DIY Printer Build

[jeep534]

I do not know even enough to be dangerous about 3D printing, however I would like to scratch build or build a printer from a kit.
Happy hunting
Archie

 

[ArvidJ]

Just my humble opinion.

First question: is the ultimate goal (a) to just learn about all the inner workings and nuances of a 3d printer and then fiddle with it for the rest of its life or (b) to low stress and reliably print things.

Self sourcing and debugging a scratch build is not for the faint of heart, but it will very likely fulfill the first goal.

There are many 'we sourced it, you build it' kits out there, with completeness of the kit and the quality of the components going across the entire spectrum from 'should have just burned your money' to well done. Example at the well done end appears to be LDO and their Voron kits.

Have several Prusa Mk3 variants, both from 'assembled' and 'kit'. Highly recommended for both printer reliability when assembled and a great 'first printer build' experience. The most difficult part of the 'assembled Prusa' experience was what to do with the cardboard shipping box after removing the printer.

Am currently building a RatRig VCore 4 300 kit and would advise others to stay as far away from RatRig as possible.

One last caution. If you are in the US, be sure to check on tariffs on anything that needs to be imported. There are several threads on Reddit about individuals being very surprised by additional taxes being applied to their printer purchases.

 

[awake]

I appreciate and agree with ArvidJ's insights. To expand his first question a bit, I would add c) cost. There was a time when DIY might have been a path to saving money. That is not the case anymore. If one wants a basic, reliable, 200x200x200mm printer, it is hard to beat the various Creality Ender type printers, some available for < $200. If one wants a high-end, larger format (300x300x300 or more) printer, it is hard to beat the higher-end CoreXY machines that are coming on the market. As best I recall, pricing starts at < $700. In both cases, it would be challenging to source the components for less.

That said ... I have never bought a commercial 3d printer. I built my first 3d printer, more or less of the Prusa I3 type, back when there was a little bit of savings for the DIY route - even then, only a little savings in cost, but a big difference in safety and longevity - the low-cost printers at the time were a bit sketchy. For my first printer, I decided to see if I could make a 3d printer as much out of wood as possible - not only the frame, but also the parts that typically would be 3d printed, such as the parts that hold the linear bearings and nuts, that mount the stepper motors, etc. It performed admirably for 10 years or so, and though I have updated it a bit, it still serves as a reliable workhorse for me.

Meanwhile, I have sourced all of the components for a Voron-based build, and look forward to adding that to my arsenal in the next few months. Fortunately, I was able to source everything before tariffs kicked in. Even so, I would guess I've spent about $700 on the components, so this is not motivated by cost savings, but rather by the fun of building something that I can customize exactly the way I want to.

 

[Eric1001]

Why would you want to build your 3D printer from scratch when you can buy one for less than $500?

 

[awake]

Eric, as I noted, there is no reason to build a 3d printer rather than buy one ... unless the building is itself part of the hobby. As various YouTube creators have said, for some 3d printing is about what can be produced on the printer; the focus is on getting reliable prints without having to worry about the printer itself. For others, 3d printing is about the printer and the process; the focus is on tweaking and improving the design. To me, neither approach is superior to the other. I entered the 3d printing hobby mostly with the latter focus, and I continue to enjoy designing and improving the printer and accessories. But I also find a great many uses for the 3d printer, and regularly print out this, that, or the other. Just this past week, I designed and printed out a track, locomotive, and train car that served as the base for my 2 year old's birthday cake. One could just as well ask, why do all that when one could buy cheap train parts from WalMart? The answer is, I was able to execute exactly the design I wanted, and I got to have the fun of creating it and making it happen!

 

[cwbullet]

Why would you want to build your 3D printer from scratch when you can buy one for less than $500?

There are lots of reason to build one. Most importantly, it teaches you how to take it apart to repair it.

 

[NibblerNerd]

Why would you want to build your 3D printer from scratch when you can buy one for less than $500?

honestly man, those $500 printers are usually limited. If you build from scratch, you can choose exactly the components you want. like a bigger build volume, specific hotends, stronger motors, better linear rails. You're not stuck with stock parts, and upgrading down the line is much easier because you know what's what. I built my own printer, and it was so satisfying

 

[StringingAlong]

Starting from scratch allows you to have complete control over the specs and makes it easy to upgrade later on. Moreover, it helps you really grasp how each system functions.

 

[LayerXLayer]

That's a solid point, building from scratch really does give you both flexibility in upgrades and deeper technical understanding.

 

[resinwizard]

Creating your own printer gives you the freedom to customize and take control, letting you pick out the exact parts for a bigger build volume, improved performance, and simpler upgrades. There's nothing quite like the feeling of having a tailored, top-notch machine that meets your needs perfectly.

 

[the great Willow]

I do not know even enough to be dangerous about 3D printing, however I would like to scratch build or build a printer from a kit.
Happy hunting
Archie

I found a video on YouTube. Hopefully this helps!