone related to his company.
Thanks, Dani! Much appreciated! Great to hear you had a good experience w ultimaker- I really like those guys and speak very highly of them!
All my best,
Brook