3D printers

[Luminance]

So, for the past 4 to 5 weeks I've been taking a serious interest into buying a 3D printer, after seeing the prices for models, capable of creating 12^3 cm to 25^3 cm pieces are around 800 to 1600 euro's. This because I've always been fascinated about the idea to create things out of an idea like with clay, but never really could design any usefull or nice/cool things.
Also, the fact that you can start designing and printing your own "household" items (think of special cups, vases, hangers, toys, miniatures of cars etc. etc.) attracts me a lot, regardless of the pricing (usuable polymers like ABS, PVA, PLA etc. on spools are â,¬30-â,¬50 / kg).

Now there seem to be a few candidates:
Leapfrog with their Creatr, between â,¬1250 - â,¬1500 (depending on 1 or 2 extrusion heads) capable of printing relatively large objects (23x27x22 cm)
PP3DP with their UP!plus â,¬1450* capable of printing 14x14x14 cm, or UP!mini - â,¬950, capable of printing 12x12x12 cm. Of which the Plus has increased accuracy and thinner print layers
*â,¬1300 incl shipping from US.
Cubify with their Cube3D, around â,¬1300 also capable of printing 14x14x14 cm.

But does anyone have any experience with them? Via work, via friends, or owns one for personal use?
Or perhaps knows of a better one?

[DuVeL]

No idea to be honoust but I instantly had to think off this thread made by Sulky when you typed this:
http://www.deadmen.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?37800-Print-your-own-3d-gun!&highlight=3d+printer

I've heard off a company in Nijverdal which uses one alot, but can't remember which one it was (no, not your work ), I'll see if I can find out again who it was.

[T-Bag]

I've been looking into these too. I can't really bring myself to buy anything...not at least till I start my new job. But even then I can't imagine going for anything but the makerbot. It's more expensive, but it's the market leader which means if you have problems you're more likely to find a solution and you're pretty likely to get one that works easily. I've seen cheap ones starting from as little as £300 (Makibox) but they're more adhoc. I've not used a 3D printer myself just tried to convince myself you buy one.

For the price of the budget printers though it's almost worth the gamble. The stepper motors are £15 each the rails and mountings probably similar so there's not exactly much room for that price to come down without mass production if you take into account the rest of the gear and the fact someone needs to design the thing, gather the parts and ship them.

[Luminance]

I know some companies have them DuVeL, but I need one that sells it
Via FABLAB (stop your sniggering, its short for fabrication, and yeah they probably should have checked the internet first) I can do it for material cost, but thats not the issue, I'd like to start developing things on them too, hence the reason for my own.

As for Makerbot, I thought that started at around 2800 dollars, so thats twice the price I'm looking into.

[T-Bag]

As for Makerbot, I thought that started at around 2800 dollars, so thats twice the price I'm looking into.

I know but ones you've listed like the Cube use proprietary cartridges for printing which would push your overall printing costs up. I'm still undecided which end of the market I'm going to be going when I buy one, Solidoodle or Makibox are very cheap so don't risk much if I don't use it much. On the other end of the scale, the replicator 1 at $1800 is about 4 times the price, but will work easily, have accessories for years etc etc. When you pay 3 times the price for something like the Cube you get no guarantees so is a bit risky in my opinion. Best to go one end or the other and see the benefits. Although at the cheaper end you have to be more hands on. I saw a video the other day putting the solidoodle up against the cube and another printer. It is clearly harder to set up, but the results when setup right seeem directly comparable (print accuracy is actually better on the solidoodle)

[DrunkenZombiee]

You can make these out of an old scanner or printer as they have the stepper motors already.

[Tutonic]

Smells like a sales pitch to me.....

Forum admins, unleash the hounds please.

[Gorion]

Smells like a sales pitch to me.....

Forum admins, unleash the hounds please.

I'm no admin, but here you go.